The latest round of fundraising and spending reports cover the months of July through September, offering a snapshot of Nevada’s campaign finance landscape before voters head to the polls Nov. 8.
And the numbers are staggering.
Here are some key takeaways from the reports:
Top-ticket Democratic incumbents continue to smash fundraising records
Nevada’s top Democrats seeking re-election this year face strong electoral headwinds stirred up by President Joe Biden’s low approval ratings and inflation.
Yet they continue to smash fundraising records.
Past coverage:Cortez Masto extends fundraising lead over GOP foes seeking key U.S. Senate seat in Nevada
In a tight race to keep control of the governor’s mansion, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak raised $3.25 million between July and September, growing his campaign coffers to a massive $15 million, according to his campaign and his latest finance report.
In a statement Monday, the first-term Democrat’s campaign called the recent fundraising haul “the most ever reported in a single quarter by a gubernatorial candidate in Nevada.”
His Republican rival, Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo, reported raising $2.32 million over the same period.
On the national stage, U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto raked in $15.2 million last quarter in the highly contested race for Nevada’s coveted U.S. Senate seat, pushing her campaign coffers to $45.4 million.
That’s more than three times as much as her GOP rival, Adam Laxalt, has raised this cycle.
Laxalt, a former attorney general who has the backing of President Donald Trump, pulled in $6.2 million last quarter.
Democratic incumbents are spending big ahead of the general election
In Nevada’s marquee races, both Democratic incumbents are far out-spending their opponents.
Lombardo spent $1.75 million last quarter on his first statewide race, just a fraction of the $12.8 million Sisolak dropped during the same period.
Cortez Masto, considered one of the most endangered Democrats this year in an evenly divided Senate, spent $20 million.
RGJ voter guide:Nevada’s Cortez Masto, Laxalt race could decide power in the U.S. Senate
That’s five times as much as Laxalt reported spending last quarter.
Most of Cortez Masto’s spending — $15.5 million — went to advertising, including print, television and radio ads, campaign finance data show.
Laxalt has spent far less on ads, cashing in about $1.9 million between July and September for radio and “media” ads, according to his finance reports.
Despite fundraising disparities, candidates’ remaining cash nearly tied
Lombardo ended the recent fundraising quarter with $1.8 million cash on hand, a slight advantage over his Democratic rival’s $1.2 million.
And after Cortez Masto’s massive spending push, she was left with about $5 million cash on hand heading into Election Day.
Laxalt, on the other hand, is sitting on a $4 million war chest.
Missed deadlines
Third quarter campaign finance reports for statewide officeholders and candidates were due 5 p.m. Monday.
Republican secretary of state hopeful Jim Marchant, a prominent election denier, is the only statewide candidate to miss the reporting deadline.
A key function of the office he hopes to lead is handling campaign finance reports and enforcing reporting deadlines.
His Democratic challenger, attorney Cisco Aguilar, met the deadline.
Aguilar reported raising $1.15 million in the third fundraising quarter and spending about $550,000. He is entering the final weeks before the election with $1.5 cash on hand.
Rio Lacanlale is the Las Vegas correspondent for the Reno Gazette Journal and the USA Today Network. Contact her at rlacanlale@gannett.com or on Twitter @riolacanlale. Support local journalism by subscribing to the RGJ today.
