Democratic candidate for governor making trip to Asia

By Cy Ryan

Friday, June 13, 2014 | 11:29 p.m.

Robert Goodman, the elusive Democratic nominee for governor, says he’s on his way to Hong Kong, China and the Philippines to drum up tourists and business for Nevada.

In an email statement, Goodman said he left the morning after the June 10 primary election for a preplanned trip to Asia and is paying for it from his savings.

Goodman, who finished second to “none of these candidates” in the election, said he intends to meet with political and business leaders “to promote Nevada as a great place to visit and invest and do business.” There is a meeting scheduled with the mayor of Manila in the next few days, he said.

In his campaign documents filed with the Secretary of State’s Office on June 6, Goodman reported he had no income, no campaign contributions, and no property but has been a resident of Nevada for 42 years and has lived at a Las Vegas address, 7480 Sisk Road, for one year.

He told the Sun Friday in a telephone interview that he receives Social Security benefits.

Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval, asked about Goodman on Thursday, said he has never met him.

Goodman issued a statement Friday saying he wants to debate Sandoval in the general election campaign.

He said he is looking forward to campaigning this summer “together with President Obama and Vice President Biden with the Democratic slate of candidates …”

He added, “To those who think the election is a foregone conclusion, don’t bet on it. We have just begun to fight.”

Goodman ran twice for lieutenant governor and lost in the primary election. In this primary he pulled in 17,950 votes, or 24.7 percent of the vote. The “none of these candidates” got 21,718 votes, or 29.9 percent of the vote.

He served as state director of tourism and economic development in the administration of Gov. Mike O’Callaghan in the 1970s.