It’s shaping up to be quite a week for New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson.
It began Sunday with a Denver Post article that said Richardson has what “may be the best résumé of any potential Democratic presidential candidate in 2008.”
“Richardson has spent a lifetime positioning himself for this moment: He’s a Latino at a time when the ethnic group’s influence is growing. He’s a Westerner as the region is becoming critical to the national strategies of both parties. And he’s a powerful governor with impeccable foreign-policy credentials,” the article states. “… With the exception of Sen. John McCain of Arizona, Richardson, 58, may be the West’s biggest political star.”
The profile of the governor was a bit shallow on some of the issues. For example, it called him a tax-cutting governor when, in fact, he has cut some taxes and fees and raised others, making it difficult to say whether the average New Mexican is paying less.
But the article was a mostly positive look at a man who, because of a lifetime of hard work and a bit of circumstance, has a realistic chance of becoming the Democrats’ nominee for president in 2008.
Following the Post article, Richardson appeared on “Face the Nation” Sunday morning to call for the resignation of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. According to the Albuquerque Journal, Richardson, a master at political timing, pointed out on the nationally televised program that six military generals have publicly called for Rumseld’s resignation in recent days.
“We should listen to what these generals are saying,” Richardson said. “These are six distinguished military officers who were involved in the invasion and occupation of Iraq. They basically are saying that Secretary Rumsfeld … didn’t listen to them. This reaches a new level of not being willing to admit mistakes and change policy that is just not working.”
On Monday, Richardson announced that Finance and Administration Secretary James Jimenez will be his new chief of staff, replacing Dave Contarino, who left to work on Richardson’s re-election campaign.
Also Monday, the Las Cruces City Council gave Richardson’s proposed spaceport at Upham a major boost by donating land for the headquarters of the startup Rocket Racing League.
In exchange for the gift of 11 ½ acres, the agreement commits the racing league to building its headquarters at the city’s West Mesa Industrial Park. The league will build hangars at the adjacent Las Cruces International Airport that racing teams can lease.
The league plans an annual racing series involving manned rocket planes, with finals to be held each year at the Southwest Regional Spaceport.
This is the first major, written commitment by a company to help make Richardson’s space dreams a reality. Though London-based Virgin Galactic has agreed to build its corporate headquarters here and launch paying customers from the spaceport as soon as its facility is built, a written agreement has not been finalized.
And though Starchaser Industries was the first space company to move to Las Cruces, it has yet to secure land to build its rocket assembly plant and recently shook up its staff as part of a restructuring.
Making Monday’s council vote a big step for Richardson’s plan.
As I blogged Monday, there are spaceport doubters, and some of their concerns are valid. The reality, however, is that the legislature has already approved the money for the Virgin Galactic facility, and the Rocket Racing League plans to break ground on its headquarters in May or June and hold its first exhibition race in October at the X Prize Cup.
The spaceport is likely going to be built.
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In a weekend article, the Associated Press summed up well what’s at stake in the Northern New Mexico congressional race between incumbent Republican Heather Wilson and her opponent, state Attorney General Patricia Madrid, a Democrat. Republicans have tirelessly and tenaciously attacked Madrid since the race began.
“Democrats have long thought New Mexico’s 1st Congressional District should be theirs but they’ve not been able to unseat Wilson, a moderate Republican seeking a fifth two-year term. The seat has been in GOP hands for almost four decades,” the article states. “But this year, Democrats recruited a popular state official at time that experts say could be one of the worst for Republicans. The race is considered one of the most competitive in the country and one of the best chances for Democrats to gain a House seat.”
Republicans have made endless calls for Madrid to investigate the scandal of the week, but when her office jumped on one, they also cried foul. At the request of the Public Regulation Commission, Madrid’s office is investigating suspended state Insurance Superintendent Eric Serna’s decision to award a lucrative state contract to a bank that has since given lots of money to a non-profit started by Serna. The problem is that Madrid helped start the non-profit health care foundation, too.
Here’s a link to the full Associated Press article via the Albuquerque Journal.
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The June primary is rapidly approaching, and with the exception of Geno Zamora, none of the attorney general candidates are answering my question about where they stand on the death penalty. Where is Republican Jim Bibb? And Democrat Lem Martinez? One source told me a couple of different polls have Gary King far ahead of the other two Democrats in the race, so maybe he’s trying to stay under the radar until after the primary.
I’ll keep trying.
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Last week I told you that Congressman Steve Pearce, R-N.M., had nothing listed in the accomplishments section on his campaign Web site. That has since changed. You can view the newly posted information by clicking here.
Thanks for reading, and have a great day.