A 2008 election season that was already memorable in
Perhaps most interesting locally is the race for
Joining those three in the Democratic primary is former Mesilla town Clerk Yolanda Lucero. And on the Republican side, former county Republican Party Chair Sid Goddard filed today to run for clerk.
Yolanda Lucero is already raising questions about the fact that her primary opponents all work in the clerk’s office, and is especially concerned about Ellins’ candidacy.
“I would like to see the perception of conflict addressed, or at minimum put on the table for discussion,” Yolanda Lucero said. “I’m confident that we can clear up this issue and voters will have no doubts about the integrity of the county clerk’s race.”
County policy requires all candidates who are county employees to take off the two weeks before and the day of the election, so Ellins’ staff will be running the election in his absence, and he’ll return to work the day after the election. That policy does not apply to Torres because she is an elected official.
Ellins said he is confident in his ability to work on the election while he’s a candidate.
“I’m not really troubled by it because I’m not going to fool around,” he said. “I’m going to run things the way I’ve been running them. I think I’ve shown that I’m willing to be up front and fair and open.”
Torres said ensuring the integrity of the election is “not hard.” She said she won’t take any time off before the election and intends to “do as much work as I can.”
“I am not concerned about winning or losing, and I’m not concerned about him (Ellins) or anything,” Torres said.
Other county races
This year features three contested county commission races. In District 2, incumbent Dolores Saldaña-Caviness will be challenged in the Democratic primary by Alfonso Moreno and former Sunland Park City Councilor Alicia Roman. No Republican filed to run for the seat. In District 4, Scott Krahling will run unopposed in the Democratic primary, but Anna Mae Evans and Doyle Pruitt will square off in the Republican primary. In District 5, Leticia Duarte-Benavidez will face Vicente Romero in the Democratic primary. The winner will face Republican Scott Seiler in November.
Three candidates filed to run for county treasurer. Republican Jim Schoonover is seeking re-election. Two Democrats – former county Auditor Jill Johnson and former Treasurer David Gutierrez – will face off in the primary for the right to take on Schoonover in November.
Legislative races
Several county lawmakers are opposed this year. Sen. Mary Jane Garcia, D-Doña Ana, will be challenged by Doña Ana County Commissioner Oscar Vásquez Butler in the primary. Republican Lee Cotter, who has lost to Garcia before, will face the winner in November. Sen. Leonard Lee Rawson, R-Las Cruces, will be challenged this year by Democrat Steve Fischmann.
State Rep. Joni Gutierrez, D-Mesilla, will be challenged in the primary by Mesilla Mayor Pro Tem Jesus Caro. No Republican filed to run for the seat. Rep. Antonio Lujan, D-Las Cruces, will be challenged in November by Republican Matthew Martin. Rep. Andy Nuñez, D-Hatch, will be challenged by Republican Mike Tellez.
Democrat Jeff Steinborn, D-Las Cruces, will be challenged by Republican Doña Ana County Commissioner Kent Evans. Nate Cote, D-Organ, will be challenged by either Republican Stanford Locke or Republican Thomas Fry in November. The two will first face off in the June primary.
Sens. Dianna Duran, Cynthia Nava and Mary Kay Papen and Reps. Mary Helen Garcia and Joseph Cervantes are unopposed this year.
Judicial races and district attorney
One Republican, George Murphy, filed to run for the only magistrate judgeship on the ballot this year. In the Democratic primary, incumbent Kent Wingenroth will be challenged by Francisco Ortiz, Frank Rivera and Maria Rodriguez.
Doña Ana County District Attorney Susana Martinez, a Republican, will be unopposed this year. All eight of the county’s district judges are up for retention this year, but will not face opponents.
A prior version of this posting incorrectly stated that