Nevada’s top 10 political contributors — so far

Nevada has 10 individual donors or entities that have given close to $200,000 or more to congressional and presidential campaigns, PACs and super PACs in this election cycle.

It’s a list that involves billionaire casino magnates, Station Casinos and Working for Working Americans, a PAC based in Las Vegas tied to the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners. Here’s a look at the top 10 givers in 2015 and through March of this year:

■ George C. Macricostas, CEO and executive chairman of RagingWire Data Centers, gave $2.12 million, with $1.6 million going to America’s Liberty PAC, a super PAC that backed U.S. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, a former Republican candidate for president.

■ Winecup-Gamble Inc. gave $1 million to America Leads, a super PAC that backed New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican candidate who left the race in February. Winecup-Gamble is a ranch owned by Paul Fireman, a businessman who made the Reebok shoe company a household name.

■ Station Casinos, where Frank Fertitta III is CEO, gave $500,000 to the Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC focused on preserving and growing the U.S. Senate’s Republican majority. That gift comes as Republicans hope to pick up the seat of retiring Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev. An additional $200,000 went to the Senate Leadership Fund from Zuffa LCC, the company that runs UFC, of which Fertitta is an owner.

■ Cary Katz, a poker player and investor who founded the College Loan Corporation, has given $483,073 to a variety of causes, including congressional and Senate candidates outside Nevada. In the state, he gave $2,700 to Andrew Matthews, a Republican running in the 3rd Congressional District, and $4,973 to the campaign of Sharron Angle, a GOP candidate for Reid’s Senate seat. The bulk of his giving — $305,300 — went to political action committees, with the most sizable contributions of $150,000 to Senate Conservatives Action and $100,000 to Trusted Leadership PAC.

■ Working for Working Americans gave $900,000. The group gave $350,000 to the House Majority PAC, which aims to help Democrats get elected to Congress, and $50,000 to American Working Families, a super PAC founded by Democratic consultant Bud Jackson that advocates for policies that boost job growth and opposes what it calls “right-wing people, organizations and corporations” that do smear attacks or “put profit ahead of people.” Another $500,000 went to the Senate Majority PAC.

■ Sheldon Adelson, chairman and CEO of Las Vegas Sands Corp. and the owner of the Review-Journal, has given $915,500 — so far. A New York Times report, quoting Republican sources, indicates he’s willing to give upward of $100 million to support Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Adelson, who ranked 22nd on the Forbes 2016 list of the 500 richest people in the world, gave a reputed $100 million in the last presidential cycle.

In Nevada, Adelson’s contributions include $5,400 to U.S. Rep. Cresent Hardy, R-Nev., who is running for a second term in the 4th Congressional District; and $5,400 to state Sen. Michael Roberson, who is running for the open 3rd Congressional District seat. The bulk of his donations has gone to political action groups, including $226,800 to the National Republican Congressional Committee and $33,400 to the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

■ Martin Burns, an attorney, gave $255,900, and $250,000 of it went to Values are Vital, a super PAC that spent $166,977 toward efforts supporting former GOP presidential candidate Marco Rubio, a U.S. senator from Florida, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. He also gave $500 to Andrew Matthews, who is running for the GOP nod in the 3rd Congressional District race; and $2,700 to Rand Paul.

■ Dennis K. Eck, who sits on the board of directors for Ulta Beauty, gave $248,000: $1,000 to Catherine Cortez Masto, a former Nevada attorney general and Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate; and $247,000 to political action committees, including $19,000 to the Cortez Masto Victory Fund; $5,500 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee; and $12,500 to the Democratic National Committee. He gave $210,000 to Women Vote!, a super PAC that promotes pro-choice rights for women.

■ Casino mogul Steve Wynn gave $228,800. He’s supported both GOP and Democratic candidates for president, including Christie and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Hillary Clinton. He’s also given $5,400 to Roberson’s congressional campaign. For political causes and groups, $33,400 went to the Republican National Committee; $25,000 to a super PAC called America Leads; and $25,000 to a super PAC called Conservative Authentic, Responsive Leadership for You and For America. That group had supported former GOP presidential candidate Carly Fiorina, also calling itself CARLY for America. He’s also given $33,400 to the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

■ Auto dealer Frederick E. Hitchcock gave $189,500, and has put $149,700 of that toward political action groups, including the Automotive Free International Trade PAC ($10,000), a group that advocates for international trade agreements that benefit the auto industry. Other recipients include the National Republican Senatorial Committee ($15,000); the National Republican Congressional Committee ($15,000); and $35,000 to the Republican National Committee.

The Review-Journal is owned by the family of Las Vegas Sands Chairman and CEO Sheldon Adelson.

Contact Ben Botkin at bbotkin@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2904. Find him on Twitter: @BenBotkin1