The first lady of Las Vegas, Carolyn Goodman, had some words of support for Nevada’s first lady, Dawn Gibbons, on Saturday night, at a dinner benefiting the Make A Wish Foundation.

Before presenting a proclamation from Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman to the evening’s honoree, Make A Wish Foundation past chairwoman Linda Richardson, Carolyn Goodman searched the crowd for Dawn Gibbons, who is going through a high-profile divorce from husband Gov. Jim Gibbons. (Dawn Gibbons, the honorary dinner chairwoman, has been living in the Governor’s Mansion in Carson City while Jim Gibbons lives in the family home in Reno.)

“You stay in the mansion as long as you can,” Carolyn Goodman declared to Dawn Gibbons, to the surprised applause of the crowd.

Oscar Goodman told the Las Vegas Sun recently that his wife, who formerly opposed his running for governor, has lifted her opposition recently. He’s apparently considering the move, but has said he’ll wait to see who else might file for the office in 2010 before declaring himself.

A high-profile, drawn-out divorce battle would certainly help any Democrat running against Gibbons, who has asked a Carson City judge to force Dawn Gibbons to move from the mansion. (State law requires the governor to reside “at the seat of government,” in Carson City.) For her part, Dawn Gibbons has said publicly that her husband has not talked to her about the divorce.

But, it seems, when it comes to taking sides, first ladies stick together.