Sheriff’s battle hits the airwaves

Erin Neff

Thursday, Aug. 29, 2002 | 9:52 a.m.

The battle to replace Jerry Keller as sheriff is heating up on the airwaves as the candidate with the most money shows off his third major commercial with his boss endorsing him.

Deputy Chief Bill Young began airing new ads Wednesday to woo voters away from other Metro Police brass running to lead the department.

Keller, who originally said he would stay out of the race despite his affinity for Young, has high remarks for the cop he met 23 years ago and has since promoted to head homeland security functions.

The ad is part of a $600,000-plus campaign Young hopes to use to become one of two candidates who survive Tuesday's primary to square off Nov. 5.

A campaign finance report filed Tuesday shows Young collected just less than $800,000 for the race, including $150,000 in $10,000 maximum donations from Mandalay Resort Group and its casinos, MGM MIRAGE and its casinos, and Station Casinos and most of its entities.

Maximum $10,000 donations also came from Polo Towers owner Stephen Cloobeck, Hallier Investments, Tiberti Construction, the Tiberti Company, Olympia Land Corp., Park Place Entertainment, Patti & Sgro law firm, Southern Highlands I and the Tropicana.

Young even won over Siegfried Fischbacher for $2,500 and got Keller to back up his words with $5,020.

He spent more than $30,000 on consultant Amy Ayoub, $8,000 on polls from Magellan Research and $295,000 for consultant Kent Oram and his advertising firm and $234,678 for Paladin Advertising's services.

Randy Oaks, a Metro captain, is believed to be close behind Young in voters' minds, and has also been running a television ad. Oaks' campaign report was not available as of late Wednesday, and Oaks could not be reached for comment about how much he has raised or spent.

Metro Lt. Steve Franks, who has campaigned with signs and billboards, raised $40,790 and spent $41,816, including what appears to be two small media buys for television.

Candidate Debra Gauthier reported contributions of $5,145, with the bulk of the money coming from a personal loan.

The other sheriff's candidates reported either no contributions or minimal amounts.