MICHAEL McDONALD’S NVGOP CHAIRMANSHIP: THE DOUBLE STANDARD
BIPARTISANSHIP FOR HIM, “CANCER” FOR EVERYONE ELSE?
From Veterans In Politics endorsement panels to Lawrence Weekly, Culinary Local 226, Alpha Omega Strategies and decades of cross-party relationships, Michael McDonald’s own political history deserves examination.
Michael J. McDonald has spent decades navigating Nevada politics.
He has been an LVMPD police officer, Las Vegas city councilman, mayor pro tem, political consultant, lobbyist, businessman, Nevada Republican Party chairman and national Republican political figure.
He has also spent years working with people and organizations across party lines.
There is nothing inherently wrong with that.
In fact, Veterans In Politics has operated for years on the principle that the quality of the candidate should matter more than the letter after the candidate’s name.
But that makes Michael McDonald’s recent rhetoric particularly deserving of scrutiny.
According to Steve Sanson, McDonald used his closing remarks at the Nevada Republican Party’s October 3, 2026 meeting to refer to Sanson and Stephanie Phillips as “cancer” to the Republican Party.
Sanson says the criticism came in an environment where Veterans In Politics’ willingness to support a conservative Democratic veteran had become an issue.
That raises a question Nevada Republicans deserve to consider:
IF SUPPORTING A DEMOCRAT MAKES A REPUBLICAN A “CANCER,” WHAT DOES MICHAEL McDONALD’S OWN POLITICAL HISTORY SAY?
Because according to Sanson’s firsthand account, Michael McDonald didn’t merely know about the Veterans In Politics endorsement process.
He participated in it.
And according to Sanson, he did so on multiple occasions.
STEVE SANSON: McDONALD SAT ON VIPI ENDORSEMENT PANELS AND PARTICIPATED IN ENDORSING DEMOCRATS
Steve Sanson, longtime president of Veterans In Politics International and organizer of its endorsement interviews, states from firsthand knowledge that Nevada Republican Party Chairman Michael J. McDonald sat as a voting panel member during Veterans In Politics endorsement interviews on several occasions.
Sanson further states that McDonald participated in panel deliberations that resulted in Veterans In Politics endorsing Democratic candidates.
This assertion is based on Sanson’s firsthand participation as the organizer and president of Veterans In Politics.
It should not be confused with online references to another person identified as “Michael McDonald — VIPI Legislative Council.”
That individual was a different Michael McDonald.
The Michael McDonald discussed in this article is Michael J. McDonald of Las Vegas, Nevada Republican Party chairman and the individual associated with Alpha Omega Strategies.
Sanson’s firsthand account is significant because VIPI’s endorsement process has never been restricted to Republican candidates.
Veterans In Politics has historically interviewed Democrats, Republicans, independents and candidates for nonpartisan offices.
McDonald knew that.
According to Sanson, McDonald personally participated in that process.
THE 2011 LAS VEGAS MAYOR’S RACE CONFIRMS VIPI WAS INTERVIEWING CANDIDATES ACROSS PARTY LINES
There is independent contemporary evidence showing exactly how Veterans In Politics operated during this period.
During the 2011 Las Vegas mayoral election, the two eventual general-election candidates were Carolyn Goodman and Chris Giunchigliani.
The Las Vegas Sun reported on May 8, 2011, that Veterans In Politics was attempting to arrange an endorsement interview involving both candidates.
Steve Sanson was quoted directly.
According to the Sun, Goodman had indicated she would participate in an endorsement interview rather than a debate.
Sanson accommodated that request.
The newspaper reported that Sanson planned to have Goodman and Giunchigliani answer questions before Veterans In Politics and have the event videotaped and placed online so voters could evaluate the candidates themselves.
The Sun reported Sanson explaining the reason for making the interviews publicly available:
People could make their own observations even if they disagreed with the Veterans In Politics endorsement.
Most importantly, Goodman’s campaign manager told the newspaper that Carolyn Goodman had already participated in Veterans In Politics endorsement interviews during the 2011 primary.
That independently confirms the existence of the VIPI Las Vegas mayoral endorsement process in 2011.
Source:
Las Vegas Sun, May 8, 2011, “Mayoral candidate Carolyn Goodman avoiding debates.”
The original 2011 YouTube endorsement recording has not yet been located in the currently searchable archive, so this article will not pretend otherwise.
But the contemporaneous newspaper account independently establishes that the endorsement interviews took place.
THIS WAS EXACTLY THE KIND OF PROCESS McDONALD KNEW VIPI CONDUCTED
This history matters because Veterans In Politics wasn’t hiding its philosophy.
VIPI openly interviewed candidates from different political parties.
That philosophy was explicitly stated in Veterans In Politics material the following year.
A 2012 VIPI publication stated that the organization supports and endorses the candidate it believes best represents veterans’ interests regardless of political affiliation.
The same publication discussed Democrats participating in VIPI events and specifically identified Democratic officeholders and candidates associated with Veterans In Politics activities.
It mentioned Democratic Congresswoman Shelley Berkley, Democratic State Senator John Lee and other political figures from across party lines.
This was not a secret.
According to Steve Sanson, Michael McDonald sat at the endorsement table himself on several occasions and participated in panels that endorsed Democrats.
So if Veterans In Politics’ willingness to endorse a conservative Democratic veteran is suddenly evidence of Republican disloyalty, McDonald’s own participation deserves an explanation.
LAWRENCE WEEKLY: HERE THE DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE IS EVEN STRONGER
McDonald’s cross-party history extends well beyond Veterans In Politics.
Consider Lawrence Weekly.
This wasn’t McDonald simply appearing at an event with a Democrat.
Contemporary reporting from the Las Vegas Sun identified Lawrence Weekly and Orlando Sanchez as Michael McDonald’s choices for two newly created Las Vegas City Council seats in 1999.
McDonald was actively attempting to assemble the council votes necessary to put his preferred candidates into office.
The Sun reported:
“Councilman Michael McDonald’s choices”
were Weekly and Sanchez.
Source:
Las Vegas Sun, November 12, 1999, “Sanchez, Weekly still in driver’s seats.”
Years later, Nevada political journalist Jon Ralston provided additional details.
Ralston reported that McDonald had obtained commitments from Gary Reese and Lynette Boggs McDonald for the appointments.
Ralston described Weekly and Sanchez as McDonald’s favored choices.
Lawrence Weekly subsequently became one of Southern Nevada’s prominent Democratic elected officials.
Whatever label someone wants to put on that relationship, the historical evidence establishes something straightforward:
MICHAEL McDONALD ACTIVELY SUPPORTED PUTTING LAWRENCE WEEKLY INTO PUBLIC OFFICE.
That’s not guilt by association.
That’s documented political support.
THEN THERE IS CULINARY LOCAL 226
McDonald’s relationship with organized labor deserves even closer attention.
McDonald didn’t merely shake hands with members of Culinary Workers Union Local 226.
According to Nevada lobbying records reported by The Nevada Independent:
Michael McDonald appeared as a registered lobbyist for Culinary Workers Union Local 226 in 2012.
That occurred during the same general period in which McDonald became chairman of the Nevada Republican Party.
There is nothing illegal or inherently improper about representing a labor union.
But that isn’t the point.
The question is the political standard McDonald now applies to others.
If working politically with Democrats or Democratic-aligned organizations supposedly demonstrates Republican disloyalty, how should McDonald’s own professional relationship with one of Nevada’s most politically influential labor organizations be viewed?
ALPHA OMEGA STRATEGIES RECEIVED MONEY FROM CULINARY
The relationship wasn’t merely ideological or ceremonial.
There was money involved.
Federal labor reporting for Culinary Workers Union Local 226 identifies:
ALPHA OMEGA STRATEGIES
4908 Carmen Blvd.
Las Vegas, Nevada 89108
as receiving:
$5,000
on February 28, 2013, described as:
“Prof Fees – Consulting.”
That is significant because Alpha Omega Strategies is the company associated with Michael J. McDonald that must be included in any serious investigation of his political and lobbying relationships.
This wasn’t merely appearing together at a community event.
It was a documented professional financial relationship.
McDONALD’S OWN CAMPAIGN HAD A MAJOR RELATIONSHIP WITH CULINARY
The relationship went back even further.
When McDonald was seeking reelection to the Las Vegas City Council in 2003, Culinary Workers Union Local 226 endorsed Michael McDonald.
And Culinary wasn’t alone.
Contemporary reporting identified McDonald’s labor support as including:
Culinary Workers Union Local 226
Southern Nevada Central Labor Council
Service Employees International Union
Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters
Southern Nevada Building and Construction Trades Council
State Employees Association
McDonald’s political career clearly did not develop inside an exclusively Republican political bubble.
Organized labor helped him.
And McDonald apparently had no problem accepting that support.
McDONALD’S CAMPAIGN REPORTEDLY SPENT APPROXIMATELY $32,000 WITH CULINARY
The financial relationship also went in the opposite direction.
Following McDonald’s 2003 campaign, reporting showed that his campaign had spent approximately:
$32,000
with Culinary for consulting, advertising and volunteers.
Think about what that means when considering today’s accusations of partisan impurity.
McDonald received Culinary’s endorsement.
His campaign spent substantial money with Culinary.
McDonald later registered as a lobbyist for Culinary.
And Alpha Omega Strategies subsequently received consulting money from Culinary.
That is not a casual political acquaintance.
It is a documented relationship extending across multiple years.
CHRIS GIUNCHIGLIANI: ANOTHER DEMOCRATIC FINANCIAL CONNECTION
Then there is longtime Democratic politician Chris Giunchigliani.
A database compiled from Nevada campaign-finance information reports candidate and political accounts making $10,371 in payments to Michael McDonald across 11 transactions.
Among those reported transactions:
Chris Giunchigliani — $1,558 — two payments to Michael McDonald.
This must be stated accurately.
It does not mean Michael McDonald donated $1,558 to Giunchigliani.
The reported money went in the other direction:
Giunchigliani’s political account reportedly paid Michael McDonald.
The underlying original Nevada C&E reports should be examined to determine exactly what those payments purchased.
But the reported financial relationship belongs in any examination of McDonald’s cross-party political history.
OSCAR GOODMAN: FROM POLITICAL WAR TO POLITICAL RECONCILIATION
Oscar Goodman presents another fascinating chapter.
McDonald and Goodman once engaged in a bitter political fight.
Goodman publicly attacked McDonald after discovering that McDonald had secretly recorded a private conversation between them.
Yet that relationship eventually changed.
By McDonald’s 2003 reelection campaign, Goodman reportedly endorsed McDonald.
Again, that isn’t evidence that McDonald contributed money to Goodman.
But it demonstrates something important about Michael McDonald’s career:
He understood perfectly well that political relationships change and that people who once opposed one another can later work together.
Apparently political reconciliation was acceptable when Michael McDonald benefited from it.
FRANK HAWKINS: FROM OPPONENT TO CONSULTANT
Frank Hawkins provides another example.
Michael McDonald defeated Hawkins for the Ward 1 Las Vegas City Council seat in 1995.
Years later, their relationship looked very different.
In 2012, McDonald appeared before the Las Vegas City Council regarding his development project and introduced Frank Hawkins as:
his consultant.
Again, that does not establish that McDonald endorsed Hawkins in an election.
But it demonstrates another significant political and professional relationship that crossed old political battle lines.
CAROLYN GOODMAN AND THE VIPI CONNECTION
Carolyn Goodman’s history is particularly relevant because Veterans In Politics interviewed her during the 2011 Las Vegas mayoral primary.
That fact isn’t based merely on Steve Sanson’s recollection.
Goodman’s own campaign manager told the Las Vegas Sun in 2011 that Goodman had participated in Veterans In Politics endorsement interviews during the primary.
VIPI’s relationship with Goodman continued.
By 2015, Veterans In Politics formally endorsed Carolyn Goodman for Las Vegas mayor.
VIPI’s archived announcement lists:
“LV MAYOR Carolyn G. Goodman Mayor.”
This demonstrates the type of municipal endorsement environment in which Veterans In Politics operated: candidates were evaluated as individuals rather than by applying a partisan litmus test.
According to Steve Sanson’s firsthand account, Michael J. McDonald participated as a Veterans In Politics panel member on several occasions and participated in panels whose collective endorsements included Democrats.
That firsthand account should now be part of the discussion.
FOLLOW MICHAEL McDONALD AND FOLLOW ALPHA OMEGA STRATEGIES
Any serious investigation of McDonald’s political history cannot search only one name.
The financial records should be searched under:
Michael McDonald
Michael J. McDonald
Mike McDonald
Alpha Omega Strategies
Alpha-Omega Strategies
Alpha Omega Strategies LLC
Alpha-Omega Strategies Inc.
Those names should be checked as:
campaign contributors
campaign expenditure recipients
vendors
consultants
lobbyists
political contractors
fundraisers
and business entities receiving political money.
Only then can the complete financial history be reconstructed.
STEVE SANSON ISN’T CRITICIZING BIPARTISANSHIP
This point needs to be unmistakably clear.
Steve Sanson is not criticizing Michael McDonald simply because McDonald worked with Democrats.
Veterans In Politics has done the same thing openly for years.
VIPI’s position has been straightforward:
Interview the candidate.
Examine the candidate.
Ask the difficult questions.
Then select the person the panel believes deserves the endorsement.
Party registration does not automatically determine character.
Being a Republican doesn’t automatically make someone the best candidate.
Being a Democrat doesn’t automatically make someone the worst candidate.
And being a veteran conservative Democrat does not erase that person’s military service or conservative positions.
THE ISSUE IS HYPOCRISY AND THE APPLICATION OF TWO DIFFERENT STANDARDS
According to Steve Sanson’s firsthand account, Michael McDonald referred to Sanson and Stephanie Phillips as “cancer” to the Republican Party during his October 3 closing remarks.
Now compare that rhetoric with McDonald’s own history.
Michael McDonald:
According to Steve Sanson, sat as a voting panelist in Veterans In Politics endorsement interviews on several occasions.
According to Sanson, participated in panels whose collective decisions resulted in endorsements of Democrats.
Actively supported Lawrence Weekly for appointment to the Las Vegas City Council.
Worked as a registered lobbyist for Culinary Workers Union Local 226.
Operated Alpha Omega Strategies, which received consulting money from Culinary.
Received Culinary’s endorsement during his own political career.
Received endorsements from numerous organized-labor organizations.
Ran a campaign that reportedly spent approximately $32,000 with Culinary for consulting, advertising and volunteers.
Had a reported financial relationship in which Democratic politician Chris Giunchigliani’s political account paid Michael McDonald.
Developed political and professional relationships across party lines throughout his career.
And now Republicans are supposed to believe that supporting a conservative Democratic veteran constitutes political betrayal?
WHICH MICHAEL McDONALD STANDARD ARE REPUBLICANS SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW?
Is it the standard Michael McDonald apparently followed throughout his own career—
where Republicans could work with Democrats, unions and political opponents when they believed it served a worthwhile purpose?
Or is it the new standard—
where another Republican can be branded a “cancer” for supporting a conservative Democrat?
Both standards cannot be intellectually consistent.
“WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING”—OR A POLITICAL DOUBLE STANDARD?
Some people examining this history may call Michael McDonald a “wolf in sheep’s clothing.”
Others may view his relationships with Democrats and organized labor as ordinary political pragmatism.
Readers should decide that for themselves.
The documented facts don’t require name-calling to be significant.
The central issue is much simpler:
MICHAEL McDONALD SHOULD BE JUDGED BY THE SAME STANDARD HE APPLIES TO EVERY OTHER REPUBLICAN.
If working with Democrats is acceptable, say so.
If supporting a conservative Democrat is acceptable, say so.
If Republicans are allowed to choose the person over the party, say so.
But if those things supposedly constitute betrayal, then Nevada Republicans have every right to examine Michael McDonald’s decades-long political record under exactly the same standard.
It cannot be:
BIPARTISANSHIP WHEN MICHAEL McDONALD DOES IT.
“CANCER” WHEN STEVE SANSON AND STEPHANIE PHILLIPS DO IT.
That’s the contradiction Nevada Republicans deserve to examine.
And the question Michael McDonald should answer is simple:
IF SUPPORTING DEMOCRATS MAKES SOMEONE A “CANCER” TO THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, WHAT DOES MICHAEL McDONALD CALL HIS OWN RECORD?
SOURCES
Las Vegas Sun — May 8, 2011: Contemporary reporting on the Las Vegas mayoral contest, Veterans In Politics’ proposed endorsement interview, Steve Sanson’s statements and confirmation from Carolyn Goodman’s campaign that she participated in VIPI endorsement interviews during the primary.
Veterans In Politics/A Veterans View — 2012: Historical explanation of VIPI’s cross-party philosophy and involvement of Democratic, Republican and independent political figures.
Veterans In Politics — 2014: VIPI records showing Democrat Chris Giunchigliani receiving the organization’s Clark County Commission District E endorsement, illustrating VIPI’s longstanding practice of considering candidates across party lines.
Veterans In Politics — 2015: Official VIPI record documenting its endorsement of Carolyn Goodman for Las Vegas mayor.
Las Vegas Sun — November 12, 1999: Reporting identifying Lawrence Weekly and Orlando Sanchez as Michael McDonald’s choices for the newly created Las Vegas City Council positions.
Las Vegas Sun — April 2, 2005: Jon Ralston retrospective describing McDonald’s effort to secure the Weekly/Sanchez appointments.
The Nevada Independent: Reporting on Michael McDonald’s lobbying history, including his representation of Culinary Workers Union Local 226 and Alpha Omega Strategies.
Culinary Workers Union Local 226 — 2013 LM-2: Federal labor disclosure identifying a $5,000 professional consulting payment to Alpha Omega Strategies.
Las Vegas Sun — May 29, 2003: Reporting on organized-labor endorsements received by Michael McDonald’s City Council campaign, including Culinary Local 226.
Las Vegas Sun — August 19, 2003: Campaign-finance reporting concerning approximately $32,000 spent by McDonald’s campaign with Culinary for consulting, advertising and volunteers.
Nevada Political Establishment campaign-finance database: Reports two Chris Giunchigliani political-account payments totaling approximately $1,558 to Michael McDonald. The original Nevada C&E filings should be used as the final primary-source verification before publication.
Firsthand source
Steve Sanson, President of Veterans In Politics International: Sanson states from firsthand knowledge as organizer/president of the endorsement process that Nevada GOP Chairman Michael J. McDonald of Alpha Omega Strategies served as a VIPI endorsement panelist on several occasions and participated in panels whose collective decisions endorsed Democratic candidates. This statement concerns the Nevada GOP chairman—not the separate individual previously identified online as “Michael McDonald — VIPI Legislative Council.”
