Big fund-raisers cashed in with voters, study says

Benjamin Grove

Thursday, Nov. 9, 2000 | 10:33 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- The House and Senate candidates who raised the most money won in 93 percent of the races this week, according to a study released today.

Victorious candidates raised 2.6 times more than their opponents, according to the study by U.S. Public Interest Research Group.

Nevada's three winning candidates -- incumbent Reps. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., and Jim Gibbons, R-Nev. and Sen.-elect Republican John Ensign -- all outspent their opponents, the report cited in a state-by-state wrapup.

The report, "The Best Elections Money Can Buy," also interviewed candidates in 50 states who lost, dropped out of a campaign or did not run at all because they couldn't compete in fund-raising.

The U.S. PIRG study featured Nevada Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa, who dropped out of the race against Ensign in September 1999 citing fund-raising woes.

"I've observed many races and all anyone is doing for breakfast, lunch and cocktails is raising money," Del Papa said in the brief profile. "I fundamentally don't want to live like this."

At the time Del Papa dropped out of the race she had raised about $320,000. She noted casino interests did not take to her campaign like they did to Ensign.

"It really tells the story that campaign corruption is not just the money donated during campaigns but that it starts at the voting booths with who is running and who is not," said Julia Hutchins, U.S. PIRG spokeswoman.

Ensign eventually raised almost $4.5 million. His opponent Democrat Ed Bernstein raised about $2.3 million.

The report said that just .15 percent of Americans gave donations of $1,000 or more to campaigns. Donations of $1,000 or more made up more than 70 percent of total donations to candidates from individuals.

"Large contributors, not ordinary Americans, have 'elected' a House of Un-Representatives," Hutchins said.

U.S. PIRG is a citizen and environmental watchdog group based in Washington.