Heller, Rosen lead Nevada delegation in 2017 fundraising

There are more than 470 days to go until the 2018 general election, but members of Nevada’s congressional delegation are already gearing up for what will likely be expensive re-election bids.
Republican Sen. Dean Heller led the state’s six-member delegation in raising more than $1.4 million during the second Federal Election Commission reporting period, which covers April to the end of June and is publicly released in mid-July.
Other members of the state’s congressional delegation also reported hefty campaign donations, ranging from regular small-dollar donors to a variety of high-powered political action committees and business interests.
Democratic Rep. Jacky Rosen, who announced her intentions to challenge Heller in 2018 following the close of the reporting period, brought in the the second-highest fundraising total of $308,615. Fellow Democrat Dina Titus, who is also mulling a challenge to Heller, reported the smallest fundraising total of around $96,000.
Below, we’ve listed out some of the noteworthy donors and spending reported by members of the state’s congressional delegation during the last reporting period.
DEAN HELLER
Considered the most vulnerable Republican senator, Republican Sen. Dean Heller has been building his war chest with a year and a half to go before the 2018 election.
Heller raked in more than $1.4 million in the second quarter of 2017, spending a little less than $490,000 on campaign expenses and ending with about $3.6 million in the bank. Many of Heller’s high-dollar donations came from a number of individuals involved in the finance world, including venture capitalists and investment bankers, and corporations, including Burger King and Facebook. He spent much of his money on campaign consultants, polling and advertising.
Despite pressure from his fellow Republicans over the ongoing health care discussions in Washington, Heller has not yet attracted any serious primary opponents. Democratic Rep. Jacky Rosen has thrown her hat in the ring for the race, and Rep. Dina Titus is reportedly still mulling a bid as well.
At a glance:
Contributions: $1,410,615.16
Expenses: $502,628.76
Cash on Hand: $3,557,119.13
Noteworthy donors:
$5,400 from Gary Ackerman, owner of Ford Country
$5,400 from Debra Black, a Broadway producer
$5,400 from Leon Black, CEO of Apollo Global Management, a private equity firm
$5,400 from Pete Ernaut, partner and president of government affairs at R&R Partners
$5,400 from Peri Pamela, executive vice president of Peri & Sons Farms in Yerington
$5,000 from Caesars Entertainment PAC
$4,801.00 from Heller Victory Committee
$3,500 from Facebook Inc. PAC
$2,700 from William Banfield, COO of Quicken Loans
$2,700 from Keith Bergh, owner of Dollar Loan Center
$2,700 from Charles Brennan, president of Dollar Loan Center
$2,700 from Mary Brennan, officer at The Brennan Entities
$2,700 from Norman Brownstein, partner at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck
$2,700 from the Cherokee Nation
$2,700 from former Los Angeles mayor Richard Riordan
$2,700 from Charles Schwab, chairman of the Charles Schwab Corporation
$1,855.93 from Heller Flake (AZ senator) Victory Committee
$1,500 from angel investor Marc Abramowitz
$1,000 from Kevin McCarthy, senior vice president of Majestic Realty Company, one of the original Raiders Stadium investor companies
$1,000 from Dillard Byers, vice president of Cisco Systems
$1,000 from Mike Slanker, partner and founder of November Inc. and Heller’s campaign manager
$1,000 from James Staten, senior vice president, finance, and chief financial officer at USC
$1,000 from Robert Uithoven, founder and president of j3 Strategies
$1,000 from Committee to Elect (state Sen.) Becky Harris
Spending:
$96,044.42 to October Inc., for various campaign and consulting expenses
$72,157.04 to The Tarrance Group for polling services
$45,717 to Bask Digital Media for digital consulting services/digital advertisement
$22,209.67 to November Inc. for various campaign and consulting expenses
$21,256.91 to Tagged Digital for email and website services
$5,000 to Heller Enterprises for social media consulting services; Heller’s son, Harris Heller, is president of Heller Enterprises
JACKY ROSEN
It wasn’t until after the end of the second quarter that freshman Rep. Jacky Rosen announced her plans to challenge Republican Sen. Dean Heller for his Senate seat. Nevertheless, she still managed to raise more than $308,000 over the reporting period, spent $114,000 and ended with about $416,000 in the bank.
Some of the more notable contributions to the former synagogue leader and computer programmer included $2,500 from a pro-Israel political action committee, $78,744 from the pro-choice group EMILY’s List and $5,400 from potential Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stephen Cloobeck.
She also received $10,000 from the Searchlight Leadership Fund and $4,000 from the Friends for Harry Reid political action committee, both affiliated with former Democratic Sen. Harry Reid. Reid was responsible for recruiting Rosen to run for the 3rd Congressional District seat in the 2016 election and also encouraged her to challenge Heller in 2018.
At a glance:
Contributions: $308,615
Expenses: $113,931
Cash on Hand: $416,432.66
Interesting donors:
$78,744 from EMILY’s List
$10,000 candidate loan
$10,000 from Searchlight Leadership Fund
$5,000 from All For Our County Leadership PAC (Catherine Cortez Masto)
$5,400 from Stephen Cloobeck, potential Democratic gubernatorial candidate
$4,000 from Friends for Harry Reid
$2,700 from former Massachusetts Rep. Chester Atkins
$2,700 from Myra Greenspun, wife of Las Vegas Sun publisher Brian Greenspun
$2,700 from Richard Pachulski of Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones
$2,700 from John Ceriale (longtime resort developer)
$2,700 from Robin Greenspun, wife of Danny Greenspun, Brian’s brother
$2,500 from Citizens Organized PAC, a pro-Israel political action committee
$1,000 from Committee to Elect (state Sen.) Tick Segerblom
$1,000 from DCCC
$1,000 from Daniel Hamilton, UNLV dean
$500 from Barbara Molasky, Las Vegas philanthropist
$500 from Linda Faiss of Faiss Foley & Warren
Spending:
$15,000 to Fiorello Consulting
$11,500 to Next Level Partner
CATHERINE CORTEZ MASTO:
There’s a little less than six years to go before Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto is on the ballot again, but the state’s newest senator isn’t wasting much time in building up her campaign war chest.
Cortez Masto reported raising slightly more than $290,000 during the reporting period, spending roughly $183,000 and ending with nearly $320,000 in the bank. Her donations largely came political action committees and repeated small dollar donors, from college professors to a janitor in St. Louis. Expenses ranged from typical costs such as payroll and fundraising consultants, but the state’s Democratic senator gave $1,000 each to newly elected Las Vegas City Councilman Steve Seroka as well as a donation to the Food Bank of Northern Nevada.
All in all, Cortez Masto added more than $108,000 to her war chest through the reporting period.
At a glance:
Contributions: $291,248.53
Expenses: $183,216.84
Cash on Hand: $319,584.85
Noteworthy donors:
$28,051.89 from All For Our Country Leadership PAC
$5,200 from R&S Leasing and owner Robert Ellis
$5,000 from Kyle Ferari, married to a national finance committee chair for the Democratic National Committee
$5,000 from Patricia Brissenden, an innkeeper at Sorensen’s Resort in Minden, Nevada.
$3,000 from Immigrants’ List
$2,700 from Steven Nightingale, a Reno-based author
$2,700 from Lucy Blake, a California-based nonprofit executive
$2,700 from Uwe Rockenfeller, CEO of Rocky Research Inc.
$2,700 from Chris Peirson, an attorney with the Dallas-based firm Peirson Patterson LLP
$2,700 from R.M. Ossoff, a specialist publisher and father of former Georgia congressional candidate Jon Ossoff
$2,500 from William Shaddock, a Texas-based developer
$2,300 from Americans for Responsible Solutions PAC, a gun control nonprofit founded by former Rep. Gabby Giffords
$2,000 from Jobs, Opportunity and Education PAC (associated with Democratic Rep. Joseph Crowley)
$500 from Paul Brathwaite, a lobbyist with the Podesta Group
Spending:
$27,700 to Anne Lewis Strategies LLC for online fundraising consulting
$5,379 to Linemark for fundraising mail printing and stock
$4,000 to Big Sky Copywriting, Inc. for fundraising mail copywriting
$15,286 to CHS Mailing for fundraising mail postage and printing
$8,250 to Beth Foster Consultants LLC
$4,000 to TIPAH Consulting LLC
$1,000 to Committee to Elect Steve Siroka
$1,000 to Food Bank of Northern Nevada
RUBEN KIHUEN:
The 4th Congressional District seat leans slightly Democratic, and Rep. Ruben Kihuen from starting to stockpile campaign funds ahead of his 2018 re-election bid.
The Democratic congressman reported receiving $235,000 in campaign contributions over the reporting period, spending $186,000 and has about $325,000 in cash on hand. Kihuen received a number of contributions from PACs associated with his colleagues, including $2,000 from New Mexico Rep. Ben Lujan’s Turquoise PAC, $2,000 from Oregon Rep. Earl Blumenauer’s Committee for a Livable Future and $1,000 from Virginia Rep. Don Beyer’s BackPAC.
Las Vegas City Councilman Stavros Anthony plans to challenge Kihuen for his seat in 2018. Former Rep. Cresent Hardy, who held Kihuen’s seat from 2014 to 2016, announced on Tuesday that he would not run for any office in 2018.
At a glance:
Contributions: $234,550.58
Expenses: $185,562.89
Cash on Hand: $325,472.98
Interesting donors:
$7,000 from National Air Traffic Controllers Association PAC
$5,400 from Michael and Sarah Esposito
$5,400 from Lee Amaitis, former CEO and President of CT Technology
$5,400 from hedge-fund manager Donald Sussman
$5,400 from Tim Wong, President of Arcata Associates Inc.
$5,000 from American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO Committee on Political Education
$5,000 from AmeriPAC: The Fund for a Greater America (Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer)
$3,500 from Humane Society Legislative Fund PAC
$2,700 from Las Vegas attorney Robert T. Eglet
$2,700 from Fred Eychaner, CEO of Newsweb, Inc.
$2,700 from Joseph Gutierrez, a founding partner at Maier Gutierrez & Associates
$2,700 from Nectaly Mendoza, owner of Las Vegas steakhouse Herbs and Rye
$2,700 from lobbyist Alisa Nave-Worth with Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck
$2,700 from Albert Seeno, owner of Albert Seeno Construction in Concord, Calif.
$2,500 from End Citizens United
$2,000 from Steny Hoyer for Congress
$2,000 from Lofgren for Congress
$2,000 from Committee for a Livable Future (Oregon Rep. Earl Blumenauer)
$2,000 from Turquoise PAC (New Mexico Rep. Ben Lujan)
$1,000 from Edward Gabriel, a Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services
$1,000 from Christopher M. Brown, president of Kentucky State University
$1,000 from Las Vegas golf instructor Jennifer Alexander
$1,000 from New Democrat Coalition PAC
$1,000 from BackPAC (Virginia Rep. Don Beyer)
$1,000 from Democrats Reshaping America (California Rep. Linda Sanchez)
$1,000 from Democrats United to Change and Hope PAC (Maryland Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger)
$1,000 from Michael Doyle for Congress committee
$1,000 from Lucille Roybal-Allard for Congress
$1,000 from Michigan’s Future PAC (Michigan Rep. Dan Kildee)
$500 from Joey Gilbert, a Reno attorney and campaign surrogate for Donald Trump
Spending:
$62,000 to Rising Tide Interactive, LLC
$41,465.46 to Angerholzer Broz Consulting LLC for “fundraising consulting”
$20,000 to Left Hook Communications, LLC for “media production”
$11,000 to Hilltop Public Solutions for “general strategy consulting”
$7,878.46 to 4Degrees, Inc. for “internet consulting”
MARK AMODEI
Despite toying with the idea of running for governor or attorney general, Nevada’s only Republican House member Mark Amodei continued to build up his campaign account during the first part of 2017.
Amodei ended the fundraising period after raising more than $170,000, and ending with nearly $175,000 in available cash. The congressman tapped into a network of Reno business and community leaders for much of his donations, including members of the Carano family and several well-known Carson City businesses.
Amodei will likely face off against former Assemblywoman and perennial candidate Sharron Angle in a primary election.
At a glance:
Contributions: $170,058.87
Expenses: $99,641.23
Cash on Hand: $174,603.46
Noteworthy Donors:
$5,000 from HellerHighwater PAC, a leadership PAC of Republican Sen. Dean Heller
$5,000 from National Stone, Sand & Gravel RockPAC
$4,000 from Washington Rep. James Renacci
$2,700 from Cherokee Nation
$2,700 from Hitchcock Automotive Resources president Frederick Hitchcock
$2,700 from Hugh Roy Marshall, a retired mining magnate
$2,700 from Bill Miller Engineering, based in Carson City
$2,700 from Bodine’s Casino owner Michael Pegram
$2,500 from Boyd Gaming PAC
$2,000 from Cindy and Donald Carano, owners of Eldorado Resorts
$1,000 from Jerry and Joey Scolari, owners of Scolari’s Food & Drug Company in Reno
$250 from Jesse Haw, a Reno developer and former state senator
Spending:
$38,627 to Wyman & Associates for radio advertising
$24,263.28 to The M Group for “fundraising consulting and expense reimbursement”
$3,741.19 to Capitol Hill Club in Washington D.C. for “contributor relations - meals & entertainment”
$1,766 to Glen Eagles restaurant in Carson City for “contributor relations - meals & entertainment”
$1,060 to Charlie Palmer Steak Washington D.C. for “contributor relations - meals & entertainment”
$1,000 to Adam Laxalt for Attorney General
$1,000 to Ohio Rep. James Renacci
$969 to Adele’s in Carson City for “contributor relations - meals & entertainment”
$370 to Ducks Unlimited as a donation
DINA TITUS
While she’s still strongly considering challenging Heller in 2018, Titus would nonetheless start a Senate campaign with a comparatively sparse campaign account.
Titus, who represents the safest Democratic seat in the state, reported raising slightly more than $96,000 during the reporting period while spending a little more than $47,000. She ended June having added about $49,000 to her war chest, for a total of nearly $324,000 in available cash on hand.
Titus reported several donations from Nevada-based lobbyists, and major donations from business and union PACS including the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades PAC and The Home Depot PAC. Her expenses primarily went to payroll and fundraising costs, including more than $20,000 spent on a fundraising consultant.
At a glance:
Contributions: $96,335
Expenses: $47,293
Cash on Hand: $323,757
Noteworthy donors:
$5,000 from International Union of Painters and Allied Trades PAC
$5,000 from The Home Depot PAC
$2,700 from Uwe Rockenfeller, CEO of Rocky Research Inc.
$2,500 from lobbyist Alisa Nave-Worth, with the firm of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck
$2,500 from Marriott International Inc. PAC
$1,000 from Barona Band of Mission Indians
$500 from lobbyist Susan Fisher with McDonald Carano Wilson
$500 from lobbyist Helen Foley of Faiss Foley Warren
$500 from lobbyist George Ross
$500 from Emma Sepulveda, director of the Latino Research Center at the University of Nevada, Reno
$250 from lobbyist Chris Ferrari
$250 from lobbyist and former Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins
Spending:
$20,526.61 on Kalik & Associates, Inc. for “consultant - fundraising”
$1,144.65 on Adele’s in Carson City for “event catering”
$5,400 to Rapid Returns for “consultant - email”
Disclosure: Many Indy donors are mentioned in this story. You can see a full list of donors here.