Opinion: Is Las Vegas’ famously flamboyant mayor going to run for governor?

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Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman -- former mob lawyer, Bombay Sapphire pitchman and self-proclaimed ‘Happiest Mayor on Earth’ -- will be termed out in 2011.

His next role: Gov. Goodman?

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported last week that Goodman is mulling an independent bid -- and has consulted none other than former Minnesota Gov. Jesse ‘The Body’ Ventura (the Happiest Pro Wrestler-Turned-Governor On Earth).

As with many things -- including telling youngsters that, were he stranded on an island, he’d want a bottle of gin -- Goodman’s seriousness is hard to determine. He’s publicly talked about a gubernatorial bid for months and even suggested that his wife, Carolyn, take over his old office at City Hall. (It’s unclear whether she would keep the faux horse’s head.)

Republican Gov. Jim Gibbons is so unpopular that he’s already drawn two primary challengers. And the Democrats expected to run -- Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley and Rory Reid, Clark County commissioner and son of the U.S. Senate majority leader — might cannibalize each other before the general election.

But Goodman has never mounted a statewide campaign. And does he truly want to 1) move from Sin City to Carson City and 2) oversee a potentially vicious budget war during the next legislative session?

Maybe he should talk to Arnold (formerly the Happiest Terminator-turned-Governor on Earth) Schwarzenegger.

-- Ashley Powers

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