Henderson mayor says he’ll announce decision in August

Friday, July 15, 2005 | 9:49 a.m.

Henderson Mayor Jim Gibson said he will announce in August whether he plans to seek the Democratic nomination for governor.

Gibson, who said he's not leaning in any direction, had been downplaying speculation in recent months on whether he would join the race. After his election to a third term in April, Gibson told the Sun he had no plans to run for governor but hadn't completely ruled it out either.

This week Gibson said people are continuing to urge him to run.

"I have been the object of a lot of urging for quite a long while, and it has ratcheted itself up the last six months and even more in the last four months," Gibson said.

The mayor said family considerations will be a key factor in his decision. He said his family has been very supportive.

In November 2002 Gibson said he planned to run in the Democratic primary for governor in 2006, confirming an e-mail his son Brin sent to his friends.

Gibson said he has an informal group that's advising him about a potential run, but he declined to name its members and detail the talks.

"Everything that matters in the campaign at one point has been and will be discussed," Gibson said.

The Democratic primary is expected to include Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins of Henderson and Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus of Las Vegas.

Gibson declined to discuss the candidacy of Titus and Perkins and others, but he said he wouldn't even consider a run if he didn't think he could win. He said the Democrats can win.

The Republican race is expected to feature state Sen. Bob Beers of Las Vegas, Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., and Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt. Others eyeing the race are university system Chancellor Jim Rogers and former Lt. Gov. Bob Cashell, the mayor of Reno.

Gibson said he's not worried about running against a fellow Henderson resident in Perkins and not worried about a lack of statewide name recognition. He said that can be overcome.

Gibson, who said the race would cost millions, raised nearly $800,000 for his mayoral campaign through the end of May and hadn't spent all of the money.

If Gibson runs, the one issue political observers said would be raised is his ties with the monorail system. In January 2004, Gibson stepped in as chief executive officer of Transit Systems Management, operators of the Las Vegas Monorail. It has been plagued with problems of which Gibson said he inherited and was brought in to fix.

Gibson said it wouldn't hinder him politically, saying his performance has been positive and that he has made a contribution to the monorail.

"I didn't cause the problems," Gibson said. "I had a lot to do in helping work through them. I feel the monorail has been a good experience for me. I don't see it as a detraction."

Last week, in a move that Gibson said several months ago was coming, the monorail company announced Gibson would be stepping down and serve as a consultant. Gibson, whose contract runs through Aug. 31, said the change will become effective next week and he will help in the transition.

"I have yet to determine what I am going to do," Gibson said of his next career move if he doesn't run for governor. "I am probably going to have a lot of alternatives. I am trying to decide what is best for me."

Henderson City Council members were reluctant to speculate on what Gibson will do, saying they don't have a clue and haven't talked with him about it. Councilman Steven Kirk placed Gibson's chances for running at 50-50, but said that's only a guess.

Political consultant Kent Oram, a friend of Gibson, said he doesn't know if the mayor will run. He said a key is whether Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman enters the race because he would be the overwhelming favorite, he said.

Oram said Gibson, who is known as a conservative Democratic, would be a formidable opponent in the general election because he would attract independent and some Republican voters. The problem, however, would be winning the primary, especially facing Titus because women tend to vote for women in the valley, he said.