Former U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson is traveling to Africa today to “engage with government ministers and teach candidates and parliamentary staff about communications, constituent service and running elections,” according to a note posted on her Facebook page.
Wilson, a potential 2010 Republican gubernatorial candidate, gave the details to the Albuquerque Journal:
“While in Sudan, I will be meeting with the Speaker of the Southern Sudan Parliament, conducting training and consultations with their legislators who are involved national security and international affairs matters, training the staffs of legislators on constituent service and communications, and speaking at a women’s leadership conference sponsored by the UN Mission in Sudan and the US Agency for International Development.
“I will also be meeting with the leaders of all of the political parties in Southern Sudan about preparations for elections in 2010 and making sure that election is legitimate.
“In Kenya, I will be meeting with the Minister of State for Defense and members of the Kenyan Parliament involved in national security matters.”
Wilson was invited to make the trip by the International Republican Institute, which is paying for the trip.
The former Republican House member, who told me last week that she hasn’t decided whether she’ll run for governor next year, also talked with the Journal about the 2010 race.
“It’s a scandal a day out here, and somebody’s got to clean up this mess,” the Journal quoted Wilson as saying. “If the Democrats are telling you the Republicans are in disarray, they must be looking in the mirror.”
While Wilson has said she’s seriously considering the gubernatorial race, the Journal quoted her as saying that she’s enjoying life as a private citizen.