Who was that making an appearance at a Lobo basketball game on Wednesday night with actor Val Kilmer?
As shown in an Albuquerque Journal photo you can view by clicking here, it was Santa Fe art dealer Gerald Peters on his right and, on his left, Joe Thompson, a lobbyist who works for Peters, the University of New Mexico and others.
With Kilmer, who lives on a ranch outside Pecos, recently confirming that he may run for governor in 2010, a public appearance with such political heavy hitters is noteworthy. Peters is close to Gov. Bill Richardson and has contributed well over $100,000 to the governor’s campaigns, all while doing business with the state that has at times been controversial.
Richardson himself has praised the idea of a Kilmer gubernatorial run. Kilmer, who recently switched his party affiliation from independent to Democrat, would ostensibly be running against Lt. Gov. Diane Denish, who is about to become governor when Richardson becomes commerce secretary, in the 2010 primary. It’s no secret that Richardson and Denish aren’t the best of friends.
Click here to read the Journal’s article on Kilmer’s appearance at the Pit.