Janice Arnold-Jones
Even though it’s already endorsed Democrat Diane Denish in this year’s gubernatorial race, the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees announced today that it wants Republican primary voters to pick Janice Arnold-Jones to take on Denish in November.
The members of AFSCME’s political action committee voted unanimously this week to recommend that AFSCME’s Republican members pick Arnold-Jones in the primary, according to an AFSCME news release.
The release states that the recommendation is based on “a number of good-government issues where AFSCME and Representative Arnold-Jones are on the same page – and where workers have relied on her to help solidify Republican support in the House.”
Examples include that Arnold-Jones “supports transparency in our tax code, in our contracting out, in government spending, and in our legislative process,” and that Arnold-Jones and AFSCME “also fought together at the Roundhouse for whistleblower protections, against double-dipping, and against wasteful taxpayer handouts to out-of-state mega-developers.”
“Too often people in both parties are caught up in pointing out differences, making straw men of the other side’s positions,” Patty French, chairwoman of AFSCME’s political committee, said in the release.
“What AFSCME members care about are electing folks who are ethical, who are willing to let the public see how government operates, who support whistleblowers, and who want to end abuses like double-dipping,” French said. “We’re lucky that, regardless of party and whatever their other differences may be, both Diane Denish and Rep. Arnold-Jones favor a practical, ethical, transparent approach to meeting the critical needs of New Mexicans.”
Another legislative endorsement
Arnold-Jones picked up another endorsement today, from Rep. Thomas Anderson, R-Albuquerque.
“I think Janice is the only one of the candidates running for governor that can actually control the state from the executive chair,” Anderson said in a release from the Arnold-Jones campaign. “I have served concurrently with Janice for nearly eight years and I believe she is obviously the sharpest legislator in the House.”
“Governors cannot bully their way into the governor’s office, and governors do not prosecute crimes,” he said. “Janice has the right experience. She knows how government works, and how it should work. She will be able to begin governing on day one.”
Anderson is the fourth legislator to endorse Arnold-Jones in the primary race.
Update, April 20, 3:45 p.m.
Arnold-Jones sent me the questionnaire she filed out that earned her AFSCME’s endorsement. Because of the discussion going in the comments section at the end of this posting, I figured it was worth adding. Click here for Arnold-Jones’ questionnaire.