Reid amasses $2.1 million war chest

Benjamin Grove

Wednesday, April 16, 2003 | 11:18 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., has nearly five times the campaign money as possible challenger Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., according to first-quarter reports filed Tuesday with the Federal Election Commission.

Reid has $2.1 million cash on hand and Gibbons has about $444,000, according to report summaries. Reid raised about $1 million in the first three months of the year; Gibbons raised about $57,000 in the same quarter.

"I am pleased to have the support of so many Nevadans and other Americans from around the country," Reid said in a prepared statement.

Gibbons, an Air Force combat veteran, announced March 18 that he was suspending his fund raising pending the war with Iraq. Reid did not do the same. Gibbons plans to resume fund raising soon, likely within a month, he said on Tuesday.

Gibbons said he likely would announce late this summer if he would challenge Reid for his Senate seat in the 2004 election.

"My concern is what my constituents want and what my family wants me to do," Gibbons said. The decision would not be influenced by Reid's fund raising, he said.

"It's not something I pay a great deal of attention to," Gibbons said.

Gibbons said there is adequate time to raise money if he chooses to get in the race. The fourth-term lawmaker said he would "absolutely" be competitive with Reid in fund raising if he runs.

Despite his war chest and his leadership role as the Senate Minority Whip, Reid, in his third term, is considered among the vulnerable Democrats, national GOP officials say.

Republican officials stressed that it is early in the election cycle. Gibbons would receive a flood of money from Republican sources and corporate donors if he entered the race, they said.

"If Congressman Gibbons jumps in the race then a lot of people from across the country, as well as in Nevada, would love to support someone who would serve as a senator representing the people of Nevada, as opposed to someone who continues to obstruct the president's agenda in Washington," Republican Congressional Campaign Committee spokesman Dan Allen said.

Whoever runs against Reid is going to be competitive, Allen said.

If Gibbons does not run, several Republicans, officeholders and private business people, have approached Nevada Republican Party director Joe Brezny about running, Brezny said. But Gibbons is the strongest candidate, he said.

Reid has alienated conservatives with "attack dog" challenges of Bush, Brezny said.

"I don't know if that is the smartest thing to do if you won your last race by less than 500 votes," Brezny said, in reference to Reid's close 1998 race with John Ensign.

Candidates often trumpet their early campaign money reports in efforts to intimidate possible challengers.

"For the last three months, we've been raising money at nearly seven times the pace of the last election," Reid campaign manager Sean Sinclair said in a press release touting Reid's early numbers. "That says a lot about the strength of his support."

Among Gibbons' biggest first-quarter donors were individuals: Henderson residents Monte Miller, Susan Miller and Joshua Miller of Nevada Holding Service each gave Gibbons $4,000; Alexandria, Va., consultant Dale Stoffel gave Gibbons $2,000; Las Vegas investor Guy Inzalaco gave Gibbons $2,000. Gov. Kenny Guinn gave Gibbons $1,000.

The complete reports for Reid and Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., were not immediately available.

Ensign, who does not face re-election until 2006, raised about $95,000 in the first quarter, leaving about $27,000 cash on hand, with $72,000 in debts, according to a report summary.

Porter received a number of $1,000 checks from the political action committees of other GOP lawmakers, including Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., a longtime leading anti-gaming crusader, and fellow freshman Katherine Harris, the former Florida Secretary of State who was a focus of the Bush-Gore election controversy.