Big money still rears its head in NLV election
Thursday, April 5, 2007 | 7:11 a.m.
Shortly before 9 p.m. Tuesday, Richard Cherchio knew it was over. Done. In the words of the New Yorker, "Fuhgetaboutit."
In the 60-year-old retired postal worker's eyes, the big money and incumbency had won again in North Las Vegas. The casinos bet the right candidate and the developers knew where their bread gets buttered.
Cherchio had positioned himself as the opposite, a Ward 4 Everyman.
But he lost. By a lot.
The incumbent, Councilwoman Shari Buck, received 57 percent of the vote, winning the election outright. She had raised more than $183,000 since Jan. 1 - about $133 for each of the 1,375 votes she received.
By comparison, Cherchio, who drew 24 percent of the vote, raised $44,064, with $40,000 coming out of his pocket.
This was supposed to be the election where money mattered less. Last November, voters decisively chose to change council elections to ward-only contests. Previously, elections were citywide, with candidates required only to live in the wards they represent.
Supporters believed that the change, by eliminating the expense and logistical challenges of a citywide campaign, would make it easier for people like Cherchio to be viable candidates.
The first time at the polls, though, it didn't work out that way.
Buck's two other opponents - homemaker and activist Deborah Lewis and Jo Cato, a city planning commissioner - each raised less than $20,000 and received less than 12 percent of the vote.
Lewis said Buck's enormous war chest was too much to overcome for someone relying on word of mouth and door-to-door campaigning, even in a campaign covering a smaller area.
"There is a lot of big business," she said. "When you have big business behind you, they contribute a lot of money and the incumbent was able to get her name out there."
Cato agreed that money was a factor, but said voter apathy sunk the challengers' ships. Less than 15 percent of Ward 4 voters cast a ballot.
"We walked and we got encouragement," Cato said. "But folks just don't show up to vote."
She plans on running again in four years, after Buck has been term-limited. The others aren't so sure.
Cherchio had been the most active of the challengers. He was hoping for a celebration Tuesday, the start of a run toward the June general election.
Instead, he took a few moments to catch his breath outside a North Las Vegas bar. It had ended quickly.
"I don't know if it's the money factor. I could blame that," he said. "I think she (Buck) just has that core of people. They go. They vote. I feel somehow I failed the community by not getting the people out to vote. That's what bothers me more than anything."
- Most Read
- Discussed
- Most E-mailed
- Police: 3 arrested in officer’s death have gang ties
- Corrections officer with Metro killed in U.S. 95 crash
- System fails to catch contractor’s family tie with county
- Fontainebleau contractors say sales process is flawed
- Where to watch UFC 106
- UNLV and Southern Illinois will be guarded tonight
- Findlay guard Joseph scores 33, talks about UNLV
- Bishop Gorman takes Sunset Region title in win over Cimarron
- Fighters make weight, Dana White talks Rampage/Rashad
- Reid clears major health care hurdle, daunting weeks ahead
Blogs
The Kats Report
For props, Lewis Black needs only his manic delivery and torrid material (6 Comments)
Elsewhere
Sands China raises $2.5 billion in Hong Kong IPO (1 Comment)
Marquardt v. Sonnen scheduled for UFC 109
Bloggity, Bloggity, Bloggity
Will a fourth consecutive title by Jimmie Johnson be good or bad for NASCAR? (4 Comments)
Top Chef: Las Vegas
The Jet Stream: And then there were four
Top Chef Episode 12: On keeping it simple
Miech Again
Chilly start for Chace, but Stanback says he'll warm up (2 Comments)
- Live chat
- Tuesday, noon PST
- Chat with Krista Creelman
- Problem Gambling Center executive director Krista Creelman will answer questions about gambling addiction from Las Vegas Sun readers from noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. ... Submit question
Calendar »
- 22 Sun
- 23 Mon
- 24 Tue
- 25 Wed
- 26 Thu
-
The Four Tops at The Orleans Showroom
Orleans Hotel-Casino
-
The Chase at Downtown Cocktail Room
Downtown Cocktail Room | 10 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
-
Lady Gaga album release party at Revolution Lounge
Beatles Revolution Lounge | 10 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
-
Food drive at Christian Audigier
Christian Audigier The Nightclub | 10 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
-
Above & Beyond at Moon
Moon Nightclub | 10 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
The Sun
Locally owned and independent for more than 50 years.
Technorati












