CARSON CITY -- A former political rival for the governor's job, Henderson Mayor Jim Gibson, has been named by Gov.-elect Jim Gibbons as a co-chairman of a working group to assist him on transportation and infrastructure issues.

Gibbons on Thursday announced the formation of that working group and the health care working group of his transition team.

"Health care, transportation and infrastructure are issues that deeply affect us all and they will remain of vital importance in our growing state for the foreseeable future," Gibbons said. "The recent report by the governor's blue-ribbon panel on transportation and this week's agreement to mediate the nurse's strike both highlight their impact on Nevadans and the challenges our state faces.

"The people on these working groups have the experience, expertise and bipartisanship to review how the state currently addresses these issues and to help me work through them going forward," he said.

Gibson ran as a Democrat for governor, losing to state Sen. Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, in the primary.

Also serving as co-chairman of the transportation group will be Ty Cobb, a newly elected GOP member of the Assembly from Reno.

Some of the others named to the panel include Clark County Commissioners Bruce Woodbury and Chip Maxfield, Mesquite Mayor Bill Nicholes, outgoing Assemblyman Bob Seale, R-Henderson, and state Sen. Dennis Nolan, R-Las Vegas.

Serving as chairman of the health care group is Rudy Manthei, a board-certified ophthalmologist currently serving as the medical director of ophthalmology at Nevada Eye & Ear.

Among others serving on this working group are the three Nevada physicians who are also state lawmakers: Sen. Joe Heck, R-Henderson, Assemblyman Joe Hardy, R-Boulder City, and incoming Assembly Minority Leader Garn Mabey, R-Las Vegas.