Vigil-Giron is considering running for Congress

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Former Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron is considering jumping into the race to replace Heather Wilson in Congress. The Democrat, when reached by phone, would not comment, but sources confirmed that she spoke with others about her consideration of the race during ceremonies marking the opening of the legislative session earlier today. The Democrats in the race are former Albuquerque City Councilor Martin Heinrich and former state Health Secretary Michelle Lujan-Grisham. On the Republican side, the candidates are state Sen. Joe Carraro and Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White. Vigil-Giron applied last year but was not selected to become the state Democratic Party’s executive director. Continue Reading

Guv lays out agenda topped by universal health care

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There weren’t a lot of surprises in Gov. Bill Richardson’s 2008 state of the state address, which he delivered earlier today. Home following an unsuccessful presidential bid, the governor thanked those who supported him and named a handful of proposals – most with national significance – that he will push during the 30-day session. He said he wants the Legislature to focus on universal health care, energy efficiency, ethics reform, domestic partner benefits and combating domestic violence. The proposals he named were expected. Before the Senate and governor entered the House chambers for the state of the state address, Speaker Ben Lujan spoke about the full agenda the governor will try to squeeze into the short session. Continue Reading

Text of Richardson’s state of the state address

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Here is the full text, as prepared for delivery, of Gov. Bill Richardson’s 2008 state of the state address: Lt. Governor Denish, Speaker Ben Lujan, Senate President Pro Tem Tim Jennings, Chief Justice Ed Chavez and members of the state Supreme Court; Democratic and Republican leaders, members of our state House of Representatives and Senate; former governors, distinguished guests, dedicated public servants of the House and Senate, including Ms. Ruth Ortiz who’s participating in her 50th session – and my wonderful partner First Lady Barbara Richardson. Thank you all for being here. It’s good to be back. Thank you, New Mexico, for your unprecedented support in my run for president. We worked harder than anyone. Continue Reading

Full agenda, power struggle could color 2008 session

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A number of factors make it difficult to predict the outcome of the 30-day legislative session that begins at noon today: • At the top of the list is the mood of Gov. Bill Richardson. Fresh off a failed presidential campaign, is the governor looking to pump up his résumé with some hot-button policy changes so he can secure another job in Washington? Or will a new Richardson emerge, one who is more amenable to compromise because he wants to serve out his term in Santa Fe with success? • Is the Senate as prepared to take on the governor as some lawmakers believe? The Senate called the shots during the 2007 regular session, and many Senate leaders are ready to exert even more influence this year. Continue Reading

District 6 special election is today

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It’s Election Day for residents of city council District 6 in Las Cruces. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. You can find your polling place by clicking here. If you haven’t been paying attention to the candidates and issues, now is the time. Click here to learn more about the candidates and here to watch them try to sell themselves to voters. If you have questions, you can visit the City Clerk’s Web site or call the clerk at 541-2115. Continue Reading

Presidential campaigns get active in New Mexico as Denish backs Clinton and Domenici backs McCain

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Hillary Clinton scored a major victory in New Mexico today when Lt. Gov. Diane Denish endorsed her, but Barack Obama’s campaign is also focusing on the state and John Edwards’ organization may soon follow. On the Republican side, meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici today endorsed the campaign of John McCain. Gov. Bill Richardson’s withdrawal from the presidential race has left the state’s delegates to the Democratic convention in August up for grabs, and New Mexico is gaining increased attention in advance of its Feb. 5 Democratic caucus. Today’s announcement that Denish will chair Clinton’s campaign in New Mexico comes four days after the lieutenant governor was released from her role as national co-chair of Women for Richardson because the governor disbanded his campaign. Continue Reading

ABQ businessman to run for state Senate District 11

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Albuquerque businessman Michael Padilla has announced that he will challenge state Sen. Linda Lopez in the Democratic primary in June. “It is more important than ever that state Senate District 11 has a hard-working and experienced leader that gets things done,” said Padilla, 35 and a lifelong Democrat. “Our district needs a leader willing to fully commit the time, energy and courage to make sure we are well represented in the state Legislature.” Padilla pledged to campaign full-time to reach every voter, and said in the news release announcing his candidacy that he will “provide solid leadership” as a lawmaker to “stay ahead of public safety trends, economic changes, educational requirements, environmental impacts and desperately needed infrastructure enhancements.” Padilla’s family settled in the district, located on Albuquerque’s west side, almost 100 years ago, he said. He is chairman and CEO of Altivus CRM Solutions LLC, a call-center consulting firm that builds, improves and expands call centers across the United States. That experience, Padilla said, will help him work with business and industry to “bring home high-paying jobs.” Padilla also helped start Albuquerque’s 311 Citizen Contact Center in 2004, and he managed the center until 2007. Continue Reading

Dunn touts conservative bent, explains party switches

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This is the second in an occasional series of articles based on conversations with the Second Congressional District candidates. Articles on each candidate who agrees to an interview will run before the parties’ preprimary nominating conventions in March. There are a few facts about the past of Aubrey L. Dunn Jr. that might make some Republicans suspicious of him, but Dunn wants them to know he’s conservative to the bone. In fact, the rancher and retired banker who is running as a Republican for the Second Congressional District seat being vacated by Steve Pearce compared his views to those of conservative presidential candidate Fred Thompson during an interview last week. “I think his views are probably closest to mine,” Dunn said. Continue Reading

Hobbs mayor joins crowded CD2 GOP race

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Hobbs Mayor Monty Newman has confirmed that he’s running for the Second Congressional District seat being vacated by Steve Pearce. “I think it is important that we engage in our democracy,” the Associated Press quoted Newman as saying. “I don’t want to look back on life and say I didn’t do the best I could in participating in this society in which I live.” The Republican joins five others as announced GOP candidates. There are four announced Democratic candidates. Newman, a Hobbs realtor, is a past vice president of the National Association of Realtors, which will help him raise money. Continue Reading

Most voters in poll want alternate path to the ballot

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The vast majority of those who voted in last week’s non-scientific poll on this site said there should be an alternate path to the ballot for major-party candidates who fail to get 20 percent at their party’s preprimary nominating convention. Of 136 voters, 109, or 80 percent, said there should be an alternate path, while 27, or 20 percent, said there should not. Don’t forget to vote in this week’s poll, located near the top of the right column on this page. Continue Reading

Jennings replaces Altamirano as president pro tem

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Tim Jennings of Roswell was chosen by his Democratic colleagues today to replace Ben Altamirano as president pro tem of the state Senate. Technically, the president pro tem isn’t selected until the first day of the session, when Democrats and Republicans come together, but Democrats, who have the majority, emerged from caucus today united behind Jennings. Republicans should be fine with the choice of Jennings. He’s a conservative Democrat who expresses open dislike for Gov. Bill Richardson, and his replacing Altamirano gives the Senate an even greater ability to challenge the governor. Michael Sanchez of Belen, the majority leader, retains most control under the Senate system, unlike in the House, where the speaker, not the majority leader, calls the shots. Continue Reading

District 6 election disclosures and shenanigans

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As I did in November with the regular Las Cruces municipal election, I’ve been looking into rumors and allegations related to the upcoming District 6 special election. I’ve found a few things worth reporting. Here they are: Shipley fined Candidate Berchard Ray Shipley, while he was a planning commissioner in Brentwood, Calif., was fined $100 by the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission for failing to file in a timely manner a 2002 statement of economic interests. Such disclosures are required in that state. “I made the mistake of mailing in my annual statement and did not get a return receipt from the post office,” Shipley said in explaining the situation. Continue Reading

Ethics Subcommittee to hold final meeting

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The final meeting of the Legislature’s interim Ethics Subcommittee will be held Monday, with the prospects for the approval of serious ethics reform during the session remaining unclear. The committee will meet at 1:30 p.m. in room 315 at the Roundhouse to finalize its recommendations for ethics reform. The committee has considered the recommendations of the governor’s task force and its own ideas. But the Senate will be hesitant to approve any ethics reform, and the governor didn’t mention ethics reform in his speech on Thursday. He’ll spend the next few days preparing for the 30-day session that begins Tuesday, but he hasn’t yet announced what, other than health-care reform, will be debated. Continue Reading

Spokesman: Guv isn’t interested in being VP

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Though a supporter is attempting to start a grassroots movement to make Bill Richardson the next vice president, a campaign spokesman says the governor doesn’t want the job. “The continued support is flattering, but the governor is not interested,” Richardson for President spokesman Pahl Shipley said. “He has the best job in the world in a great state, and he’s looking forward to fully engaging in the upcoming legislative session.” I reported earlier today that Ken Camp, a Democratic activist in Washington State, has started a blog and an online petition to push the eventual Democratic presidential nominee to make Richardson his or her running mate. Camp says the movement isn’t affiliated with or approved by the governor or his campaign. Richardson and his staffers said often during the campaign that he wasn’t interested in being vice president and would finish out his term as governor if he lost the presidential race, but this is the first time such a statement has been made since Richardson quit the presidential race earlier today. Continue Reading