By Benjamin Spillman
The Desert Sun
January 28th, 2002
An array of California’s gambling-industry leaders have lent financial support to the 2002 campaign of incumbent Gov. Gray Davis with the largest donations coming from a Coachella Valley Indian tribe.
But donors and a former Democratic assemblyman-turned-tribal-lobbyist said it is too early for any candidate to take for granted backing by either tribes or other gaming supporters.
Davis will face the winner of the Republican primary race between former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, California Secretary of State Bill Jones and businessman Bill Simon in the general election in November.
Already, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians near Highland has attempted to host at least one fund-raising event for Republican challenger Richard Riordan.
Nevertheless, Davis is far and away the leader in raising money from tribal governments and commercial gaming interests, according to a review of campaign finance records compiled by the Secretary of State and posted online at www.ss.ca.gov.
The Democratic governor has raised more than $235,000 in 18 separate donations during the period beginning in early March and ending Friday.
The amount is a tiny percentage of the $14.7 million Davis has raised throughout his re-election campaign, according to the records.
Among the most generous gaming-related Davis supporters thus far is the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, which made three donations totaling $120,000.
California tribal donations to the current Davis campaign total more than $186,000, but there are indications that tribes will delay judgment on all the candidates until the November election draws nearer.
"Issues that deal with Indian country aren’t Republican issues or Democrat issues, they are constitutional issues," said San Manuel Tribal Chairman Deron Marquez. "Why wouldn’t you support both?"
Beyond the tribes, California card clubs gave Davis $30,000, horse racing interests donated $14,000 and a company run by the family that owns the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas gave $5,000.
"I have faith in the governor’s ability to run the state properly," said Haig Kelegian, president of the California Gaming Association.
Kelegian, owner of the Bicycle Club Casino, has criticized Davis in the past for acknowledging tribes’ rights to offer Las Vegas-style gaming but opposing that option for card clubs. Nevertheless, the Bicycle Club was Davis’ largest card club benefactor, making three donations totaling $20,000.
"I have known him for 20 years," Kelegian said.
Riordan, the only Republican to raise money from gambling interests, received a $25,000 donation from Los Alamitos Race Course in November.
The San Manuel tribe had scheduled the Riordan fund-raising event on its reservation Jan. 25 but it was canceled because the former mayor could not attend.
Mark Johnson, state finance chairman for Riordan’s campaign, said there are plans to reschedule the "meet-and-greet" event between the candidate and tribal leaders.
"The mayor is extremely supportive of … all areas that relate to Native Americans and Indians," Johnson said.
Despite heavy support for Davis, the gubernatorial campaign is too young for analysts to predict which candidate will receive the most support from tribes or commercial gambling supporters.
"The first Republican debate didn’t even include a mention of (gambling)," said Phillip Isenberg, a longtime Democratic assemblyman who now works as a lobbyist for the Alliance of California Tribes, a coalition of tribes that deals with non-gaming issues.
Tribal political participation is difficult to categorize because individual tribal governments each have their own reasons for backing particular candidates. In addition to gaming, tribes are interested in a range of issues from land use to education.
"We more or less stay out of the primaries," said Richard Milanovich, chairman of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians in Palm Springs. The tribe donated $25,000 to the Davis campaign Jan. 2. He said the tribal council has not decided whether to support Davis, the Republican nominee or anyone in the November election. Evaluating candidates will be challenging to the tribe because the next major gubernatorial decision on Indian gaming won’t happen until March 2003, four months after the election.
At that time the governor and the tribes will have approximately one month to renegotiate portions of the tribal/state gaming compact, including the number of slot machines each tribe is allowed to operate.
Agua Caliente leaders have said the Coachella Valley gaming market could support more than the existing limit of 2,000 machines per tribe.
Milanovich said the council will lend support, "based on the conversations that we have with the different candidates prior to the election."