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POLITICS:

Sandoval to kick off aggressive re-election fundraising campaign

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Justin M. Bowen

Gov. Brian Sandoval addresses the crowd during the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Amonix, a California-based solar power company that recently opened its new North Las Vegas facility, Tuesday, May 17, 2011.

By (contact)

Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2011 | 2 a.m.

Gov. Brian Sandoval is holding two high-dollar campaign fundraisers next month, part of an effort to assert himself as the dominant force in Nevada politics and scare off potential challengers, his advisers said.

Both fundraisers — coming less than a year into Sandoval’s first term and more than three years before he stands for re-election — will direct money to “Sandoval for Governor,” his campaign account.

One will be Oct. 4 at the Venetian, featuring former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. The other is Oct. 14 in Reno.

The top donation level at both events is $10,000, which earns participation at a “round-table discussion.”

Sandoval won his seat handily in 2010. Raising money now, sooner than most first-term governors have launched aggressive fundraising efforts, according to political veterans, is intended to show him as the prohibitive favorite against potential Democratic challengers.

“The new paradigm of politics is people start way early,” said Pete Ernaut, a Republican campaign consultant close to Sandoval. “It’s not unthinkable someone gets in two or three years before Election Day. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Or in this case, a dollar of prevention is worth a million of cure.”

The strategy appears to be working.

Secretary of State Ross Miller, a Democrat who’s term limited in 2014, said he’s interested in running for governor. Just not against Sandoval.

“He has done a very good job as governor thus far,” said Miller, son of former Democratic Gov. Bob Miller. “I’m certainly inclined to look at the attorney general’s office (in 2014) to see if that race makes any sense.”

The other top-tier Democrat for statewide office is Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto. She’s also term-limited in 2014.

Her political team could not be reached for comment Monday.

Sandoval spent a good portion of the summer out of state, on personal trips interspersed with political events and economic development visits. And Sandoval has endorsed Texas Gov. Rick Perry for the Republican presidential nomination.

“It is the new normal that campaigns remain organized and have resources well in advance of Election Day,” said Mike Slanker, campaign spokesman and consultant. “We are laying the groundwork for the re-election. We anticipate a significant turnout for the (fundraising) events in both Northern and Southern Nevada. We plan to end the year with a sizable bank account.”

Democratic and Republican lawmakers are also hitting up donors, but for the cycle of elections in 2012.

Discussion: 7 comments so far…

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  1. By dipstick
    Sept. 20, 2011
    3:07 a.m.
    Flag

    anybody who endorses perry from texas doesnt deserve a dime. that said, you'll find the koch brothers, shelly adelsen and steve wynn, and all the execs from the mining concerns at the round table. access comes with a price and most americans cant afford it.

  2. By FernleyDem (Jess Garner)
    Sept. 20, 2011
    5:52 a.m.
    Flag

    Where are all the posters that complain about Obama's fundraising ? Three years before re-election,must be worried...

  3. By ColinFromLasVegas
    Sept. 20, 2011
    9:11 a.m.
    Flag

    I just refuse to believe that money can buy an election.

    Look back at what Sandoval has done so far.

    He gutted education even FURTHER than Gibbons did.

    Money allocated illegally from County Governments has been received by the State and Sandoval fights to keep that money in court. More than he fights for any other damn thing in Nevada to come up with budget solutions. His whole approach to resolving budgetary problems here in Nevada is basically a joke.

    And the most glaring thing about Sandoval is that every single damn thing he does is with an eye towards helping out his former employers. All indications show he still works for Jones Vargas; one of the top law lobby firms in Nevada that represents the mining consortiums that rape Nevada dry everyday. Without paying anything close to a fair share of taxes for digging stuff out of the ground...AND TAKING IT NOT ONLY OUT OF STATE, BUT OUT OF THIS COUNTRY!

    I say let this guy collect money. But that damn sure don't buy my vote. And I hope others see through his slight of hand and don't vote for him for even being in charge of dogcatchers.

    People of Nevada, and I mean PEOPLE, the average people of Nevada who work hard for their money, need to understand Sandoval is not your friend.

    You don't make money and don't contribute to his campaign? You don't matter. He will only pay attention to you when it comes time for re-election. Then and only then will he pay attention to you. But just to get your vote.

    I damn sure ain't voting for Governor Dracula. He's just another in a string of vampire Republican Governors that drag Nevada further and further down in standard of living.

    I'd love to see the AG Cortez-Masto throw her hat in the ring. She'd get my vote.

  4. By gmag39
    Sept. 20, 2011
    11:05 a.m.
    Flag

    The Sandoval Plan...

    Get Governorship.
    Do NOTHING.
    Raise funds for next election.

    This is what happens when you elect a PUPPET.
    His orders were clear;
    Protect the interests of Mining & Gaming.
    Done.
    B.S. has nothing to do now but hide out and hold fundraisers for the next election.
    Hey, he's only doing what his owners tell him to do.
    Following orders, like a good little soldier.
    When he "goes to work", does he go to the Capitol or Jones Vargas?

  5. By Judy
    Sept. 20, 2011
    11:33 a.m.
    Flag

    We are not paying this Jones Vargas representative to campaign for himself and them. However, the less he does is better news for Nevada. Nothing but a high priced shill for gaming and mining...

  6. By simply_put (Judith Ruth)
    Sept. 20, 2011
    4:15 p.m.
    Flag

    Isn't their a person among us willing to stand up to this puppet who has stripped this state of any dignity it once had with his transparent support of big business and his obvious distaste for the common man?

  7. By ethamilton9 (edward hamilton)
    Sept. 21, 2011
    12:58 a.m.
    Flag

    EDWARD"theDove"Hamilton, a Republican businessman and community activist from Henderson, NV, writes Governor BRIAN SANDOVAL may have a tough time from a more conservative Tea Party voters due to his support of tax increase in 2011 session ,,, he lied and used to his advantage the supreme court decision ...he refused to sign THE PLEDGE not to raise taxes and HE LIED !!!!!! Is incumbent US Senator DEAN HELLER (R-NV) ????

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