McNaught and Tarkanian: Who Can Make the World Go Round?

PREFACE:

In 1972, in the movie Cabaret, Liza Minelli and Joel Gray sang these words:

 Money makes the world go around
…the world go around
…the world go around.
Money makes the world go around
Of that we both are sure…

They were 100% correct.

ARTICLE:

As we enter into the last forty-eight hours prior to determining who will lead the Nevada GOP one must remember that, in fact, money does make the world go round.

We have spent the last few months listening to the two candidates for Nevada GOP Party Chair, Patrick McNaught and Amy Tarkanian, espouse on why they are the best one to lead the GOP.  They have both talked at length about their plans for improved communication, increased voter registration, grassroots efforts and candidate recruitment.  For the most part they have determined the same critical items.  The question is whose plan is better and who is more capable of getting their plan implemented.

But above all else the one issue they both talk about and get asked about is fundraising.  Without strong fundraising the other priorities will be difficult to complete.  Both say they can bring in the necessary funds.  Patrick McNaught states that he ran for office and therefore had to fundraise.  He also points to some relationships he has in Las Vegas.

On the other hand Amy Tarkanian speaks of working side by side with her husband Danny on his and other candidate’s campaigns.  She also points to nine years of party activity and relationship building across the state.  If, as they both point to, fundraising is so critical we better have a good understanding as to who in fact can hit the ground running on Saturday afternoon.

First I will set my ground rules.  Patrick has only participated in one campaign in 2010.  It would be unfair to use multiple elections by the Tarkanian’s for comparison.  But I also feel we should use the latest data for this determination.  So for both I will focus on the 2010 election cycle.  Both will tell you it ended far too early.  Second, I clearly understand that one was working as a Federal candidate and one for State Senate.  But here is reality.  That doesn’t matter.  The idea is to determine who has the best base locally, state wide and nationally to grow the Nevada GOP.  So here are the facts:

Patrick McNaught:

Patrick ran for Nevada Senate seat 12 in 2010.  In reviewing the Nevada Secretary of State website, as well as OpenSecrets.com here is what we know.

1)  In total Patrick raised $160,597.52 for his campaign.  That includes reportable donations, in-kind donations and a personal loan to his own campaign.

2) Patrick received 125 “reportable donations”.  Reportable simply means they were in excess of $100.00.

3) The breakdown was as follows: Reportable Cash Donations $94,658.00, In-Kind Donations $20,939.52, Self Loans: $45,000.

4) Of the 125 reportable donations received, 118 were from within Clark County.

5) The remaining 7 came from outside the state of Nevada and totaled $2100.00.

6) Not one dime was raised by McNaught’s campaign in Nevada in a county other than Clark County.

The second item is in reference to what McNaught calls his “relationship” with the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas.  His statement is that he, working with the Venetian, has been able to secure things such as complimentary meeting rooms for the GOP saving us thousands.  The only reason I bring this up is because of some information that I feel McNaught chooses to avoid.  Reality is that McNaught’s close friend and supporter is none other than Andy Abboud.  In fact Mr. Abboud was one of the first persons to donate to Patrick’s 2010 State Senate run.  Mr. Abboud, according to Linked In, is the Vice-President at Las Vegas Sands Corp. and in charge of Government Relations at The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino.  He is also part of the Clark County Republican Central Committee.  I would suggest that it is likely more the work of Mr. Abboud than Mr. McNaught, to secure the “freebees” the GOP enjoys.  It would also be logical to assume the Venetian would want this relationship to continue regardless of who the GOP Chair is.  Lastly, I would also think that many hotels, both in Las Vegas and Reno, would give similar advantages if it meant the ability to fill rooms and hold conventions.  Remember – money makes the world go round.

Amy Tarkanian:

Granted Mrs. Tarkanian herself was not “the candidate”.  But anyone involved in the 2010 Senate primary knows that she and her husband Danny worked as a team.  The relationships fostered by Mr. Tarkanian were also relationships created, grown and fostered by Amy Tarkanian.  So where does the Tarkanian support and relationships lie?

1) In the 2010 election alone the Tarkanian’s raised $850,932.00 in reportable donations with a large amount more coming in smaller, non-reportable increments.

2) The Tarkanian’s had donations made to the campaign from 42 of the 50 United States. 

3) The Tarkanian’s had 858 reportable donations come from outside the state of Nevada totaling over $600,000.

4) The Tarkanian’s received multiple donations and support from every county in Nevada – not just Clark County.

The REAL point of all these numbers is to determine who can hit the ground running?  Who, of the two candidates, will be able to bring in the funds necessary to not only support but grow the GOP in Nevada?  Anyone can talk about the relationships they have, but one needs to show the evidence.  Talk is cheap.  Elizabeth Crum of Nevada News Bureau pointed this out during Patrick’s State Senate run in an article she wrote called “McNaught’s Big Idea (Not)” (Link: http://bit.ly/aXsLd0).  This whole process will come down to who has the relationships and who doesn’t.  Who talks a good game and who can actually get the job done.  Who is a doer and who just tells you what they hope to do.  I believe the answer is clear and obvious.  So as we prepare to elect a new state chair I ask that each of you take the time to look long and hard at the DOLLARS and the SENSE!!!

NOTE: For those who would like to see the full extent of the Tarkanian fundraising please refer to the information below:

1)  When Danny Tarkanian ran for a State Senate seat in 2004 he reported $184,850.00 in reportable donations and $193,898.62 in total donations.  This was ONLY through the second reporting period for that election.  The Secretary of State site does not have the third and final report available online.

2)  Through those two reporting periods in the 2004 State Senate race the Tarkanian’s secured a total of $28,200.00 from counties in Nevada outside of Clark.

3)  In the 2006 Secretary of State race the Tarkanian’s raised $652,382.00 in reportable donations.  Total donations amounted to $720,049.28.

2010 Dollars Comparison

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