Money isn't the whole story in a campaign. But when donors open their wallets, it tells you something about who's building real momentum. This quarter's numbers, filed with the FEC and the Nevada Secretary of State, show a mixed bag for Republicans heading into the fall.
Gov. Joe Lombardo is stacking cash. Carrie Buck keeps out-fundraising her opponent the hard way.
But in the state's most closely watched U.S. House race, the Republican nominee just got outraised by a Democrat in a seat Trump carried by 14 points.
Flippo Trails Benitez-Thompson in Fresh Money
In Nevada's 2nd Congressional District, Republican David Flippo is squaring off against Democrat Teresa Benitez-Thompson for the open seat Rep. Mark Amodei is leaving behind.
Last quarter, donors gave more to Benitez-Thompson than to Flippo. Her campaign brought in $154,881. His brought in $153,396, and that number doesn't even count a $350,000 personal loan Flippo gave his own campaign to keep it afloat.
Even counting that loan, Benitez-Thompson still ended the quarter with more cash in the bank, $140,607 to Flippo's $117,882.
Nevada News & Views has already reported on the separate FEC inquiry into Flippo's loan disclosures. Worth a quick reminder here: that paperwork issue is still unresolved, with an August 12 deadline looming.
A recent Wedgewood Polls survey, taken July 9 through 12, found Benitez-Thompson ahead of Flippo, 48% to 46%.
Read our prior coverage:
Flippo Owes the FEC an Answer: Where Did Three-Quarters of a Million Dollars Come From?
Flippo Down Two Points In A Trump+14 District: What Checks Out, What Doesn't
One poll is one poll, and this is a district Trump won by double digits twice. But paired with the fundraising gap, it's a signal Republicans can't shrug off in a seat the party hasn't lost since it was created.
Benitez-Thompson didn't hold back when she talked about the numbers.
“Money isn't everything and I am well on my way to having sufficient resources to compete on the airwaves, while Las Vegan David Flippo will never have the community connection to compete with me on the ground,” she told News 4 & Fox 11 in an emailed statement.
That's a pointed jab, and it goes right at Flippo's biggest vulnerability: he's a recent transplant to a district Benitez-Thompson has represented in the Legislature for over a decade.
Carrie Buck Keeps Beating Titus at Her Own Game
Down south, the fundraising news is better for the GOP. State Sen. Carrie Buck just posted her third straight quarter of outraising Rep. Dina Titus in the 1st Congressional District.
Buck brought in $812,000 last quarter, more than double what Titus raised. What makes it notable is how she's doing it. Buck remains the only Nevada challenger, and one of very few nationwide, who's outraised a Democratic incumbent without leaning on a big personal loan.
Her money has come from more than 7,800 donors giving an average of $59 each.
Titus still has more banked overall, with $1.3 million on hand compared to Buck's $626,000, but the fundraising trend line is running against the incumbent.
Lombardo Isn't Even Close to Being Outspent
At the top of the ticket, Lombardo remains in a league of his own. Counting his campaign and affiliated PACs, he raised more than $16 million last quarter. Attorney General Aaron Ford, his Democratic opponent, raised roughly $2.6 million in that same window.
Lombardo's side has already spent more than $13 million on ads since December, compared to about $77,000 for Democrats.
What Critics Say
Democrats argue Flippo's numbers show a candidate propped up by his own bank account rather than real grassroots enthusiasm, and they're pointing to the Wedgewood poll as proof the seat is winnable.
Flippo's campaign has said money isn't everything and is leaning on the district's strong Republican lean heading into November.
Why This Matters for Conservatives
CD2 has never elected a Democrat. If Flippo can't close the fundraising gap and voters start seeing this as a real contest, Republicans could end up spending time and money defending a seat that was never supposed to be in play, at the expense of races that actually need it.
What Conservatives Can Do
Watch the October filing deadline for the next real read on both campaigns. If you're a donor who wants to keep CD2 red, unfortunately, Flippo's numbers suggest that seat needs more attention than the district's history would suggest.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views. This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
