Nevada candidates raise, spend millions on congressional bids

CARSON CITY -- New reports show Nevada's Democratic and Republican candidates for the state's three congressional seats raised about $8 million in contributions and spent more than $5 million in campaigning through September.

The reports were filed this week with the Federal Election Commission by Democratic Rep. Shelley Berkley and her GOP opponent, Kenneth Wegner; Republican Rep. Dean Heller and Democratic challenger Jill Derby; and GOP Rep. Jon Porter and Democratic foe Dina Titus.

In the Congressional District 2 race, Heller reported $1.4 million in total contributions, including $204,240 raised between late July and the end of September. About 56 percent of the donations were from individuals while political action committees, or PACs, accounted for the rest.

Heller reported spending nearly $1.1 million, three-quarters of that in the late July-September period. For the final weeks of the campaign, he listed $405,998 in cash on hand. He also listed $363,932 in campaign debt.

The debt resulted in a complaint to the FEC filed by Howard Herz of Minden, who said he's an independent voter. He said the debt dated to the 2006 election cycle, when Heller won his first term, and questioned whether its nonpayment may violate FEC rules. He added much of the money was owed to companies tied to political consultant Mike Slanker.

Heller spokesman Stewart Bybee said campaign debt is nothing unusual, there's no FEC violation and the debt is going to be paid off, while Derby spokeswoman Kristen Cullen said the debt indicated Heller "can't even manage his own campaign finances."

Derby reported $812,457 in total contributions, including $348,881 in the July-September period. More than two-thirds of her money came from individuals, with the rest coming from PACs. Her spending totaled $520,172, mainly between late July and Sept. 30.

For the close of the campaign, Derby listed $245,768 in cash on hand, and $2,000 in campaign debt.

In the Congressional District 3 race, Titus reported nearly $1.3 million in total contributions, nearly half of that raised in the late July-September period. Most of her $1 million in campaign spending occurred in the same period, leaving her with $245,832 in cash on hand and no campaign debt for the closing campaign weeks.

Porter wasn't able to match the contributions to Titus in the latest reporting period, but for the entire election cycle he's well above her with a total of nearly $2.5 million in contributions.

Porter has spent $1.7 million in his re-election bid, just under half of that in the late July-September period. That left him with $835,950 in cash on hand and no debt.

In the Congressional District 1 race, Berkley reported nearly $2 million in contributions, including $150,488 in the late July-September period. With her campaign expenditures subtracted, she was left with just over $1 million in cash on hand and no campaign debt.

Wegner, Berkley's longshot Republican opponent, reported $15,547 in contributions, including $2,400 in the late July-September period. After subtracting expenditures, he was left with $1,463 in cash on hand and no debt.