Dynasty: Las Vegas?

The intrigue. The mystique. The majesty...

The Goodmans??!!

It seems that the biggest issue being tossed about in Las Vegas' mayoral race may just be the question of whether Carolyn Goodman is some sort of "legacy candidate" running to keep "The Goodman Dynasty" the marquee show in Las Vegas.

Term limits are forcing out her husband after 12 years in office. Her critics said her candidacy was a ploy to keep her husband in power.

Many of those critics support other candidates and saw those people’s political aspirations take a hit when she entered the race. Others are simply projecting their dislike of Oscar, who they see as all style and no substance, onto his wife. Some think 12 years with a Goodman in office is enough.

Carolyn says her husband tried to persuade her not to run, but many political insiders find that hard to believe (in part because Oscar knows as well as anyone that Carolyn wears the pants in the family). Both enjoy the spotlight. Four more years with a mayor in their household would keep them in demand.

Carolyn stresses that she wants to be judged on her own merits. “I am my own person, and I will stand on my own beliefs,” she says adamantly. And she has an impressive professional track record at Meadows.

But in the next breath she introduces herself to voters as “Oscar’s wife.”

It’s a sound strategy, even if she’s loath to own it. Carolyn is a front-runner in the crowded race. A recent poll showed her leading her next closest competitors — Clark County Commissioners Chris Giunchigliani and Larry Brown — by more than a 2 to 1 margin.

Much of that support can likely be attributed to her last name. Oscar is Southern Nevada’s most popular politician, known internationally for his showgirls, gin and “happiest mayor” shtick.

It's never easy when a relative of a politician then runs for that same office. Accusations like these come all the time. Ask Hillary Clinton and George W. Bush. Still, it may be a legitimate issue to discuss, especially since we are in a state that cherishes its political dynasties.

Why is Carolyn Goodman running? And for that matter, why are the other candidates running? Whose agenda will the eventual winner serve?

Let's be fair here. It's not as if Carolyn Goodman is the only candidate who can be accused of being part of the dynasty. Both Larry Brown and Steve Ross have had close ties to Mayor Oscar. Victor Chaltiel is a close pawn "friend" of Sheldon Adelson. Chris Giunchigliani's husband is a powerful campaign consultant. Wherever we look, we see all sorts of juice.

So is it a problem that Las Vegas' next mayor may be the wife of the outgoing mayor? Honestly, it's a question I'm still wrestling with. What if Carolyn Goodman actually expands on her platitudes and offers good policy on remaking a Downtown that's accessible to all? What if she really does have more in store for Vegas than just "Oscar's vision"?

But what if she doesn't? Can someone who happily identifies as "Oscar's wife" on the campaign trail be trusted to move past the failed policies of criminalizing the homeless, pursuing endless "condo mania" Downtown, and using unsustainable "growth" at the edges of town to fund sweetheart deals with big developers Downtown?

I guess the jury is still out on that. No matter what last name Las Vegas' next mayor will have, will he or she be able to resist temptation from "the real estate industrial complex"?

LATE BREAKING: Oscar Goodman Will NOT Run for Governor!

Jon Ralston just broke this story...

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, who has been telling the media for about six months he's considering running for governor, might have finally made a decision.

Sun political columnist Jon Ralston says his sources tell him Goodman will not run. Ralston just put up a message on his twitter page that says "LV Councilwoman Lois Tarkanian confirms Oscar Goodman called to tell her he's not running. Press conference to say no! Only in Oscarworld."

Goodman is calling a press conference to discuss his political future at 2 p.m. today in his office at City Hall.

Goodman, a former Democrat, changed his affiliation to non-partisan in Dec. 15, just to keep his options open to run as an independent for governor.

So I guess all that fan fare last month was over nothing. So does this mean Mayor Oscar won't be running for something else? I guess we'll find out in the coming days. I really didn't expect him to stir up so much controversy not to run.

Rory Reid's campaign must be breathing a sigh of relief today...

Ralston's Odds on 2010... What He's Saying Now & My Take on It

Remember when Jon Ralston released his latest odds on 2010 in September and I added my $0.02? Well, it's time to do it again! He just released his latest 2010 predictions, and as usual I'll be adding my thoughts below:

- Ralston expects Harry Reid to survive this year and remain Senate Majority Leader next year. I agree, since we know how incompetent the GOoPers have proven themselves to be.

- Ralston thinks Sue Lowden will survive the GOP primary to win the honor of losing to Harry Reid this fall. And on this, I may just have to disagree. Sure, she has a slight lead in the polls now... But Danny Tarkanian seems to be more of a radical right favorite, Lowden still isn't trusted by so many in her own party, and Sharron Angle is gaining fast on both of them. Right now, I'll say Lil' Tark Shark has a slight edge over Lowden with Angle fast becoming a real upset possibility (which I'm sure the Reid campaign will REALLY appreciate!).

- Ralston says Brian Sandoval is favored to become our next Governor. And again, I'll have to disagree for now. No one really knows yet what will become of Rory Reid's game changing Clark County shake-up plan. And of course...

- Ralston is not expecting... Or should I say, he doesn't want Oscar Goodman to run for Governor as an Independent. And again, I'll have to disagree. Goodman already changed his voter registration, fought with Culinary and the public employee unions, and started speaking up more often on controversial state issues like statewide legalization of prostitution. Basically, it sounds to me like Goodman is running for Governor, he's doing so his way, and he doesn't care if Sandoval and Reid, Jr., have hurt feelings.

- Ralston expects Dina Titus to defeat Joe Heck and hold onto NV-03. I'll agree here, since I live here, I'm getting to know the district, and I just think our district is trending away from the GOP. The Democratic registration edge alone should be enough to prevent the GOoPers from becoming haughty... But they already have, and their pride is coming before the fall (again).

- Ralston says that Democrats will keep both houses of the Legislature. I agree, although I want to wait and see all of who's running where before I start making specific numerical predictions.

- And finally, Ralston thinks Republicans will hold a majority of the statewide constitutional offices. I'm not sure yet, as (like above) I want to see all the candidates before laying any bets here.

So in summary, this will be a very interesting 2010. It may be a somewhat bad year for Democrats, or it may be yet another chance for the Republicans to embarrass themselves. As the year goes on, we'll get a better idea of what to expect.

Two Goodmans, Two Possibilities to Shake up Nevada Politics

Oh, joy. This should get everyone talking.

"I've always said that if I was going to run for governor I'm going to run as a non-partisan," said Goodman, who is currently a Democrat. "And I have until the end of the year in which to register as a non-partisan." [...]

"I feel the only way, in my own mind, I would be a good governor and a successful governor, is to try to do it the same way I'm a mayor," he said. "To keep politics out of it. To treat all people equally. To serve Nevada and Nevadans. I don't think I could do that as a member of a specific party. I think when you're a member of a specific party, you have certain loyalties and commitments to others in your party. If I want to be able to do what I do now when somebody comes to me for something, I would try to help them without asking them if they are an 'R' or a 'D.'"

Goodman said he hasn't formed a formal exploratory committee.

"I go to Costco. That's my exploratory committee," he said. "I'm out and about all the time. When people come up and they say, 'Mayor, you're doing a great job,' that's my exploratory committee. When they say, 'Mayor you stink,' that's my exploratory committee."

But wait... It gets better! Guess who may soon be looking to succeed "Mayor Oscar of Vegas". Hint: Her last name is also Goodman.

Now that she is set to give up the reins of the Meadows School, Carolyn Goodman is no longer saying she won’t run to succeed her husband as Las Vegas’ mayor.

In the past, she had always brushed off the idea by pointing out how dedicated and busy she was as president of the prestigious private school she founded a quarter-century ago. But this week she informed the school’s board and its more than 900 students’ families that her last day on the job will be July 1.

The announcement is being seen by some as an indication that Oscar Goodman does intend to run for governor next year or that Carolyn Goodman intends to run for mayor in 2011 — or both. [...]

But Carolyn Goodman said her husband has told her: “ ‘Everyone on my council is very wonderful and so capable, but they don’t have the passion for the pieces that I have. You’re the only one who understands all the pieces.’ ”

For whatever reason, Oscar Goodman seems intent on screwing up both parties' chances of taking the Governor's seat next year and shaking up state politics more to his own liking. Republican Brian Sandoval would be no match for "Hizzoner", and Rory Reid would no longer be able to count on Democrats to stick with him.

But now, Mayor Oscar may also try to keep his stronghold over Las Vegas alive by having Carolyn run to succeed him. While she's proven herself to be an independent woman to goes her own way, I have a hard time seeing her scrap her husband's redevelopment plans for Downtown.

This really takes the concept of "two for the price of one" to a whole new level!

Of course, it's looking more likely right now that we'll just see one or the other, Oscar running for Governor or Carolyn running for Mayor... But their almost simultaneous respective announcements now leaves the door open for both Goodmans to run for both offices. Just imagine it, double the legend, double the controversy, double the excitement, double the insanity.

I can see Jon Ralston getting giddy already...

Oscar Goodman Strikes Back... At the Media!

Yes, this is really Oscar Goodman's letter to Joel Stein in response to his not-so-flattering portrayal of Las Vegas in The Great Recession. While Vegas has hit rock bottom with a collapsed real estate market, painfully high unemployment, and frustratingly low hotel occupancy levels and room rates, there's plenty to de depressed about. However, Mayor Oscar wants us to turn those frowns upside down and remember that Vegas always knows how to beat recessions!

“The article "Less Vegas" [Aug. 24] may leave readers with the impression that Las Vegas' best days are behind us, but that couldn't be further from the truth. There's still a lot of activity and excitement left in the city. Even during the worst recession in decades, Las Vegas is projected to host about 36 million visitors in 2009. In the past year, Las Vegas has had more than $13 billion of new business development as well as major projects that are set to open in the next few months. Like many cities, Las Vegas has felt the impact of the economic downturn. However, investors still have confidence in Las Vegas, and the long-term future of our city is bright. Oscar B. Goodman, Mayor, LAS VEGAS”

Oscar Goodman can be weird at times. Sometimes, he can even be frustratingly anti-progressive. Still, this is one of those moments when I love him to pieces! Like him or not, no one can deny that he LOVES Las Vegas and will do whatever he can to make sure this town succeeds. I sometimes disagree on his policies, but I can't disagree with his passion.