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Associated Press
President Barack Obama speaks in the briefing room of the White House in Washington, Friday, Oct. 21, 2011. Obama kicks off a three-day West coast trip on Monday, Oct. 24, in Las Vegas, where he will rally support for his jobs agenda.
By Karoun Demirjian (contact) 
Monday, Oct. 24, 2011 | 2:01 a.m.
Sun coverage
President Barack Obama, in Las Vegas today to push his jobs plan, will also be holding his first local fundraising event of the 2012 campaign.
Politicians coming through Las Vegas make a point of feting donors: the city has a reputation as a place where presidential hopefuls can hit the fundraising jackpot, and Obama is a record-breaker when it comes to soliciting donations.
Except not so much in Nevada.
Nevada is one of two states that Obama won in 2008 without besting his rival, John McCain, in donated funds.
And this year, though his $88.5 million-dollar, million-donor strong campaign is leaving the Republicans in the dust, Obama is trailing the GOP’s front runner, Mitt Romney, by over 40 percent in Nevada.
That’s still an improvement for the Democrat.
Over the past generation of campaign cycles, Republicans have outmuscled others for money in Nevada, based on a Sun review of presidential candidate fundraising in the Silver State aggregated by the Federal Elections Commission and CQ Moneyline.
In 2004, incumbent president George W. Bush trounced Democratic rival John Kerry’s Nevada take: he brought in $2,270,962 to Kerry’s $436,954 – less than 20 cents for every dollar Bush collected. In his introductory term on the national stage, Bush bested Al Gore by almost as much: $578,397 to $173,325, despite Gore being the incumbent vice president Nevadans had already voted for, twice.
Even the charismatic Bill Clinton, who won Nevada both terms, couldn’t cash in on the Silver State compared to his rivals: he brought in $92,490 and $105,380 in 1992 and 1996, respectively, but was beaten by the elder George Bush’s $139,110 in his first run, and Bob Dole’s $458,030 in his second.
In fact, not since the days of Jimmy Carter — who brought in $81,350 from Nevadans to Ronald Reagan’s $85,265 in 1980 — has any Democratic candidate come within striking distance of Republican presidential nominee’s fundraising power.
“The interesting thing is that traditionally, Nevada — because it wasn’t seen as a competitive place for the Democrats in the presidential race — tended to be more of a focal point of Republican efforts than Democratic efforts,” said Anthony Corrado, a campaign finance expert at Colby College in Maine. “They didn’t pay as much attention in presidential fundraising as they do now.”
The new attention being paid to Nevada is part of a greater turn the Democratic party is taking toward the West, where a growing, minority-rich population is turning the entire region into a swinging clearinghouse of electoral votes.
Nevada, despite its small population, has become a bellwether in that equation: while Obama put Nevada, Colorado and New Mexico in his column in 2008, his margin of victory in the Silver State was smack-dab in the middle of the Western pack. This time around, the dismal economic climate in Nevada demands that Obama make his best pitch for recovery to the locals here. If Obama can convince Nevadans he can turn around this economy, he’s won his toughest regional audience — and one for which Romney is making a strong play.
But while the adage that money follows politics would seem to be favoring Republicans, members of that party who are on the ground aren’t rejoicing at Romney’s financial headway just yet.
“I don’t think Republicans contribute to these candidates on an expectation that they’ll come back to campaign heavily,” said Robert Uithoven, a Nevada-based Republican strategist. “If you’re supporting somebody for president enough to write them a check, it has more to do with the shared philosophy and trying to bet on the right horse than setting an expectation of how many times they’ll be back in the state.”
Groundwork in the state, however, is what wins the all-important independent voter -- and there, Uithoven said, Democrats still have a competitive advantage, regardless of what the Romney-versus-Obama numbers are.
“For the last few election cycles, Democrats have had more confidence in funding their state party than Republicans have had in funding theirs,” Uithoven said. “If as a Republican you don’t have faith in your state party to do the job it needs to do in turning out votes, you’re going to be giving more to your candidate.... Republican have not had that strong of a party structure that people are willing to fund.”
A quick look at the state parties' most recent financial disclosure forms suggests he might be right.
Nevada laws don’t require the state parties to file thrice-yearly reports in off-years, but according to the most recent report, state Democrats are doing much better than state Republicans.
At the end of 2010, the most recent figures available, the Nevada Democratic State Party reported taking in almost $2.5 million over the course of the year, while the Nevada Republican State Central Committee brought in just over $536,000.
That money is of course spread out over all manner of races — presidential, Senate, House and local in-state positions. But added to Obama’s and McCain’s total funds raised, it more than closes the remaining gap between the $1.68 million Obama received and the $1.89 million McCain received from Nevadans on their own in 2008.
There’s also an important distinction to make between the relative importance of Las Vegas’s fundraising power to Republicans and Democrats. While donations can be an important indicator of support, the money Republicans make from Nevadans are more important to the running of their campaigns than is the money the Democrats pull in.
Comparing the top-line figures, there doesn’t seem to be much difference: Nevada ranked 29th in fundraising importance for Obama in 2008, and 25th for McCain.
But when considered in terms of dollars-per-capita, the fundraising difference becomes dramatic: while Nevada was only the 29th-most important state to Obama in 2008, it ranked sixth for both Romney and McCain.
It's fallen off slightly for Romney now that he's a favored candidate to win the Republican nomination, but a marked difference still remains. At the end of the third quarter of fundraising, Obama had raised a total of $155,500 in Nevada, while Romney had raised a total of $262,000. Taken on a per capita basis, that ranks Nevada as Romney's 17th most important state for fundraising but only the 35th for Obama.
Neither the Obama campaign nor the Nevada Democrats seem concerned that money will be any obstacle to campaigning in the state.
And Corrado warned against taking too many ground cues from the financial figures.
“Much of the money is coming from the top end. It’s coming from a relatively small portion of the population in Nevada,” Corrado said. “When you think about the fact that in 2008, Obama had much broader support among lower-income, union, and middle class voters, the fact that there’s a been a disconnect between the money and the voting outcome doesn’t surprise me...particularly because of the economic problems Nevada was already starting to encounter.”
Go back to Washington Obama.. You arent welcome here.
What's wrong with this picture? Tapping wallets while the tax payers is being tapped to fly Air Force One in.
So our "Illegal President" will be asking for money. Lets ask him for a real Birth Certificate and what about his suspicious SSA #? Sealed records, Eric Holder and Fast and Furious, Black Panther no prosecution.
Don't give this fraud a penny.
Welcome to Las Vegas, Mr President!
No surprise here. Osama Obama has been running for reelection since January 20, 2009. Can't wait for 2012 to get rid of the creepy-crawler!
Until the big money is taken out of politics, the system will remain corrupt. I also agree that if the sole purpose of the trip is to raise money (which essentially it is)...then the taxpayers should not be paying for the logistics of getting him here. Let the DNC pay for everything.
The political system is corrupt.
Some people willing to pay $10,000 for a plate of dinner and a Polaroid of himself with the President...but will scream loudly he pays too much in taxes and? Seems illogical.
He twice told the world not to come to Las Vegas because it was poor value to spend your precious money on especially taxpayer money.
Now he is coming here begging for money on the taxpayer dime.
What an idiot!!!!!
What a hypocrite!!!!!!!
Will he be fretting the cancelation of the NBA season?
Our country needs to CHANGE the 2 party system, and end the electoral college. Also, to end this forever cycle of doing "election fund raisers" there should be a set amount that ALL candidates are given by the taxpayers, to run with to eliminate corporate deep pocket favoritism.
We need a FLAT TAX for EVERYONE. Our money needs to be backed by precious metals again.
Currently, our USA Government is serving those who possess the money to influence LAWMAKERS. The majority of CITIZENS are NOT being heard nor meaningfully served.
The 2 party system is dysfunctional and not working as it should. Laws and policies had been passed to cause this. Time to take back our American Government and return it to what our Founding Fathers intended!
Thank YOU.
To show u what we have in Nevada with REID he said the other day that the private sector is doing well.We need to help the government economy. The Unemployment rate for the government and unions is 4.7% while private is 20%. We have a good leader in REID. it's good we didn't elect Angle!
Welcome to Las Vegas, Mr. President!
As you can see from the comments to this LV Sun article, the Obama Derangement Syndrome campaign by the ultra-right wing extremist radicals in the Republican Party is alive and well here in Nevada.
President Obama gets my vote in 2012!
Hopefully this will be his last trip here.
The President will make a major policy announcement from Vegas, ground zero in the foreclosure debacle.
"We Can't Wait" for the Party of No to say no over and over and over. He's preparing to bypass the teabagger obstructionists.
Lol whats the major announcement, No NBA this year ?
An important question was asked recently, "How many Republicans does it take to change a light bulb?"
Senator McConnell, "NONE! WE JUST WANT PRESIDENT OBAMA TO FAIL!"
To hell with the Party of No, No, No, Hell No, Hell No You Can't, We Get Paid To Obstruct, Fillibuster And Do Nothing And Certified To Not Lift A Finger To Fix Any Damn Thing.
Colin, calling NORMAL people ultra-right wing extremists shows how completely out of touch with reality you are.
ODS?? Really, coming from the folks who invented BDS that is priceless.
Obama, stay in Kenya!
@Colin
He'll go down as a failure. He can blame congress as much as he wants. The buck stops at the leaders office. If he cannot negotiate something acceptable to both parties, then that is his failure.
Considering the nation is running a 500 billion dollar yearly deficit and has accumulated 14 trillion in debt, is it really any wonder there are people out there (including some politicians) who refuse to pile more onto those numbers?
500 billion more spent than taken in EVERY YEAR!!
Debt that has ballooned from 7 trillion to 14 trillion in 4 years!!!
C'mon folks. Some common sense here please. The government has got to stop spending like a drunk sailor.
Colin, you really are a shill for the Dems. Everything in your latest rant is exactly what your buddy Pinky did when he had the opportunity.
What was that....you can't let the facts stand in the way of your bloated rant??? Oh, I get it, you just can't stand it when reality hits you in the face.
You luscious party of incompetents had an overwhelming majority and still couldn't get shine-o-la done.
Buyers remorse???
If McCain hadn't picked an idiotic running mate like Sarah Palin-Obama would've never been elected President.
@Shykid, The evidence is pointing to the fact that Sarah Palin was right on how to lead this country out of an economic disaster and we can see who the idiotic running mate is, good grief.
I hope if Obama repeats his statement stating that people should not come to Las Vegas today while in Las Vegas.
Does he have the guts to do that?????????
"If McCain hadn't picked an idiotic running mate like Sarah Palin-Obama would've never been elected President."
Yep. Biggest political mistake of his career. I know there are Palin supporters, but she came off as dumb and uninformed. I still to this day don't understand how anyone can support her. The list of better candidates was enormous.
Voting for Obama was more or less a rebuke on Bush.
If Biden were a conservative woman he would have gotten the Palin treatment too.
The contribution trail should show how many people think Obama is the man. Obama winning the war on campaign contributions 2 to 1. I hope this is not the case. This country cannot take another 4 years of stale, stalled and unproductive policies of Obama. He has raised the national debt by $7 trillion in four years with nothing to show for it, he passes the same bill year after year with no results, just like his American Jobs Act, people don't realize that he passed two previous bills similar, the only difference is the price tag. He has bailout banks, businesses, auto industry and mortgage firms, but fail to help the number one source of income for this country, the American tax payers (consumer).
First he tells people to stay out of vegas. Then he comes here to tap our wallets. Its nice to know there are some people left in vegas with wallets to tap.
I thought folks should not blow there money in Vegas if they have other obligations in the future..so why is Hussein here? Seems his obligations are in Illinois..
I just love the idiocy of the Righties posting here. They sure do have the the Fox bullett points down. Talk about the dumming down of the Electorate. LMAO!!!!!!!
President Obama came to my neighborhood today and announced what will be another fail attempt to fix the housing crisis. Banks will drag their feet as usual to help struggling homeowners and won't take you seriously until you are late. Once you are late then they will say you don't qualify.
Our current economy is asking people to find a job or two, work hard to increase their income so that they can pay the mortgage on a house that will be under water for the next 10 years? On top of that, also asking consumers to spend more on goods to help local businesses, never mind that food cost and gas is going up and our saving is earning nothing but fees and fees. Come on, get real!
Want to fix this economy? Banks need to refi plus reduce mortgage principle so people can expect brighter outlook on their financial situation. Once that happens, they will spend again.
I've never heard so many cry-baby republicans in
my entire life.
What a bunch of big baby LOSERS.
WELCOME TO LAS VEGAS, PRESIDENT OBAMA!!!!!
YOU ARE THE MAN.
Please ignore the ignorant, heartless republicans.
They don't know any better.
They're just flat stupid.
FOUR MORE YEARS!!!!!