Giunchigliani jabs Goodman on candidate forums

The first candidate forum in the Las Vegas mayoral race is Saturday, but the slinging of innuendo has already begun.

Chris Giunchigliani, who edged out a narrow second-place finish in last week's municipal primary to stay in the race, on Monday tried to make an issue out of the fact that front-runner Carolyn Goodman has not already accepted all of the candidate forum invitations she has received.

"I hope that Carolyn Goodman is willing to join me at every debate the citizens of Las Vegas request of us," said a statement from Giunchigliani's campaign that issued a "challenge" to Goodman.

"I'll participate either by myself or in a debate format. We owe it to the voters to stand in the spotlight and make our positions and experience known."

Giunchigliani's campaign then listed several events as "not confirmed" by Goodman, even though she will be attending at least three of them.

"It's just trying to make something out of nothing," said Bradley Mayer, Goodman's campaign manager. "It's just the Monday after the primary. We're trying to figure out how best to use our time."

Both candidates will attend Saturday's forum and two more scheduled next week, according to the campaigns and organizers:

■ At 12:30 p.m. Saturday, the NAACP is hosting a forum at Pearson Community Center, 1625 W. Carey Ave. It is open to the public.

■ The Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce has organized a forum at noon on April 20 at the Four Seasons Hotel. Reservations for the luncheon are required. Go to www.lvchamber.com for more information.

■ The Commercial Real Estate Development Association will host the candidates at 7:15 a.m. April 21 in the UNLV Student Center's second-floor ballroom. Reservations are due by April 18 . Go to www.naiopnv.org for more information.

Despite Twitter posts to the contrary, Goodman will not be attending a May event in Sun City Summerlin because she's planning her own event there on May 1, Mayer said.

Giunchigliani's campaign has agreed to appear on KLAS-TV Channel 8 and "Face to Face" on KSNV-TV Channel 3, although those dates are tentative. The Goodman campaign is "evaluating" those invitations, Mayer said.

Goodman, founder of The Meadows School and wife of incumbent Mayor Oscar Goodman, and Giunchigliani, a Clark County commissioner, came out on top of an 18-candidate field and will face each other in the June 7 general election.

Oscar Goodman cannot run again because of term limits.

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