Follow the Money: Lawmakers transfer roughly $600,000 among themselves over 2016 campaign cycle

When it comes to campaign donations, sometimes a Nevada lawmaker’s best friend is a legislative colleague.

Lawmakers transferred roughly $600,000 among themselves over the course of the 2016 election cycle, spreading the wealth and padding donation figures for candidates stuck in tough races.

Inter-candidate transfers were dominated by Democrats, who gave more than $505,000 to their colleagues compared to $92,170 transferred between Republican legislators. That isn’t to say Republicans were more stingy with their campaign cash, as the party instead focused fundraising efforts through political action committees which took in and spent millions of dollars on legislative races.

The top three recipients of campaign donations from their colleagues were all state senators stuck in close races — Democratic Sens. Joyce Woodhouse and Nicole Cannizzaro and Republican Sen. Heidi Gansert. Woodhouse won her race by 469 votes, Cannizzaro by 1,036 and Gansert by a more comfortable 7,049 votes.

Rounding out the top recipients are a slew of Democratic legislative freshmen including Assembly members Steve Yeager ($48,850), Sandra Jauregui ($42,800), and Lesley Cohen ($42,222) all who took over seats previously controlled by Republicans.

The list legislators who gave the most is topped by the two Democratic leaders — Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson ($78,250) and Senate Majority Leader Aaron Ford ($51,900). Other top givers included several veteran Democrats in largely safe districts, including Assembly members Olivia Diaz ($44,000), Heidi Swank ($35,500) and Elliot Anderson ($33,775).

As with political or legislative caucus PACs, transfers between candidate campaign accounts are subject to the same $10,000 maximum donation limit for the primary and general elections.

As always, Nevada Independent reporters double checked all of the figures, but if you see a counting error or a missing contribution, send an email to [email protected] or [email protected].

TOP 10 RECIPIENTS

$63,125 to Senator Joyce Woodhouse (D)
$61,750 to Senator Nicole Cannizzaro (D)
$61,500 to Senator Heidi Gansert (R)
$48,850 to Assemblyman Steve Yeager (D)
$42,800 to Assemblywoman Sandra Jauregui (D)
$42,222 to Assemblywoman Lesley Cohen (D)
$35,084 to Assemblyman Ozzie Fumo (D)
$22,084 to Assemblywoman Brittney Miller (D)
$17,550 to Assemblyman Will McCurdy (D)
$16,050 to Senator Julia Ratti (D)

TOP 10 GIVERS

$78,250 from Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson (D)
$51,900 from Senate Majority Leader Aaron Ford (D)
$44,000 from Assemblywoman Olivia Diaz (D)
$35,500 from Assemblywoman Heidi Swank (D)
$33,775 from Assemblyman Elliot Anderson (D)
$32,984 from Assemblywoman Irene Bustamante Adams (D)
$30,750 from Senator Tick Segerblom (D)
$27,750 from Assemblyman James Ohrenschall (D)
$26,500 from Assemblywoman Maggie Carlton (D)
$25,700 from Assemblyman Nelson Araujo (D)

LEGISLATORS

Democratic Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson: $78,250

$10,000 to Assemblyman Nelson Araujo (D)
$10,000 to Assemblyman Steve Yeager (D)
$3,000 to Assemblywoman Brittney Miller (D)
$6,000 to Assemblywoman Sandra Jauregui (D)
$5,000 to Assemblywoman Ellen Spiegel (D)
$5,000 to Assemblyman James Ohrenschall (D)
$5,000 to Assemblyman Justin Watkins (D)
$5,000 to Assemblywoman Lesley Cohen (D)
$5,000 to Assemblywoman Maggie Carlton (D)
$5,000 to Assemblywoman Olivia Diaz (D)
$3,000 to Assemblywoman Shannon Bilbray-Axelrod (D)
$2,500 to Assemblyman Ozzie Fumo (D)
$2,500 to Assemblyman Skip Daly (D)
$2,000 to Assemblyman Tyrone Thompson (D)
$1,250 to Assemblywoman Daniele Monroe-Moreno (D)
$1,000 to Assemblyman Chris Brooks (D)
$1,000 to Assemblywoman Dina Neal (D)
$1,000 to Assemblyman Will McCurdy (D)

Democratic Senate Majority Leader Aaron Ford: $51,900

$10,000 to Senator Joyce Woodhouse (D)
$10,000 to Senator Julia Ratti (D)
$9,000 to Senator Nicole Cannizzaro
$8,900 to Senator David Parks (D)
$5,000 to Senator Kelvin Atkinson (D)
$2,500 to Assemblywoman Teresa Benitez-Thompson
$1,000 to Assemblyman Chris Brooks (D)
$1,000 to Assemblywoman Dina Neal (D)
$1,000 to Assemblyman Justin Watkins (D)
$1,000 to Assemblyman Steve Yeager (D)
$1,000 to Assemblyman Will McCurdy (D)
$500 to Assemblywoman Daniele Monroe-Moreno (D)
$500 to Assemblywoman Lesley Cohen (D)
$500 to Assemblywoman Sandra Jauregui (D)

Democratic Assemblywoman Olivia Diaz: $44,000

$7,500 to Assemblywoman Lesley Cohen (D)
$7,500 to Assemblywoman Sandra Jauregui (D)
$6,000 to Assemblyman Steve Yeager (D)
$5,000 to Assemblywoman Brittney Miller (D)
$5,000 to Assemblyman Ozzie Fumo (D)
$2,500 to Assemblywoman Amber Joiner (D)
$2,500 to Assemblyman Edgar Flores (D)
$2,500 to Assemblywoman Shannon Bilbray-Axelrod (D)
$2,000 to Assemblyman Richard Carrillo (D)
$1,000 to Assemblywoman Dina Neal (D)
$1,000 to Assemblywoman Justin Waktins (D)
$1,000 to Assemblyman Nelson Araujo (D)
$500 to Assemblywoman Daniele Monroe-Moreno (D)

Democratic Assemblywoman Heidi Swank: $35,500

$7,500 to Assemblyman Ozzie Fumo (D)
$7,000 to Assemblywoman Lesley Cohen (D)
$7,000 to Assemblywoman Sandra Jauregui (D)
$6,000 to Assemblyman Nelson Araujo (D)
$5,500 to Assemblyman Steve Yeager (D)
$2,500 to Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson (D)

Democratic Assemblyman Elliot Anderson: $33,775

$10,000 to Assemblyman Steve Yeager (D)
$9,978 to Assemblyman Elliot Anderson (self-loan)
$7,500 Assemblywoman Sandra Jauregui (D)
$2,525 to Assemblyman Justin Watkins (D)
$2,500 to Assemblywoman Lesley Cohen (D)
$2,500 to Assemblyman Ozzie Fumo (D)
$2,500 to Assemblyman William McCurdy (D)
$1,000 to Assemblywoman Amber Joiner (D)
$1,000 to Assemblyman Chris Brooks (D)
$1,000 to Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson (D)
$1,000 to Senator Joyce Woodhouse (D)
$1,000 to Senator Nicole Cannizzaro (D)
$1,000 to Assemblywoman Shannon Bilbray-Axelrod (D)
$250 to Senator Tick Segerblom (D)

Democratic Assemblywoman Irene Bustamante Adams: $32,984

$9,234 to Assemblywoman Brittney Miller (D)
$3,500 to Assemblywoman Sandra Jauregui (D)
$3,500 to Assemblyman Steve Yeager (D)
$3,500 to Assemblyman Will McCurdy (D)
$2,000 to Assemblywoman Daniele Monroe-Moreno (D)
$2,000 to Assemblywoman Lesley Cohen (D)
$2,000 to Assemblyman Richard Carrillo (D)
$1,500 to Assemblyman Tyrone Thompson (D)
$1,000 to Assemblywoman Amber Joiner (D)
$1,000 to Assemblyman Chris Brooks (D)
$1,000 to Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson (D)
$1,000 to Assemblywoman Shannon Bilbray-Axelrod
$1,000 to Assemblyman Justin Watkins (D)
$750 to Assemblywoman Ellen Spiegel (D)

Democratic Senator Tick Segerblom: $30,750

$20,000 to Senator Tick Segerblom (self-loan)
$10,000 to Senator Joyce Woodhouse (D)
$10,000 to Senator Nicole Cannizzaro (D)
$5,000 to Senator Julia Ratti (D)
$3,000 to Assemblywoman Teresa Benitez-Thompson (D)
$1,000 to Assemblywoman Sandra Jauregui (D)
$1,000 to Assemblyman Skip Daly (D)
$500 to Assemblyman Richard Carrillo (D)
$250 to Assemblyman Justin Watkins (D)

Democratic Assemblyman James Ohrenschall: $27,750

$5,000 to Senate Majority Leader Aaron Ford (D)
$5,000 to Senator Joyce Woodhouse (D)
$5,000 to Senator Nicole Cannizzaro (D)
$5,000 to Assemblyman Richard Carrillo (D)
$2,500 to Assemblywoman Daniele Monroe-Moreno (D)
$2,500 to Assemblywoman Shannon Bilbray-Axelrod (D)
$2,500 to Assemblyman Will McCurdy (D)
$250 to Senator David Parks (D)

Democratic Assemblywoman Maggie Carlton: $26,500

$6,500 to Assemblyman Steve Yeager (D)
$6,000 to Assemblywoman Lesley Cohen (D)
$5,000 to Assemblyman Ozzie Fumo (D)
$2,500 to Assemblywoman Amber Joiner (D)
$2,500 to Senator Joyce Woodhouse (D)
$1,000 to Assemblywoman Daniele Monroe-Moreno (D)
$1,000 to Assemblywoman Sandra Jauregui (D)
$1,000 to Assemblywoman Shannon Bilbray-Axelrod (D)
$1,000 to Assemblyman William McCurdy (D)

Democratic Assemblyman Nelson Araujo: $25,700

$7,000 to Assemblywoman Lesley Cohen (D)
$5,000 to Assemblywoman Sandra Jauregui (D)
$3,000 to Assemblyman Ozzie Fumo (D)
$3,000 to Assemblyman Steve Yeager (D)
$1,200 to Assemblyman Chris Brooks (D)
$500 to Assemblywoman Brittney Miller (D)
$1,000 to Assemblyman Richard Carrillo (D)
$500 to Assemblyman Tyrone Thompson (D)
$500 to Assemblyman Will McCurdy (D)

Democratic Senator Kelvin Atkinson: $20,000

$10,000 to Senator Joyce Woodhouse (D)
$7,000 to Senator Nicole Cannizzaro (D)
$3,000 to Assemblyman Will McCurdy (D)

Democratic Senator Mo Denis: $20,000

$10,000 to Senator Joyce Woodhouse (D)
$10,000 to Senator Nicole Cannizzaro (D)

Democratic Senator David Parks: $13,500

$10,000 to Senator Nicole Cannizzaro (D)
$2,000 to Assemblywoman Lesley Cohen (D)
$1,000 to Senator Yvanna Cancela (D)
$500 to Senator Pat Spearman (D)

Democratic Assemblywoman Teresa Benitez-Thompson: $11,500

$2,000 to Assemblywoman Brittney Miller
$1,500 to Assemblywoman Lesley Cohen
$1,000 to Assemblyman Skip Daly
$1,000 to Assemblywoman Amber Joiner
$1,000 to Assemblywoman Daniele Monroe-Moreno
$1,000 to Assemblyman Richard Carrillo
$1,000 to Assemblywoman Sandra Jauregui
$1,000 to Assemblyman Steve Yeager
$1,000 to Assemblyman Will McCurdy
$500 to Assemblyman Justin Watkins

Democratic Senator Patricia Spearman: $12,157.01

$6,000 to Senator Nicole Cannizzaro (D)
$5,000 to Senator Joyce Woodhouse (D)
$907.01 to Senator Pat Spearman
$250 to Assemblyman Daniele Monroe-Moreno (D)

Democratic Assembly Majority Leader Teresa Benitez Thompson: $11,500

$2,000 to Assemblywoman Brittney Miller (D)
$1,500 to Assemblywoman Lesley Cohen (D)
$1,500 to Assemblyman Skip Daly (D)
$1,000 to Assemblywoman Amber Joiner (D)
$1,000 to Assemblywoman Daniele Monroe-Moreno (D)
$1,000 to Assemblyman Richard Carrillo (D)
$1,000 to Assemblywoman Sandra Jauregui (D)
$1,000 to Assemblyman Steve Yeager (D)
$1,000 to Assemblyman William McCurdy (D)
$500 to Assemblyman Justin Watkins (D)

Republican Senator Scott Hammond: $11,400

$10,000 to Senator Heidi Gansert (R)
$1,400 to Senator Scott Hammond (R) (self loan)

Republican Senator Pete Goicoechea: $11,000

$10,000 to Senator Heidi Gansert (R)
$1,000 to Assemblyman John Ellison (R)

Republican Senator Ben Kieckhefer: $11,000

$10,000 to Senator Heidi Gansert (R)
$1,000 to Senator Scott Hammond (R)

Republican Senator Joe Hardy: $10,000

$5,000 to Senator Heidi Gansert (R)
$5,000 to Senator Scott Hammond (R)

Republican Senator Becky Harris: $10,000

$5,000 to Senator Heidi Gansert (R)
$5,000 to Senator Scott Hammond (R)

Republican Senate Minority Leader Michael Roberson: $10,000

$10,000 to Senator Heidi Gansert (R)

Republican Senator James Settelmeyer: $10,000

$10,000 to Senator Heidi Gansert (R)

Democratic Assemblywoman Dina Neal: $7,400

$1,100 to Assemblywoman Brittney Miller (D)
$700 to Assemblywoman Daniele Monroe-Moreno
$700 to Assemblywoman Ellen Spiegel (D)
$700 to Assemblywoman Lesley Cohen (D)
$700 to Assemblyman Ozzie Fumo (D)
$700 to Assemblyman Richard Carrillo (D)
$700 to Assemblywoman Sandra Jauregui (D)
$700 to Assemblywoman Shannon Bilbray-Axelrod (D)
$700 to Assemblyman Steve Yeager (D)
$700 to Assemblyman Will McCurdy (D)

Democratic Assemblyman Mike Sprinkle: $6,500

$1,000 to Assemblywoman Brittney Miller (D)
$1,000 to Assemblyman Justin Watkins (D)
$1,000 to Assemblywoman Sandra Jauregui (D)
$1,000 to Assemblywoman Shannon Bilbray-Axelrod (D)
$1,000 to Assemblyman Steve Yeager (D)
$500 to Assemblywoman Daniele Monroe-Moreno (D)
$500 to Assemblywoman Lesley Cohen (D)
$500 to Assemblyman William McCurdy (D)

Democratic Senator Mark Manendo: $7,000

$4,000 to Senator Joyce Woodhouse (D)
$3,000 to Senator Nicole Cannizzaro (D)

Republican Assembly Minority Leader Paul Anderson: $6,500

$2,500 to Assemblyman Chris Edwards (R)
$1,000 to Assemblyman James Oscarson (R)
$1,000 to Assemblywoman Jill Tolles (R)
$1,000 to Assemblyman Jim Wheeler (R)
$1,000 to Assemblyman Keith Pickard (R)

Democratic Senator Julia Ratti: $5,750

$5,000 to Senator Joyce Woodhouse (D)
$600 to Senator Julia Ratti (D)
$150 to Assemblywoman Teresa Benitez-Thompson

Democratic Assemblyman Chris Brooks: $5,150

$4,000 to Assemblyman Ozzie Fumo (D)
$250 to Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson (D)
$250 to Senator Joyce Woodhouse (D)
$200 to Assemblywoman Sandra Jauregui (D)
$150 to Assemblyman Nelson Araujo (D)
$150 to Assemblywoman Daniele Monroe-Moreno (D)

Democratic Assemblywoman Lesley Cohen: $5,000

$5,000 to Assemblywoman Heidi Swank (D)

Independent Senator Patricia Farley: $4,000

$4,000 to Senator Heidi Gansert (R)

Democratic Assemblyman Tyrone Thompson: $3,044

$750 to Assemblywoman Daniele Monroe-Moreno (D)
$750 to Assemblyman William McCurdy (D)
$294 to Senate Majority Leader Aaron Ford (D)
$250 to Assemblywoman Brittney Miller (D)
$250 to Assemblyman Justin Watkins (D)
$250 to Assemblyman Nelson Araujo (D)
$250 to Assemblyman Ozzie Fumo (D)

Republican Assemblyman Ira Hansen: $3,000

$1,000 to Assemblyman Richard McArthur (R)
$1,000 to Assemblywoman Lisa Krasner (R)
$1,000 to Assemblyman Jim Marchant (R)

Republican Assemblywoman Jill Tolles: $2,900

$2,500 to Senator Heidi Gansert (R)
$500 to Assemblywoman Jill Tolles (self-loan)
$200 to Assemblywoman Melissa Woodbury (R)
$200 to Assemblyman James Oscarson (R)

Democratic Assemblyman Steve Yeager: $1,850

$1,300 to Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson (D)
$250 to Assemblywoman Daniele Monroe-Moreno (D)
$100 to Senator Nicole Cannizzaro (D)
$100 to Assemblyman Ozzie Fumo (D)
$100 to Assemblywoman Sandra Jauregui (D)

Democratic Assemblyman Edgar Flores: $1,600

$500 to Assemblywoman Sandra Jauregui (D)
$500 to Assemblyman William McCurdy (D)
$350 to Assemblyman Ozzie Fumo (D)
$250 to Assemblyman Justin Watkins (D)

Democratic Assemblywoman Brittney Miller: $1,410

$1,410 to Assemblywoman Daniele Monroe-Moreno (D)

Democratic Assemblywoman Amber Joiner: $1,250

$1,000 to Assemblyman Justin Watkins (D)
$250 to Senator Julia Ratti (D)

Republican Assemblyman Jim Wheeler: $1,170

$610 to Assemblyman John Ellison (R)
$560 to Assemblywoman Robin Titus (R)

Democratic Assemblyman Richard Carrillo: $1,000

$1,000 to Senator Yvanna Cancela (D)

Senator Joyce Woodhouse: $922

$300 to Senator Nicole Cannizzaro (D)
$200 to Senator David Parks (D)
$200 to Senator Julia Ratti (D)
$200 to Senator Kelvin Atkinson (D)
$22 to Assemblywoman Lesley Cohen (D)

Democratic Assemblywoman Daniele Monroe-Moreno: $900

$250 to Assemblywoman Sandra Jauregui (D)
$250 to Assemblyman Steve Yeager (D)
$200 to Senator Joyce Woodhouse (D)
$200 to Senator Nicole Cannizzaro (D)

Republican Assemblyman John Hambrick: $500

$500 to Assemblyman Keith Pickard (R)

Democratic Assemblyman Ozzie Fumo: $450

$26,648.06 to Assemblyman Ozzie Fumo (D) (self-loan)
$250 to Assemblyman Steve Yeager (D)
$100 to Senator Joyce Woodhouse (D)
$100 to Assemblyman William McCurdy (D)

Democratic Assemblyman Sandra Jauregui: $375

$200 to Assemblyman Chris Brooks (D)
$100 to Assemblywoman Sandra Jauregui (D)
$75 to Senator Joyce Woodhouse (D)

Democratic Assemblywoman Ellen Spiegel: $250

$250 to Assemblyman Justin Watkins (D)

Democratic Assemblyman Justin Watkins: $250

$4,222.22 to Assemblyman Justin Watkins (D)
$250 to Senator Nicole Cannizzaro (D)

Republican Senator Heidi Gansert: $200

$200 to Senator James Settelmeyer (R)

Democratic Assemblyman William McCurdy: $50

$50 to Sandra Jauregui

Democratic Senator Nicole Cannizzaro: $50

$198.94 to Senator Nicole Cannizzaro (D) (self-loan)
$50 to Assemblywoman Shannon Bilbray-Axelrod (D)

5-11-17: This story has been updated to correct the total amount of contributions Democratic Assemblywoman Brittney Miller received from fellow lawmakers. It is $22,084, not $44,168. The story has been also updated to reflect corresponding changes in total figures.