Las Vegas Mayoral candidates hold forum on News 3

May 15, 2024

LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — The Goodman Dynasty is over.

The Mayor of Las Vegas is limited to three four-year terms. Oscar Goodman reached his term limit in 2011.

His successor and wife, Carolyn Goodman, will reach her term limit this year.

The top three candidates to succeed Mayor Carolyn Goodman, according to a recent poll, will participate in a forum tonight, 6:30 p.m., at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas. Jon Ralston of The Nevada Independent has covered Nevada politics for more than thirty years and will moderate.

14 candidates are running in the primary for Mayor of Las Vegas. 56% of poll participants said they were still undecided about who they would vote for. Ralston told News 3 that he wished more candidates could be on the stage, but having more than three in the forum was not feasible.

A primary for the position is scheduled for June 11, 2024, with the general election on Nov. 5, 2024. Only two of the 14 candidates will advance past the primaries. However, if a candidate receives more than 50% of the vote in the primaries, they will be elected outright, said Ralston.

Shelley Berkley

Berkley first started as an assemblywoman in the Nevada State Legislature in 1983. She represented Nevada's 1st Congressional District from 1999 to 2013, holding the position for seven terms. Recently, Berkley held executive positions within the Touro University system.

Berkley created the Senior Law Project, a department that provides free legal services to seniors and wrote the Lemon Law, which protects new car owners from defective vehicles. The Veterans Administration medical complex in Southern Nevada is described as one of her proudest accomplishments during her time in Congress.

In 2012, the U.S. House of Representatives subjected Berkley to an ethics investigation. By allowing her office to take actions that aligned with her husband’s business interests, a physician with connections to medical groups, the investigation found Berkley violated House rules regarding conflict of interest. However, the investigation found that the assistance her husband’s practice received was “not unusual when compared to the assistance her office provided to other physicians” and was broadly available to all practices. The investigating committee reported a “lack of any corrupt intent and believes that this mitigates the severity of the violations in question.“

During her time in Congress, Shelley served on the Transportation Committee, Small Business Committee, Veterans Affairs Committee, Foreign Affairs Committee, and the powerful Ways and Means Committee (healthcare subcommittee).

Berkley finished first in the poll with 16%.

Victoria Seaman

Before she sold them, Seaman owned and operated day spas and a cosmetic business. Afterward, the entrepreneur began working as a realtor and became a Nevada state assemblywoman in 2014. Currently, Seaman serves as the Ward 2 City Council representative.

As an assemblywoman, Seaman sponsored the Squatter Bill, which gave police the legal authority to remove squatters, and the Guardianship Bill, which aimed to protect seniors by streamlining guardianship.

During her time as an assemblywoman, Victoria served as Assistant Majority Whip South during the 78th regular session and 29th special session. She was appointed Vice-Chair of the Commerce & Labor committee, and Chair of the HOA Sub-committee of Judiciary. She also served on the Judiciary and Legislative Operations committees.

Seaman finished second in the poll with 12%.

Cedric Crear

Prior to public service, Crear worked in marketing in the 90s for Station Casinos and founded Crear Creative Group in the next millennium. In 2018, Crear won a special election to represent Ward 5 and was re-elected to another four-year term in 2019. Crear also served on the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents from 2006 to 2018.

As Ward 5's representative, Crear has led initiatives like the Westside Workforce Center and Ward 5 Works. The workforce center assists with opportunities in manufacturing and related careers. Ward 5 Works aims to assist low-income workers with “partnerships and career pathways within targeted high-demand sectors.”

Cedric has served on the Board of Directors for The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, as a Las Vegas Planning Commissioner, and as Chairman for the Southern Nevada Chapter of the American Red Cross and Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority.

Crear finished third in the poll with 7%.