Las Vegas mayor’s wife wins primary

LAS VEGAS – Mayor Oscar Goodman calls himself the happiest mayor in the world, and he had another reason to celebrate Tuesday after his first lady easily topped 17 other candidates in a primary election to replace him as Sin City’s leader.

Carolyn Goodman captured 37 percent of the vote in the crowded field, more than double the ballots of her nearest competitors.

She needed more than 50 percent of the vote to become mayor without a runoff. That was an outcome Carolyn Goodman had hoped for and seemed headed toward in the early days of the election. Instead, she will face off against Larry Brown or Chris Giunchigliani, two Clark County commissioners, in the June 7 general election.

After her lead became clear, Carolyn Goodman sent a photo to supporters on Twitter that showed her celebrating with her husband, their four children and grandchildren.

Brown and Giunchigliani, meanwhile, were battling for second place in a race divided by just 15 votes. With nearly all of the ballots counted, each had 17 percent.

Term limits kept Oscar Goodman from running for a fourth term, much to his disappointment. To protect his legacy, he campaigned hard for his wife, who promised to carry out his vision of a transformed downtown Las Vegas.