Wednesday, October 30, 2002
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

CAMPAIGN REPORTS: Guinn shares contributions with others

$225,000 given to Nevada Republican Party

CARSON CITY -- With his re-election a certainty, Gov. Kenny Guinn has begun to funnel some of his campaign contributions to the campaigns of other candidates.

A report submitted Tuesday to the secretary of state's office showed Guinn has donated a combined $225,000 to the Nevada Republican Party and the party's Victory 2002 political action committee.

Tuesday was the deadline for all candidates to turn in their campaign contributions and expenditures reports. But reports are not considered tardy if postmarked on Tuesday. Many reports have yet to be received in the secretary of state's office in Carson City.

Guinn also has given $5,000 to the re-election campaign of Republican state Controller Kathy Augustine and earlier donated $10,000 to the attorney general campaign of Brian Sandoval.

Augustine also received $10,000 from the National Republican Senatorial campaign and $1,000 from Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno.

"Of course I need the money. I am in a tight race," said Augustine, who faces Democrat Assemblyman John Lee, D-Las Vegas.

Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt may need financial help from fellow Republicans in the final days of the campaign.

The latest Review-Journal poll showed her with a 15 percentage point advantage over her opponent, Clark County Commissioner Erin Kenny, but Kenny has raised more than twice as much as Hunt.

Hunt has raised $623,000, compared with $1.365 million for Kenny, according to information from their staff members. Hunt's campaign was $45,000 in debt as of the reporting deadline, while Kenny has $58,000 in cash on hand.

Perhaps most important to other Republican candidates is the fact that Guinn's report shows he has $870,680 left in his campaign war chest.

Guinn raised slightly more than $3 million in his re-election campaign, but stopped collecting contributions in May when he drew Sen. Joe Neal, D-Las Vegas, as his Democratic opponent.

The latest polls show Guinn could beat Neal by a 3 to 1 margin on Election Day. Neal's contribution report was not received by Tuesday.

Pete Ernaut, Guinn's campaign manager, said the governor will donate at least $60,000 of his funds to Republicans in critical state Senate and Assembly races. In particular, Ernaut said Guinn will donate to the re-election campaign of Sen. Maurice Washington, R-Sparks.

Raggio also has given $5,000 to Washington's campaign, as has the Republican Assembly Leadership Caucus, headed by Assembly Minority Leader Lynn Hettrick, R-Gardnerville. Washington's campaign is running $40,000 in debt.

A re-election victory by Washington would help secure a Republican majority for Raggio in the Senate.

The governor intends to donate a "sizeable amount" of his remaining funds to pay off the debt on the $5.2 million renovation project at the Governor's Mansion in Carson City, Ernaut said. The project has been paid entirely by private donations.

Guinn also will use remaining funds to pay for travel expenses during his second term when he attends National Governors Association events.

Other total contributions and expenditures for candidates for statewide offices include:

• Attorney general: Republican Sandoval has raised $1.26 million and has $54,000 cash on hand. Reports for Democrat John Hunt were not available Tuesday.

• Controller: Republican Augustine has raised $82,844, spent $36,568 and has $46,275 in cash on hand. Reports for Democrat Lee were not available.

• Treasurer: Republican Brian Krolicki has raised $251,273 and has $43,520 in cash on hand. Reports for his Democratic opponent, Ken Santor, were not available.