GOP has big lead in Nevada donations

Thursday, Nov. 2, 2000 | 11:15 a.m.

A nonpartisan organization that tracks campaign money reported on its Internet website that Nevadans have donated $7.1 million to Republicans in federal races this election but only $3.9 million to Democrats.

The figures, good through Oct. 1, were compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics in Washington, D.C.

Of the nearly $11 million in money from the state given to federal candidates, $8.3 million came from Clark County, including $4.5 million to Republicans and $3 million to Democrats. The 89109 ZIP code that includes a portion of the Las Vegas Strip was by far the largest contributor in the state, giving $2.1 million.

Gaming naturally led the way among major donors with $3.6 million, followed by retirees ($649,795), health professionals ($437,764), real estate interests ($385,434), lawyers and law firms ($383,818), printing and publishing ($293,776), business services ($186,802), finance ($167,118), mining ($163,948) and general contractors ($144,650).

The top contributors by company, which includes employees, political action committees and soft money, also were dominated by gaming. They were Mandalay Resort Group ($738,750), Mirage Resorts ($707,056), International Game Technology ($394,350), MGM Inc. ($341,587), Park Place Entertainment ($295,260), Las Vegas Sun publisher Greenspun Corp. ($271,000), Harrah's Entertainment ($226,300), Boyd Gaming ($220,737), Station Casinos ($208,250) and Barrick Goldstrike Mines ($142,250).

Because MGM and Mirage have since merged, their combined total would make them the largest contributor in the state.

Former Rep. John Ensign, the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, was shown as having raised nearly $4.5 million and spent $4.1 million. Nearly two-thirds of his money came from individuals and one-third came from PACs.

Democratic foe Ed Bernstein had raised only $2.3 million and spent $2.2 million. About 42 percent of his contributions came from both his own pocket and from individuals and 13 percent came from PACs.

Among other highlights of the Ensign-Bernstein contest:

Bernstein's largest donors were the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee ($16,500), Greenspun Corp. ($11,800) and Laborers Union ($10,500).

Ensign also has received at least $100,000 each from five different Nevada zip codes, including $170,126 from the 89117 area southwest of Rainbow Boulevard and Sahara Avenue. Bernstein did not reach six figures in any zip code. His highest zip code contributor was 89109 at $78,960.

Bernstein's top donors were lawyers and law firms ($200,700), health professionals ($56,400), retirees ($36,050), building trade unions ($31,500) and real estate ($29,350).

Gaming gave Bernstein only $28,250. That was noteworthy because every Nevada winner in a House or Senate race since at least 1990 has been the candidate who received the most gaming money.

In the race for the 1st Congressional District, which includes portions of Las Vegas, North Las Vegas and Henderson, Democratic Rep. Shelley Berkley had raised $1.9 million and spent $1.7 million. That included 58 percent from individuals and 40 percent from PACs.

GOP challenger Jon Porter, a state senator, had raised $1.1 million and spent close to the same amount. He had received 65 percent of his donations from individuals and 30 percent from PACs. He had also spent $17,301 of his own money.

Among other highlights of the Berkley-Porter race:

For Porter the top donors were Mandalay Resort Group ($15,500) and Mirage Resorts ($12,000).

Berkley received the most from zip code 89109 at $59,204. Porter's top zip code donor was $38,450 from 89005 in Boulder City.

For Porter the top contributors were leadership PACs ($83,000), gaming ($76,250), retirees ($63,540), real estate ($35,500) and candidate committees ($27,250).

GOP Rep. Jim Gibbons, who faces nominal opposition in his bid to retain his Congressional District 2 seat, raised $581,460 and spent $339,230. His contributions included 61 percent from individuals and 37 percent from PACs. He also received nearly 92 percent of his donations from in state, including $125,345 from Las Vegas and $93,931 from Reno.

Gibbons' top contributors included $12,349 from Sierra Health Services, $12,000 from Mandalay Resort Group, and $10,000 each from the Association of Trial Lawyers of America and National Beer Wholesalers Association. The trial lawyers contribution was noteworthy because fellow Republican Ensign has been critical of that special interest group in his race against Bernstein.

Among industries and special interests, Gibbons received $63,250 from gaming, $36,946 from retirees, $28,750 from real estate, $25,250 from lawyers and law firms and $23,010 from mining.