Congressional candidates tout their fundraising

CARSON CITY -- Republican Rep. Dean Heller holds a nearly 3-to-1 advantage over Democratic challenger Jill Derby in raising money for his re-election campaign, although she beat him in raising money in April through June.

Reports submitted Tuesday to the Federal Election Commission for the 2nd Congressional District show Heller has raised $1,220,967, including $227,698 in the last quarter.

Derby, the former state Democratic Party chairwoman, has taken in $439,422, including $295,512 in the most recent quarter.

With their expenditures subtracted from those totals, Derby had $353,059 left in cash on hand on June 30, compared with Heller's $984,007.

But the incumbent also reported debts of $366,932, some of it loans to his own campaign. Derby reported just $2,000 in debts.

David Mason, Derby's campaign manager, emphasized Wednesday that the challenger raised 30 percent more than Heller in the most recent three-month period. Mason also pointed out Heller's actual money advantage is less than 2-to-1 when his debts are subtracted.

"This strong showing is more proof of growing momentum in Jill Derby's campaign for change, Mason said. "This is a grass-roots, people-powered effort."

The Heller campaign, however, released a report that showed their candidate had raised more money through June 30 than any other candidate since the 2nd Congressional District was created in 1982.

Their November election battle is a rematch of their 2006 contest when Heller, then completing his third term as secretary of state, beat Derby by 5 percentage points.

Derby, a Gardnerville resident, served 18 years as a member of the university system Board of Regents.

A Review-Journal poll of 230 registered voters in June found Heller holding a 14 percentage point lead over Derby.

At the time of their race in 2006, the district had 48,000 more registered Republicans than Democrats.

Since then, far more Democrats have registered to vote than Republicans.

The Republican advantage in the district is now just over 28,000.

The district covers all of the state except metropolitan Las Vegas.

Among the donations Derby received in the second quarter were $500 from Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, $1,000 each from boxing promoter Bob Arum and gaming lawyer Frank Schreck, $1,500 from Reno lawyer Thomas Drendel, and $250 each from Carson City lawyer and mayor candidate Robert Crowell and University of Nevada, Reno journalism professor Jack Highton.

Heller's second quarter contributions included $500 from both former Rep. Barbara Vucanovich and former Sen. Paul Laxalt, $4,600 each from Las Vegas Sands Corp. President William Weidner and Miriam Adelson, wife of Sands Chairman Sheldon Adelson, $2,300 from Las Vegas businessman William Walters and $1,000 from businessman Tim Cashman.

Contact Capital Bureau Chief Ed Vogel at evogel@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3901.