Las Vegas mayor’s support for Toussaint fundraiser not an endorsement

LAS VEGAS-Eyebrows raised across the Las Vegas political community last week when 5th District Assembly candidate Donna Toussaint sent out a fundraising invite, listing among her hosts Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, Mayor Pro Tem Gary Reese and Councilmen Steve Wolfson and Ricki Barlow.

The controversy, simply put, is that Toussaint is a Republican seeking the open Republican seat being vacated by Valerie Weber. Although their positions are non-partisan, Mayor Goodman, Reese, Wolfson and Barlow are Democrats.

"I've worked with these people for over a decade," said Toussaint Monday. "It's just a relationship that we've developed over the years, one of mutual respect."

Toussaint, 61, was president of the West Sahara Community Association for nine years and has served with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department's Citizen's Review Board and the Las Vegas Youth Neighborhood Association Partnership Program.

His listing on her fundraising invitation does not constitute an endorsement by Goodman, however, he said this morning.

"My being on a host committee is not tantamount to an endorsement," said Goodman. "I do not endorse candidates. Should another good citizen enter that race and ask me to lend my name to a host committee, I would do so and have done so in the past."

Goodman shrugged off the controversy caused by having such a prominent Las Vegas Democrat listed on a host committee for a Republican in what will almost certainly be a Democratic-targeted district.

"Mrs. Toussaint called me last weekend and said she hoped she did not cause me a problem," said Goodman. "I told her I heard some rumblings, but she has been an asset to the City and I told her not to worry about me."

"Some say that I'll lend my name to anyone giving a party, so long as they have a Bombay gin martini waiting for me."

Toussaint's fundraiser is scheduled for tonight at the Captain's Cove Lakeside Bistro in Las Vegas.