Carson campaign efforts ramping up in Nevada

Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson's campaign efforts in Nevada are growing in an initial push that includes ad buys and staff additions.

The Carson campaign has launched a $500,000 ad buy in the four early voting states: Nevada, New Hampshire, Iowa and South Carolina.

The retired neurosurgeon's campaign has bought $42,710 for 160 television spots in Las Vegas and Reno markets, according to data available Thursday on the Federal Communications Commission website. Those spots were for late October and early November.

The campaign's initial investment makes Carson the third Republican candidate to spend on television ad buys in Nevada this election season. The other spender is U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who has spent $76,935 on 477 television spots that will air early next year, close to the caucuses. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas bought a couple of ads for $1,300 that ran in April.

Carson's increased visibility in Nevada comes as he has risen in polls. Registered voters in some polls have favored him over billionaire businessman Donald Trump, who has enjoyed a long stretch as the GOP front-runner in a crowded Republican field.

The campaign has a Las Vegas office and a Reno office that just opened. It also has a "mobile office," a recreational vehicle that travels rural parts of Nevada to reach voters.

The campaign now has five staffers in Nevada and plans to add two more this month, said Jimmy Stracner, state director for the Carson campaign.

The staffing includes a state director, a political director, a field director for Clark County, a rural field director and a coalition director to do outreach to other groups and communities, such as the military and small-business community. One of the new staffers will be a field director for Washoe County.

"We feel that we are doing well in Nevada, but it's hard to poll likely caucus goers," Stracner said."If you look at a couple different factors — Ben's 800,000 donors and huge turnouts to our rallies and events — it feels like a movement instead of a campaign."

Carson had raised $31.3 million by Sept. 30 and reported $11.27 million cash in hand, according to Federal Election Commission data.

Nevada has February caucuses that play a role in determining the candidates who will win the Republican and Democratic nominations. The caucuses are the first in the West.

Carson will have a rally at 3 p.m. Nov. 15 in Henderson at the Henderson Pavilion. Doors open at 1:30 p.m.

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