Dianna Duran
When I met with Republican Secretary of State candidate Dianna Duran, I expected her to hammer Democratic incumbent Mary Herrera over controversies that include allegations of criminal activity.
Instead, Duran talked primarily about her own qualifications and what she wants to do in the office.
“I have as much experience as anyone in the State of New Mexico related to elections,” Duran said during a recent interview in Las Cruces.
Duran started working on elections in 1979 as a voting machine technician in Alamogordo. She eventually became the Otero County clerk and served two terms. She’s now in her fifth term as a state senator and has worked on election-related legislation in that capacity.
Of course, in talking about herself, Duran was often implicitly contrasting her candidacy with that of Herrera. For example, she said repeatedly that she will bring “competent, dedicated, professional people” to work in the office – which contrasts with the high turnover rate Herrera has faced and the complaints from some county clerks and their staffers about a lack of competence in Herrera’s office.
Duran said it was some county clerks who first asked her to run against Herrera. Five Democratic clerks have endorsed Duran’s candidacy.
“They understand that I understand the importance of having knowledgeable, competent, experienced people,” Duran said.
When I asked specifically about the allegations Herrera is facing, Duran talked about them.
“The word scandal comes to mind any time you think of that office, and I’d like for us to have a scandal-free Secretary of State’s Office,” Duran said. “Our elections should be above reproach.”
“This campaign is not about Democrats and Republicans,” she said. “This campaign is about working to restore the confidence and trust in the Secretary of State’s Office.”
Accessibility and fiscal responsibility
Duran said if she’s elected she’ll be intentional about communicating with the public and running a transparent office. In a subtle shot at Herrera’s recent dodging of reporters’ questions at a news conference, Duran said, “We must have a secretary of state who is answerable not just to the media, but through the media to the public.”
Duran’s cell phone number is printed on her campaign literature (it’s also on her campaign Web site), and she said she’ll ensure that she remains accessible by keeping that cell number and giving it to the public.
Duran said she wants to improve the accessibility of information maintained by the office as well. She cited the online campaign reporting system – which she acknowledged Herrera has improved – as something that still needs work. For example, she said, reports from older systems need to be integrated into the new system so they are easier to find.
Duran said she will consider supporting more frequent or even real-time campaign contribution reporting.
“I would be willing to look at any of those changes that would make it more accessible and easier for the public,” she said.
Duran also said voters need to “look carefully” at their choices and pick the candidate who will “be extremely careful with every single one of your taxpayer dollars.”
“We can provide good government in that office, and that’s what I’m about,” Duran said.
Voter ID
As a lawmaker, Duran has pushed for a voter ID law. She plans to continue that as secretary of state. Duran said polls show that most New Mexicans want some form of voter ID.
“People in New Mexico who are registered to vote want to know that their vote will count and only count once, and they want to know that illegal immigrants won’t be able to vote,” Duran said.
Requiring people to show identification when they vote is a controversial proposal in New Mexico that many Democratic lawmakers and other groups have fought. Among those fighting it are some American Indian groups, because many living on reservations don’t even have driver’s licenses.
Duran didn’t go into specifics, but she said she believes she can help find a compromise that will satisfy such concerns and still bring more integrity to elections. Democrats have signed onto bills she’s sponsored in the past.
“I believe that, working together, we can implement something that will work well in New Mexico,” Duran said.
‘We’re getting the message out’
No Republican has been elected secretary of state in decades, but many believe Duran has a good chance this year. Some say it will take TV ads, but as of the last finance report, Duran hadn’t yet raised the cash for a significant TV buy.
Since then, former GOP gubernatorial candidates Doug Turner and Allen Weh have joined her team, announcing that they’re going to help her raise money using the fundraising lists they developed during their own campaigns.
Still, in her interview, Duran didn’t promise TV ads. She said she’s been traveling around the state and believes running a grassroots campaign is what will count.
“We’re getting the message out,” she said.
A prior version of this article incorrectly stated that four, not five, Democratic county clerks had endorsed Duran.