Democrats’ PAC impacted key House races in 2006

This is the first in an occasional series examining political action committees and their effect on New Mexico politics.

A political action committee controlled primarily by Speaker of the House Ben Lujan had a major impact on several high-profile House races across the state last year.

In three hotly contested races in Doña Ana County, the New Mexico Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee made the difference, at least financially. Andy Nuñez, Jeff Steinborn and Nate Cote, with sizable gifts from the DLCC, outspent their opponents. All three won – two of them by narrow margins.

The DLCC raised just over $597,000 during the 2006 election cycle and spent just over $528,000, most of it on political consultants and mailers. The committee, whose focus is electing Democratic legislators, put money into 16 high-profile House races in 2006.

Its donors include corporations, unions, politicians and political action committees.

Because of the secrecy surrounding last month’s vote by House Democrats to keep Lujan as speaker, it’s impossible to know which caucus members voted for him, but many believe the DLCC money he handed out earned him the support necessary to beat back a challenge from Ken Martinez of Grants. And though neither would talk about it publicly, most believe Steinborn and Cote, along with several other freshman legislators the DLCC helped, cast critical votes to keep Lujan as speaker.

Local victories

In Doña Ana County, Cote was the biggest beneficiary of DLCC funds. Cote, who raised about $28,500 and spent about $28,000 on his campaign, also had in-kind gifts totaling $45,596, including $36,675 from the DLCC.

Cote defeated 12-year Republican incumbent Terry Marquardt of Alamogordo by 199 votes, or 2.8 percent.

Cote said the DLCC was “a key factor” in his and Steinborn’s victories, but “only part of the effort.”

“Jeff and I also put a lot of work into our campaigns – physical labor and volunteer work,” Cote said.

Steinborn raised about $66,000 for his campaign, including a $2,500 cash donation from the DLCC, and spent about $66,700. He also had about $47,152 in in-kind gifts, including $33,845 from the DLCC.

Steinborn defeated his opponent, Republican Scott Witt, by 309 votes, or 3.2 percent.

Nuñez raised about $35,700 and spent about $34,000. He also had about $35,452 in in-kind gifts, including $25,145 from the DLCC. He defeated Republican challenger Isaac Chavez by 742 votes, or 8 percent.

Ethical questions

Rep. Mimi Stewart of Albuquerque has been the treasurer and director of the DLCC for the past two election cycles. She said the group has been gradually increasing its influence over the past six years.

Stewart said her work with the DLCC is necessary to offset some of the massive donations Republican candidates receive from wealthy business owners, and noted a $20,000 gift to Chavez from a Texas billionaire and his wife. That gift nearly equaled the amount the DLCC gave Nuñez.

“Without groups like the DLCC, you’d have millionaires running elections,” Stewart said. “I do agree with the premise that there is too much money in our elections. But as long as the system remains as it is, you have to raise enough money to do what you need to do to win elections.”

Gov. Bill Richardson is proposing limits on campaign contributions to candidates from individuals and PACs in this year’s legislative session. But Matt Brix, the state director of Common Cause, said the state needs to go further than that. He said gifts to PACs and other groups must also be regulated, “or the big money will keep coming,” and will just be spent in more creative ways.

“Limits can’t just be extended to campaigns. They have to be extended to PACs and unions and elsewhere,” he said.

The DLCC accepted some large gifts last year, including almost $70,000 from Richardson’s re-election campaign and $55,000 from a PAC that represents trial lawyers.

The current system allowed individual lawyers to give money to their PAC, which gave money to another PAC, which gave it to House Democrats. Brix said that’s another problem – money is hard to track when it changes hands so often.

An important organization

Regardless, Steinborn said the DLCC is a very important part of the Democratic Party’s campaign structure.

“It’s a targeted way of fighting for important races,” Steinborn said. “The people that give to the DLCC and the people the DLCC gives to, it’s all because we believe in what we’re fighting for.”

Steinborn agreed with Stewart that such groups are necessary, noting that his opponent received some large corporate contributions. Steinborn did, however, outspend his opponent by about $50,000 if you include his in-kind contributions.

Steinborn noted that, in his moderate House district, that’s what it took to secure a narrow victory.

“It’s creating a level playing field,” Steinborn said of the DLCC. “Our system is broken, no question. But the stakes do matter, so you have to get resources and be competitive.”

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Biggest donors to the DLCC in 2006

Richardson for Governor: $69,646

Committee on Individual Responsibility (trial lawyers’ PAC): $55,000

American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees: $20,000

Committee to Elect Diane Denish: $16,022.31

Stan Fulton, Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino owner: $15,000

The GEO Group (manages some state prisons): $15,000

Don Whitaker for State Representative: $15,000

Sheet Metal Workers International Union: $10,000

Committee to Re-elect Ben Lujan: $10,000

Mountain West Regional Council of Carpenters: $10,000

A sampling of those who gave $5,000 to the DLCC

Bingaman Re-election Campaign

The Downs at Albuquerque

Garrett Thornburg, president, Thornburg Investments

Heard Robins Law Firm

Laurel Healthcare Providers LLC

National Education Association – New Mexico

NM Health Care Associates PAC

PNM Responsible Citizens Group

Pojoaque Pueblo

San Juan Pueblo

Sunray Gaming of NM

Zia Park Racetrack

Source: Campaign contribution reports