Giunchigliani campaign ad takes shot at Carolyn Goodman

With the start of early voting just around the corner, Chris Giunchigliani has released an ad that tries to paint her mayoral race opponent, Carolyn Goodman, as a bumbling know-nothing who's riding the reputation of her husband, Mayor Oscar Goodman.

The ad shows a man with a needle tending to a worried patient by saying, "Now don't you worry. My wife is a dentist."

Then an inept casino dealer fumbles with cards and chips and says, "You'll be fine. My husband's a dealer." That is followed by a man sitting in the cockpit of an airplane who says, "My partner's an airline pilot. How hard can it be?"

"Some jobs, like being mayor, require skills," the ad's voice-over says. "But Carolyn Goodman doesn't know the issues and doesn't have any plans."

The ad started running on television Wednesday in what Giunchigliani's campaign said was a "major buy."

Goodman's campaign released a statement criticizing her opponent.

"I am disappointed in and embarrassed for Commissioner Giunchigliani because I was hoping she was going to run a positive, dignified campaign," Goodman was quoted as saying. "Sadly, Commissioner Giunchigliani appears to have chosen to turn this into a negative campaign by misleading voters.

"The commissioner may think this is funny, but I don't, my supporters don't, and I am sure the people of Las Vegas don't."

Goodman's campaign, though, is ready with an aggressive ad of its own that will appear on TV in the coming days.

The ad, unveiled Wednesday but not yet posted on the Internet, references a dispute Giunchigliani had with University Medical Center managers after she met with emergency room staff on duty last year.

She said at the time that ER managers were rude to her when she visited to ask about personnel changes. Some of those managers said Giunchigliani compromised patient safety when she had the meeting and pulled away on-duty staff.

It led to a series of testy exchanges in letters and at the Clark County Commission. Goodman's campaign said the commissioner shouldn't be the "face and voice of Las Vegas."

Early voting starts Saturday.

Giunchigliani is a Clark County commissioner and former state legislator. Goodman founded and presided over the Meadows School until retiring last year.

They are trying to succeed Oscar Goodman, who is term-limited after being mayor for 12 years.

Contact reporter Alan Choate at achoate@reviewjournal.com or 702-229-6435.