Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Nevada Wonk

Campaign finance reports for Las Vegas mayoral race uncover some unexpected donations

Las Vegas first lady Carolyn Goodman leads the pack of mayoral candidates in raising campaign funds, amassing almost three quarters of a million dollars in just under two months.

Her closest competitors raised just more than half that, with one possible exception.

Businessman Victor Chaltiel, who is anticipated to be a fierce fundraiser, had not filed a campaign finance disclosure by press time. Candidates' first contribution and expense reports were due by 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Goodman raised $718,000 since announcing her candidacy in early February. She has spent $527,000 so far, mostly on television ads.

Her husband, Mayor Oscar Goodman, boosted her campaign with a $10,000 donation from his campaign coffers, and the Goodman Law Group, her husband and son's law firm, contributed another $10,000.

Otherwise, Goodman's biggest contributors were casino honchos and gaming executives, many of who do business downtown. That's not surprising given the mayor's priority of revitalizing downtown, a goal Carolyn Goodman has promised to continue.

Neck in neck in fundraising tallies -- as they are in the polls -- are Clark County Commissioners Larry Brown and Chris Giunchigliani.

Brown raised $421,000 and spent $476,000, while Giunchigliani raised $435,000 and spent $396,000.

Like Goodman, both candidates received significant contributions from casinos and gaming companies, many of the same ones who donated to Goodman. The industry is hedging its bets in the case that Goodman, the frontrunner, loses.

Both Brown and Giunchigliani also borrowed from pots of money remaining from their past campaigns. Brown transferred $50,000 to his mayoral piggy bank, while Giunchigliani transferred $200,000.

City Councilman Steve Ross trailed all of the leading candidates, raising $265,000 and spending $218,000.

As expected, he received a sizable number of contributions from construction companies and unions (as did Giunchigliani). Ross is an electrician and former union leader.

Ross also transferred $58,000 left over from his City Council campaign to his mayoral account.

In other campaign finance news:

- Former Las Vegas Mayor Jan Jones contributed $2,500 to Giunchigliani. She did not contribute to Goodman or Brown (although Caesars Entertainment, the company she works for, did).

Jones has not commented on the mayoral race or said who she'd like to see win.

- The Guinn Family Trust donated only $250 to Goodman's campaign. The limit is $10,000.

Dema Guinn endorsed Goodman and announced in a mailer that her late husband former Gov. Kenny Guinn used to say, "If Carolyn Goodman ever runs for office, we are going to do everything we can to support her."

- Clark County Commissioner Steve Sisolak contributed $5,000 to Brown. He did not give to Giunchigliani.

- Fierro Communications contributed $1,000 to Giunchigliani. That's significant because president Mark Fierro helped run, and win, Oscar Goodman's first mayoral campaign in 1999.

Fierro's company did not donate to Carolyn Goodman. Fierro also voiced a recent attack ad against Ross.

- Treasures Gentlemen's Club gave Goodman $10,000. Maybe they are hoping for a downtown red light district location.

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