Mayor’s re-election campaign takes off

Judy Odierna

Friday, Jan. 10, 2003 | 10:58 a.m.

Mayor Oscar Goodman's re-election campaign is in full swing, even though filing doesn't begin for more than two weeks.

To date, the Goodman camp has raised about $700,000 within the last 12 months leading up to the Jan. 28 filing date. Co-campaign manager Jim Ferrence said $150,000 of that was raised Wednesday night at a fund-raiser sponsored by Station Casinos executives Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta at Texas Station.

"There will probably be three or four more like that," Ferrence said.

In the last mayoral race, Goodman raised and spent $1.3 million. The 1999 municipal elections were the most expensive ever, with the mayoral and general election candidates spending a combined $2.4 million.

Ferrence said the camp hopes to open campaign headquarters at 201 Las Vegas Blvd. South next week and have at least 500 campaign signs placed throughout the city by the end of next weekend.

No one has come forward to challenge Goodman. The primary election is set for April 8; early voting begins March 22.

"It's highly unlikely that one person won't file out of 250,000 registered voters," Ferrence said. "Regardless of who files we will be treating everyone equally. An opponent is an opponent, whether they have the fund-raising or not."

But if there isn't any opponent, Goodman said Thursday he would give his war chest to charity.

"It's either that or go to Cabo," he said.

Goodman said he wouldn't mind seeing another name on the ballot.

"God bless America," he said. "Anyone that wants to be mayor is more than welcome to file."

Michael Bowers, a political science professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, doubts any formidable candidate will take Goodman up on the offer.

"I can't think of anyone with the name recognition who has the ability to gather the sufficient campaign contributions," Bowers said. "He's very popular. Anyone that ran against him would be a lamb to the slaughter."

Veteran political strategist Don Williams agreed.

"Oscar Goodman is the mayor," Williams said. "He's going to get his second term. 'Mayor Feelgood' is what he is. He makes people feel good about Las Vegas."

Both Bowers and Williams, however, said that Goodman may have erred last month when he announced that he would return to the courtroom to try one or two cases a year with his sons, who are lawyers.

"That was a major tactical error because now you can go back and open all the mob attorney stuff," Williams said. "Now there is the opportunity for someone who is well financed, well managed and who doesn't have any big skeletons to open that up. But this is a mythical candidate. This kind of person doesn't exist in Las Vegas."