Sheriff outspends opponent, his own campaign fundraising

But Gillespie, who is seeking a second four-year term, also has spent more than twice as much as he has raised in the campaign.

He has spent $672,583 for his re-election campaign, compared with the $307,661 he has raised.

Bisch, a Las Vegas police officer who lost to Gillespie in the nonpartisan sheriff’s race in 2006, has spent $70,375 on her campaign, compared with the $73,903 she raised.

According to campaign finance reports filed Tuesday, Gillespie has raised $115,173 since May, a $77,315 drop in contributions from his previous campaign finance report.

He spent $371,192 in this reporting period alone, surpassing his previous expenses reported by about $70,000. More than $278,000 of that was spent on advertising this period and at least $43,000 for political consultants.

Gillespie also reported $39,000 in in-kind contributions from food, billboards, invitations and golf balls, tees and pouches provided to his campaign by local Las Vegas vendors for fundraising events.

On Tuesday, Bisch reported $15,303 in campaign contributions and $29,300 in loans this period for a total of $44,603 raised since May. She spent $43,987 this reporting period.

She reported $5,825 in in-kind contributions, mostly campaign signs. Bisch has spent more than $17,700 on advertising. More than $19,000 was spent on consulting and polls by both local and San Francisco, Calif.-based firms.

Discussions about officer-involved shootings and the coroner’s inquest process have dominated the election season with Gillespie defending his officers’ actions in the high-profile cases of Erik Scott and Trevon Cole.

Bisch has used community outrage to criticize the department’s actions during the two separate incidents, in which officers shot and killed both men earlier this year. Both candidates have acknowledged a shift in their campaign messages to voters because of media coverage and a public relations campaign waged by the Scott family.

In the most recent Las Vegas Review-Journal/8NewsNow poll, Gillespie was supported by 60 percent of likely Clark County voters.

Pollsters said voters are more likely to cast their ballot for Gillespie because they recognize his name.

At that time, 17 percent of voters said they supported Bisch while 23 percent surveyed said they were undecided about who they want as the next sheriff.

Both candidates will file a third campaign contribution and expense report due Jan. 15.

Contact Kristi Jourdan at kjourdan@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0279.