Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Porter trailing far behind House incumbent Berkley

Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., remains far ahead of her Republican competition in the amount of campaign money she has raised and spent in her bid for re-election this fall.

But state Sen. Jon Porter of Henderson, one of her GOP foes, raised nearly as much as the congresswoman over the first three months of the year, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.

Berkley raised $281,464 for the three months ending March 31 for a total of $1.24 million so far. Porter raised $250,083 so far this year and $451,017 total. He also contributed $17,301 of his own money.

Berkley also ended the first quarter of 2000 with $936,938 cash on hand, compared to $300,059 for Porter.

Porter outspent Berkley $138,720 to $110,930 so far this year, but the congresswoman has spent $330,426 total, almost double Porter's $169,198.

Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., who faces no opposition so far, has raised $93,012 this year and $321,848 total.

Berkley's individual contributors this year included $1,000 from Lewis Homes executive Robert Lewis, $500 from Anchor Gaming executive Michael Rumbolz, $2,000 from Park Place Entertainment Chief Executive Officer Arthur Goldberg, $500 from New Frontier owner Phil Ruffin, and $1,000 from MGM Grand President Daniel Wade.

Berkley also received $500 from architect Domingo Cambeiro, $1,000 from Abe Pollin, majority owner of the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association, $750 each from Mirage entertainers Siegfried Fischbacher and Roy Uwe Horn, and $1,000 from Olympic Garden owner and taxicab company executive Peter Eliades.

A large number of Porter's individual campaign contributions this year have come from Republican House members. They included $2,000 from Gibbons; $1,000 each from House Majority Leader Dick Armey and fellow Texas GOP Reps. Henry Bonilla, Kevin Brady and Larry Combest; $1,000 from Rep. Richard Baker, R-La.; $1,000 from Rep. Christopher Cannon, R-Utah, and $2,000 from Rep. Christopher Cox, R-Calif.

Other contributions included $1,000 from Rep. Philip Crane, R-Ill.; $1,000 from Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va.; $2,000 from Rep. John Doolittle, R-Calif.; $250 from Rep. Porter Goss, R-Fla.; $1,000 from Rep. Jerry Lewis, R-Calif.; $1,000 from Rep. Frank LoBiondo, R-N.J.; $2,000 from Rep. Buck McKeon, R-Calif.; $1,000 from Rep. Michael Oxley, R-Ohio; $1,000 from Rep. Edward Pease, R-Ind., and $1,000 from Rep. Joe Pitts, R-Pa.

Porter also received $2,000 each from Station Casinos owner Frank Fertitta Jr. and outgoing Mirage Resorts Chairman Steve Wynn; $250 from state Contractors Board President Margi Grein; $1,000 from former Gov. Robert List; $1,000 from Robert Lewis of Lewis Homes; $500 from Las Vegas City Councilwoman Lynette Boggs McDonald; $2,000 from Wanda Lamb Peccole, widow of Peccole Ranch developer William Peccole; $1,000 from media consultant Sig Rogich; $2,000 from Clark County Commissioner Bruce Woodbury, and $500 from former Rep. Barbara Vucanovich.

Jim Blockey, another declared Republican in the race, raised $74,747 and spent $29,688 last year.

Gibbons this year received $500 from Nevada Resort Association President Bill Bible, $1,000 each from Mandalay Bay Resorts executives Mike Ensign and Mike Sloan and $1,000 from Anchor Gaming Chairman Stanley Fulton.

Gibbons, in turn, contributed $1,000 apiece to re-elect Rep. Brian Bilbray, R-Calif., Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Ala., and Rep. Steve Kuykendall, R-Calif.

Gibbons also contributed $1,000 to former Rep. John Ensign for his bid to represent Nevada in the U.S. Senate, $1,000 to the Kenny Guinn for Governor Committee, $2,000 to Porter, $1,000 to the re-election campaign of state Sen. Mike McGinness, R-Fallon, $750 to the re-election campaign of state Sen. Ray Rawson, R-Las Vegas, and $1,125 to Matt Blunt, a Republican running for secretary of state in Missouri.

Steve Kanigher is a staff writer for the Sun. He can be reached at (702) 259-4075 or by e-mail at [email protected]

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