Poll: Sandoval, Goodman favored in governor race

LAS VEGAS (AP) - A newspaper poll suggests incumbent Gov. Jim Gibbons would be an underdog to any Democratic contender for the state's top office if the election were held today.

A survey of 400 registered voters for the Las Vegas Review-Journal released Friday found that Gibbons would be behind three potential Democratic candidates - Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley and Clark County Commissioner Rory Reid - if they squared off in the 2010 general election.

The poll by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research Inc. showed Gibbons behind by at least a 12 point margin in each potential matchup. The poll had a sampling error margin of plus or minus 5 percentage points.

The Washington, D.C.-based pollster also asked 300 Republicans and 300 Democrats whom they would prefer in primary elections. The sampling error margin in these polls was plus or minus 6 percentage points.

The poll of Republicans showed U.S. District Judge Brian Sandoval leading over Gibbons, with nearly half of voters undecided on whom they would support.

Sandoval has not announced whether he will run for governor but has said he will step down from the federal bench Sept. 15.

Brad Coker, managing director of Mason-Dixon, said the results paint Sandoval as the strongest candidate.

"Of all the candidates - perhaps including Goodman - he is probably the strongest contender for next year," Coker said. "He's the guy to beat at this point."

The poll showed Sandoval slightly ahead of Goodman or Buckley if he went head-to-head against either in 2010. If he faced Reid, he would be ahead, the poll said.

Buckley and Goodman have not announced whether they will run but are exploring the possibility. Goodman, limited in his current position by term limits, has said he's considering running for the job as an independent. Reid, son of U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, is already in the race.

The poll showed Goodman would be slightly ahead of Buckley among Democratic voters in a primary, with 28 percent undecided.

Mason-Dixon interviewed the voters by telephone Aug. 17 and 18. They were selected by random digit dialing.