Former chancellor funding regent’s challenger

The chief backers in Michon Mackedon’s campaign for university regent are Nevada’s three NBC affiliates, who’ve donated $25,000 of the $42,000 she’s raised so far, according to her filing with the Nevada Secretary of State.Mackedon is challenging incumbent District 9 Regent Ron Knecht.Former Nevada System of Higher Education Chancellor Jim Rogers owns all three stations through Intermountain West Communications Co. During their two-year feud, Knecht was an outspoken critic of Rogers, including calling for the chancellor’s resignation.According to the Nevada Secretary of State’s Office, Mackedon has raised nearly $35,000 in this reporting period, and has only spent $23,500.While some of Fallon resident Mackedon’s money is coming from the Sierra Faculty Alliance and several Democratic causes, Knecht is being backed by the Sierra Nevada Republicans Women, Jim Wheeler’s Assembly campaign and author Stan Paher. Between them they’ve donated $3,400 in the last reporting period, bringing Knecht’s total campaign revenues to $8,823. So far, he’s expended $4,778 in the election, mostly on signs.Knecht, a Carson City resident, has served on the board of regents since 2006, and was an outspoken opponent of Rogers’ policies while the wealthy Las Vegan was chancellor.In the other nonpartisan state educational race, Donna Clontz has raised $17,425 in her attempt to unseat State Board of Education member Dave Cook.The Reno resident has spent $12,314 as of the Oct. 16 report deadline.So far Clontz has outraised and outspent Carson City resident Cook, who reported total campaign contributions of $5,554 and similar expenditures.Clontz received a donation of $3,500 from the Nevada State Education Association, and lent her campaign $5,500 in the first reporting period. She also received $1,000 from the Carson City Democratic Women’s Club.Cook lent his campaign the largest chunk of money it has received so far, with $2,894 reported in the last period.The state school board has been reconfigured with each of four elected members coming from one of Nevada’s Congressional districts. Clontz and Cook are vying for the District 2 seat.University Regent District 9 includes all of Lander, Churchill, Lyon, Storey, Mineral, Esmeralda, Carson City as well as Douglas County. There’s also a portion of Washoe County, including Washoe Valley and Incline Village.