Poll: Goodman, Sandoval neck and neck for governor

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman is neck and neck with former U.S. District Judge Brian Sandoval in a hypothetical general election matchup for governor, according to a statewide poll.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal poll released Saturday shows Goodman with 35 percent compared with Republican Sandoval's 32 percent and Democrat Rory Reid's 24 percent. Nine percent were undecided.

Goodman, a Democrat, has said he would run as an independent if he enters the governor's race.

"Oscar has cross-party appeal," said Brad Coker, managing partner of Mason-Dixon. "People are kind of frustrated with both political parties right now."

In a Republican primary matchup, Sandoval has 39 percent compared with Gov. Jim Gibbons' 18 percent and former North Las Vegas Mayor Michael Montandon's 6 percent. Thirty-seven percent were undecided.

Without Goodman in the race, Sandoval has 49 percent to Reid's 34 percent in another hypothetical general election matchup.

But in yet another such matchup, Reid has 48 percent to Gibbons' 34 percent.

While Gibbons still trails badly in the polls, campaign manager Robert Olmer said he was encouraged that the governor's approval rating rose to 19 percent in the latest survey.

That compares with a 14 percent approval rating in October and 7 percent in June.

Goodman said he plans to announce his political plans "real soon."

"It is probably the most difficult decision I will ever have to make," he said. "I would commit myself 1,000 percent, 24-7 if I decide to run. I would dedicate my life to the job, other than my family."

The poll of 625 Nevadans was conducted Monday through Wednesday by Washington, D.C.-based Mason-Dixon Polling & Research Inc. It has a margin of error or plus or minus 4 percentage points.