Law lets Gibbons use leftover funds for future race

Kirsten Searer

Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2004 | 11:06 a.m.

Should he decide to run for governor, Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., likely will be able to carry over more than $400,000 in federal campaign funds remaining from his recent re-election bid.

A new election law had briefly prohibited people in Congress from using their campaign funds for local or state offices.

But Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call reported that Congress quietly voted to change that law last week, making it legal for congressional members to spend leftover money if their state allows it.

The newspaper reported that the decision could have big implications for people such as Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, who is considering a run for Texas governor and has almost $6.7 million in funds. Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., is thinking about running for governor of Connecticut and had about $3 million in his account in mid-October.

Gibbons is no different. If he decides to step into the gubernatorial race, he would be an instant front-runner, most political watchers agree. That $400,000 could be 10 percent or more of what Gibbons would need to run a gubernatorial election, said Democratic political consultant Dan Hart.

It's plenty of money to hire a staff to get his campaign running and give Gibbons credibility as a strong candidate, Hart said.

"It means you don't have to start from zero, which is always tough in one of these races," Hart said. "Fund-raising is one of the first yardsticks that we judge candidates by, and if you have a zero in your bank account, it's going to be a lot harder to be considered one of the top candidates."

Ironically, Gibbons issued a release Monday criticizing the bill that included the finance reform. The bill is, according to the Roll Call story, a four-paragraph measure that is part of a 3,300-page omnibus appropriations measure.

Gibbons objects to other provisions of the bill that would allow member of Congress and their staff to view tax return information from private citizens.

The House and Senate approved the bill before Thanksgiving but House members will return in December to pass a resolution to strip the tax return language. The Senate has already agreed to remove it. Once the House removes the language, the bill will go to President Bush for his signature.

Meanwhile, Gibbons' campaign consultant Jim Denton said Gibbons has not decided yet if he'll run for governor. His ability to carry over his federal money won't impact his decision, Denton said.

"He's got a great crosswide depth of support and has a number of people to encourage him to seek state office," Denton said.

Other candidates who have raised money for statewide offices can already carry over those funds to a governor's race.

Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, who has expressed interest in running, reported raising $476,941 this year and spending just $208,911.

Sen. Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, another candidate, reported in mid-October that she raised $263,205 this year and spent $85,790.

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman has been mentioned as another possible candidate. His latest finance reports, filed in January, showed he had $214,000 in cash on hand. The most recent reports from lieutenant governor Lorraine Hunt, who has said she will run for governor, also were filed in January and said she had $11,740 in cash on hand.