As we near the primary election date it is instructive to take a look at how Nevada is doing so far as providing money to candidates. After all, “money is the mother’s milk of politics,” so said Jesse “Big Daddy” Unruh, former treasurer of California.
In Nevada there is a single Democrat who has raised and reported campaign contributions, namely Democratic Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid. Senator Reid has raised $16,753,816.
On the Republican side the candidates reporting campaign contributions are:
Sue Lowden (R)……………………………………………………………………………………. $2,172,211
John Gregory Chachas (R)………………………………………………………………………. $2,029,183
Danny Tarkanian (R)……………………………………………………………………………… $1,117,118
Sharron E. Angle (R)……………………………………………………………………………… $948,330
Chuck Kozak (R)…………………………………………………………………………………… $179,476
Mark Amodei (R)………………………………………………………………………………….. $87,181
Chad Ryan Christensen (R)……………………………………………………………………… $78,114
Billy Parson (R) ……………………………………………………………………………………. $76,845
Robin Titus (R)…………………………………………………………………………………….. $24,187
Mike Wiley (R)…………………………………………………………………………………….. $7,882
Terry Suominen (R)……………………………………………………………………………….. $3,919
Senator Harry Reid (D) has spent $8,653,388 leaving him with $9,421,477 to spend. He has raised $4,198,252 (25%) from PAC contibutions, $11,645,966 (70%) from individual contributions. He has not spent any money in financing his campaign himself.
Sue Lowden (R) has spent $1,903,316, leaving her with cash on hand of $268,894. Her PAC contributions total $10,650 (0%), individual contributions are $1,456,156 (67%) and her self-financing $704,800 (32%).
John Gregory Chachas (R) has spent $739,053. He has $1,290,129 on hand. He has raised $7,000 from PACS (0%), from individuals $698,401 (34%) and self-financing of $1,320,000 (65%).
Danny Tarkanian (R) has spent $836,717, has $280,400 on hand. He raised $15,325 (1%) from PACS, $1,068,988 (96%) from individuals and $32,338 (3%) self-financing.
Sharron Angle (R) has spent $395,804, leaving her with $430,545 on hand. $4,000 of her money came from PACs, $944,173 (100%) from individuals and $(0%) from her self-financing.
Overall Nevada Democrats have received 62.6% of the contributions; Republicans $37.1%, according to Center for Responsive Politics (OpenSecrets.org), based on data from the Federal Election Commission released April 25, 2010.
OpenSecrets lists the 100 biggest givers in federal-level politics. The top 10 are:
AT&T………………………………………………………………………………………………… $44,886,230
American Fedn of State, County & Municipal Employees……………………………….. $42,267,261
National Assn of Realtors………………………………………………………………………. $35,776,273
Intl Brotherhood of Electrical Workers……………………………………………………… $31,750,580
American Assn for Justice………………………………………………………………………. $31,744,179
Goldman Sachs……………………………………………………………………………………. $31,684,525
National Education Assn………………………………………………………………………… $30,282,067
Laborers Union……………………………………………………………………………………. $29,191,300
Service Employees International Union……………………………………………………… $28,145,982
Teamsters Union…………………………………………………………………………………. $28,136,734
Talking about money in politics brings up the fact that the 2010 Census has now being counted and very soon the boundaries of Congressional Districts will undergo a redrawing. Following every Census a tooth and nail battle occurs between the two major political parties to redraw the boundary lines to increase their respective chances of winning elections in the newly forged Districts.
The Campaign Legal Center (CLC) is urging Representatives to co-sponsor H.R. 4918 , the Redistricting Transparency Act of 2010 introduced March 23 by Representatives John Tanner (D-TN) and Michael Castle (R-DE).
In a letter to Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, CLC outlined the legislative effort to allow greater transparency, citizen involvement, and accountability into the redistricting process. The Redistricting Transparency Act would open the secretive process of drawing Congressional district lines to greater public scrutiny. Under the legislation, state redistricting entities would be required to establish and maintain a website providing relevant information about the redistricting process as it is underway. Public hearings would also be required to allow increased public participation in and knowledge about the development of Congressional boundaries. Furthermore, the Redistricting Transparency Act creates an additional level of accountability by requiring redistricting entities to publish the reasoning behind why a final proposal was chosen, along with any dissenting opinions.
That would be another step toward transparency in government to keep the public informed. Nevada’s Congressional Delegation should be nudged firmly to pass H.R. 4918.
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