In Las Vegas, a mayor will be chosen through a runoff election as there are no more Goodmans to select.
The people of Las Vegas were in a dilemma at the polls on Tuesday, as there were no more Goodmans to choose for mayor.
Out of 13 candidates who competed in the non-partisan primary to be the next leader of Sin City, none managed to secure more than 50% of the votes, resulting in a runoff between Shelley Berkley and Victoria Seaman on November 5.
Shelley Berkley is a Democrat who was a member of the US House of Representatives from 1999 to 2013 and previously unsuccessfully ran for US Senate in 2012. Meanwhile, Victoria Seaman has been a Las Vegas City Council member since 2019 and, before that, was a member of the Nevada Assembly from 2014 to 2016, making her the first Republican Latina to be elected to this position.
No More Goodmans to Lead Las Vegas
The absence of a mayor Goodman in Las Vegas after 25 years is quite significant. Both Oscar Goodman and his wife Caroline held the position for three terms each (the maximum number allowed).
Oscar Goodman started out as a criminal defense attorney, gaining recognition for representing notorious criminals like Anthony Spilotro, Frank Rosenthal, and Herbert Blitzstein. Later, he attained international fame by portraying himself in Martin Scorsese’s 1995 Oscar-nominated film ‘Casino’.
Caroline Goodman followed her husband’s footsteps, becoming mayor in 2011. Prior to her political career, she was the founder of The Meadows School, a private K-12 school in the Summerlin suburb of Las Vegas.
Interestingly, neither of the Goodmans ever had to face a mayoral runoff. Instead, they were elected by at least 50% of the electorate in every primary.
Separating Myth from Fact
It’s worth noting that the mayor of Las Vegas does not hold power over the entire city but only over the city's downtown area. Contrary to popular belief, the famous Las Vegas Strip falls under two unincorporated Clark County townships, not under the city of Las Vegas.
For those who have visited Las Vegas, their experience would most likely be limited to the Strip, which is the only internationally famous part of the Las Vegas Valley.
Despite this, mayors of Las Vegas often perpetuate the myth of being the leaders of the entire Las Vegas Valley. Casinos also love the misconception, allowing them to use "Las Vegas" as their address without paying any city taxes.
This misconception remains largely unchallenged by the general public and the media. In recent times, when Mayor Carolyn Goodman made comments about the Oakland A's relocation plans, she garnered significant attention, furthering the persistent myth that she has authority over areas she doesn't.
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