Partial results from Otero favor Pearce, Dunn, Teague

By |

With early and absentee voting and some precincts already counted, Otero County is going to Steve Pearce in the Republican U.S. Senate primary 72 percent to Heather Wilson’s 28 percent. In the Republican 2nd Congressional District primary, Aubrey Dunn Jr. has an early lead in Otero County, with 42 percent to Ed Tinsley’s 25 percent. Both C. Earl Greer and Greg Sowards have 11 percent of the vote, and Monty Newman has 10 percent. In the Democratic 2nd Congressional District race, Harry Teague is beating Bill McCamley early on, with 60 percent of the vote to McCamley’s 40 percent in Otero County. Continue Reading

Polls are closed; check back here for results

By |

Polls are now closed across the state. Primary election results will begin coming in soon from around New Mexico, and I’ll be reporting on them throughout the evening and night. Check back often. You’ll also supposedly be able to view statewide results from the Secretary of State’s Web site by clicking here. You’ll supposedly be able to view results from Doña Ana County by clicking here and Bernalillo County by clicking here. Continue Reading

Turnout appears to be light across much of the state

By |

Voter turnout in today’s primary race appears to be light for Democrats and Republicans throughout much of New Mexico. “I think voter participation in San Juan County will be minimal,” San Juan County Clerk Fran Hanhardt told the Associated Press. “I’d love to eat those words. I wouldn’t even require any salt and pepper.” Even in Chaves County — where Republicans get to vote in hotly contested primaries in the U.S. Senate and 2nd Congressional District races and two state legislative primaries — there were no morning lines at polling sites. “It’s kind of like throwing a party and no one shows up,” Chaves County Clerk Rhoda Coakley told the news service. Continue Reading

‘Very light turnout’ reported in Doña Ana County

By |

“Very light turnout” is how Doña Ana County’s director of public information and special projects described the first few hours of voting on this primary election day, but he expects that to change as the day progresses. “I think it’s early in the day,” county spokesman Jess Williams said. “I think it’ll pick up this afternoon.” He said there were a few glitches when polls opened this morning — some machines had problems and some poll workers were late or didn’t show up — but those issues have been resolved. In addition, two polling places had to be moved two weeks ago, one because the church where the polling place was to be housed had sold its building to another church and was in the process of moving. Williams said he didn’t have information on why the other location was moved, but he said both polling places have been successfully moved and information is posted to notify voters of the change. Continue Reading

Democrats and Republicans, it’s time to vote

By |

For Democrats and Republicans across New Mexico, today is an opportunity to participate in one of the most significant elections in the state’s history. If you haven’t already done it, it’s time to vote. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. If you were registered as a Democrat or Republican as of May 6, you’re eligible to vote today. Think your vote doesn’t matter? There are at least four federal primary races that are up in the air. Continue Reading

Poll: It’s a ‘photo finish’ in GOP U.S. Senate primary

By |

A new poll of the Republican U.S. Senate primary finds a statistical tie between Steve Pearce and Heather Wilson as voters head to the polls today. The SurveyUSA poll, conducted Friday through Sunday, has Pearce at 48 percent and Wilson at 47 percent. It surveyed 498 likely and actual Republican voters and has a margin of error of 4.5 percent. The bottom line: The race will come down to turnout. “Regional turnout will decide the contest,” the SurveyUSA polling memo states. Continue Reading

NMSU regents need formal policy on public comments

By |

The members of the New Mexico State University Board of Regents have undoubtedly taken some positive steps toward increasing transparency and openness since Common Cause complained last year about the school’s archaic policies. At the time of that complaint in October 2007, the regents allowed public input only after a request was submitted, along with all documentation that would be presented, two weeks before a meeting, and then only if the regents president, after conferring with other members, OK’d it. That policy flew in the face of openness, transparency and accountability. But the fact that the regents allowed Common Cause to stand before them and say that was a huge step in the right direction, and I wrote afterward that it was reason to hope. The regents later decided to begin asking at meetings whether anyone wanted to speak. Continue Reading

Wilson gets backing of two additional newspapers

By |

The Farmington Daily Times and Taos News this weekend endorsed Heather Wilson in the Republican U.S. Senate primary. In announcing its support for Wilson, the Daily Times wrote that she is “extremely well educated and she (like primary opponent Steve Pearce) brings conservative values to the table.” “Wilson is sharp in finding answers to complex issues,” the newspaper’s editorial states. “And, perhaps most of all in examining the differences between she and Pearce, Wilson seems most apt at listening to others before clearly passing judgment and making her stand.” In its endorsement editorial, the Taos newspaper stated that Wilson’s education is impressive, and her experience and “measured approach to reducing the nation’s dependence on foreign oil make her the right choice on the Republican side.” Continue Reading

McCamley announces more endorsements

By |

Democratic 2nd Congressional District candidate Bill McCamley has announced the endorsements of another newspaper and another union. The Ruidoso News endorsed McCamley on Thursday. McCamley also picked up the backing of the Steelworkers Local 9424 union in Las Cruces. The union’s president, David Carrillo, announced that the union had endorsed McCamley in a letter published in the Las Cruces Sun-News on Sunday. The union represents 330 city blue-collar employees in Las Cruces, according to the letter that endorsed a number of local candidates. Continue Reading

Retired WSMR general endorses Tinsley

By |

Retired Brigadier General Jerry Laws formally announced on Sunday that he is endorsing Ed Tinsley in New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District Republican primary. “Ed Tinsley is his own man, and he carries a no-nonsense approach to the important issues facing New Mexico,” Laws said in a news release from the Tinsley campaign. “After knowing Ed for five years, I can attest to his strong understanding of the national security issues facing our district – from standing firm for our nation’s sovereignty in opposition to illegal immigration to providing our men and woman in uniform with the resources they need to keep our country safe and secure.” “Ed will be a strong advocate in Congress for the thousands of military personnel who defend our nation at Holloman Air Force Base and White Sands Missile Range and call southern New Mexico home,” he said. Tinsley said he is “truly honored” to have the endorsement of Laws, “an American patriot.” “I am proud to call Jerry a friend and look forward to his counsel during the general-election campaign,” Tinsley said. Continue Reading

‘A race that’s over:’ White has huge lead

By |

As expected, 1st Congressional District Republican candidate Darren White was far ahead of his only primary opponent in a poll released this weekend by the Albuquerque Journal. White had the support of 72 percent of likely Republican voters in the poll, while Joe Carraro had the support of 13 percent. The survey, conducted Tuesday through Thursday by Research and Polling Inc., has a margin of error of 6 percent. “Basically, what you have here is a race that’s over,” the polling company’s president, Brian Sanderoff, told the newspaper. Continue Reading

Poll has Pearce up six points in Senate primary

By |

An Albuquerque Journal poll of the Republican U.S. Senate primary race released Sunday has Steve Pearce with a six-point lead heading into Tuesday’s election. Pearce had the backing of 45 percent of likely GOP primary voters, while primary opponent Heather Wilson had the support of 39 percent, according to the poll. That left 16 percent undecided in the survey, which was conducted from Tuesday to Thursday and had a margin of error of 4 percent. The poll was conducted by Research and Polling Inc. for the Journal. “Pearce’s message of being the consistent conservative appears to have worked,” the company’s president, Brian Sanderoff, was quoted in the Journal as saying. Continue Reading

Martin takes LSU job, will start in early August

By |

New Mexico State University President Michael Martin has decided to take a job as the next leader of LSU’s main campus in Baton Rouge and is expected to begin work there in August. Though the appointment of Martin as the campus’ chancellor still needs approval of the LSU Board of Supervisors, a Sunday news release from the university indicates that’s merely a formality: Martin, the release states, “is expected to assume his duties in early August.” LSU system President John V. Lombardi formally announced on Sunday that he will recommend the hiring of Martin, and Martin has agreed to take the job. “The decision to leave NMSU has been a very difficult one but we are very excited about the opportunity to be part of the leadership team at LSU,” Martin said in the news release. “It is a great university committed to becoming still better. I look forward to working with President Lombardi and the other fine people at LSU in shaping a bright future for the university and all it serves.” Lombardi, who personally asked Martin to consider the job, said in the release that LSU “is exceptionally fortunate to be able to attract an academic leader with the experience and accomplishments of Mike Martin.” Martin previously worked for Lombardi at a school in Florida. Continue Reading

Pearce wins this site’s non-scientific poll

By |

The majority of those who voted in last week’s non-scientific poll on this site picked Steve Pearce to win the Republican U.S. Senate primary. Of 335 voters, 214, or 64 percent, said Pearce will win, while 121, or 36 percent, said his primary opponent, Heather Wilson, will win. Don’t forget to vote in this week’s poll, located at the top of the right column on this page. Continue Reading