INSIDE THE PIMP OF NEVADA’S CAMPAIGN: Horsford blows donor cash on Bellagio bars and high-end hotels

Democrat Congressman Steven Horsford might want to pour another round of champagne at the Bellagio, after all, someone else is footing the bill.

According to new FEC filings, Horsford raised a seemingly impressive $510,891.84 in the third quarter. But behind the headline number lies a brutal reality: the overwhelming majority of his money isn’t coming from Nevadans; it’s coming from out-of-state donors and D.C. insiders.

A closer look shows just $37,977.00, or 18.9%, came from 100 Nevada donors. Meanwhile, 81.1%or $163,468.33 came from out-of-state contributors, many clustered in elite coastal zip codes.

His biggest sources? California ($37,255), Washington D.C. ($26,325), and New York ($26,285).
That’s not a Nevada coalition; that’s a donor circuit for the Democratic elite.

If the donor breakdown wasn’t bad enough, Horsford’s spending habits tell an even uglier story. He burned through an eye-popping 83.6% of what he raised, spending $426,881.41 in a single quarter.

Where did it all go? Try $11,000 on flights, $15,000 on hotels (including stays at multiple luxury properties), $20,000 on catering and meals, and $6,200 on Ubers.

And if that weren’t enough, Horsford’s campaign labeled $1,354 at The Pinky Ring, a posh Bruno Mars-owned bar at the Bellagio as “catering.” The same label appeared for $455 at The Pepper Club and $393 at The Mayfair Supper Club, two high-end dining spots better known for martinis and Wagyu than political strategy. In other words, Steven Horsford’s campaign doesn’t look like a re-election effort, it looks like a vacation account.

This isn’t the first time Horsford has faced accusations of transactional politics. Back in 2010, he was accused of “pimping out” Democratic leaders in the Legislature for campaign cash, offering high-rollers and special interests unprecedented access to state lawmakers in exchange for donations.

At the time, columnist Jane Ann Morrison quipped that Horsford’s last name rhymed with “whores.”

Fifteen years later, it seems she might’ve been onto something. So, the question practically writes itself: who is Steven Horsford renting out this time?

While ordinary Nevadans struggle with rising costs of living, Horsford is dining in Vegas’ most exclusive restaurants, flying high, and running a campaign that seems more about perks than people.

His campaign finances paint the picture of a politician whose long forgotten where he came from and who he’s supposed to represent. Horsford’s lavish lifestyle and reliance on out-of-state money are exactly the kind of tone-deaf moves that turn Nevada voters off.

With a burn rate north of 80 percent and barely one in five dollars coming from Nevada voters, Horsford’s campaign looks less like a powerhouse and more like a house of cards.

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at editor@thenevadaglobe.com. Come on, give us the scoop on what makes Nevada tick—or what ticks you off. Let’s make some noise and have some fun with it!