Poll gives Denish a 20-point lead over Chávez

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Lt. Gov. Diane Denish has a huge lead in the race to be the Democratic Party’s 2010 gubernatorial nominee, according to a poll released today by the Albuquerque Journal. Yes, the primary election is almost three years away, and a lot could and will likely change before then, but the poll is still bad news for Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chávez, as is places him 20 points behind Denish. Fifty percent of Democrats surveyed picked Denish to be the nominee, while 30 percent picked Chávez and 20 percent were undecided. Chávez told the Journal the numbers are “remarkable” because “she’s been campaigning full time for almost a year and I’m not even a candidate.” Denish has already declared her candidacy. She said in Las Cruces recently that she has raised $1.5 million. Continue Reading

Lawsuit against Adair may be resolved in Las Cruces

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A judge has scheduled a settlement conference in Las Cruces in the case of a state senator who is being sued by the American Civil Liberties Union for allegedly barring a man from a committee meeting in violation of his First Amendment rights. Virgil Beagles, a Roswell Democrat who has been a vocal critic of Sen. Rod Adair, R-Roswell, alleges he was barred from the meeting on Feb. 16 by the senator. The lawsuit was filed by the ACLU on behalf of Beagles in May. The case is assigned to Federal Magistrate Carmen Garza. Continue Reading

Univision debate results in lots of press for guv

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Sunday evening’s Univision debate provided Gov. Bill Richardson with more mainstream press coverage than any other candidate forum to date. Perhaps that was because Richardson was the only Hispanic candidate and this was the first-ever presidential candidate forum on Spanish-language television. Perhaps it was because he criticized the network for requiring him and Chris Dodd, who are fluent in Spanish, to speak in English like the other candidates and allow a translator to relay their answers to the in-person and television audiences. Regardless, Richardson was featured prominently in articles published by the Associated Press, Washington Post, New York Times and others. There wasn’t a lot of new ground covered at the forum, but Richardson did set himself apart on Iraq and the proposal to build a border wall. Continue Reading

Most poll voters want benefits for domestic partners

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The majority of those who voted in last week’s non-scientific poll on this site said the state Legislature should approve domestic partner benefits next year. Of 232 voters, 179, or 77 percent, said such benefits should be approved, while 50, or 22 percent, said they should not, and three, or 1 percent, said they don’t know. Don’t forget to vote in this week’s poll, located at the top of the right column on this page. Continue Reading

Martin has spent $225K from university expense account, some of it on out-of-state trips to see donors

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Since becoming president of New Mexico State University in July 2004, Michael Martin has spent more than $225,000, some of it on out-of-state trips to visit donors, from a fund designated for entertainment, travel and other expenses. That included two trips to Orange County, Calif. and one to Jackson Hole, Wyo. to meet with donors; meals with university regents and other community leaders; travel to Santa Fe for legislative events and around the nation for conferences; and official events held at NMSU, according to university records provided in response to a formal request. The money comes from a public fund the Board of Regents approved in Martin’s contract to be used for “reasonable entertainment, travel, and other expenses incurred by the president in the performance of his duties as president.” Such funds have been provided to university presidents for years. Continue Reading

U.S. Senate OKs millions for county levee system

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The U.S. Senate approved on Thursday $11.7 million requested by Sen. Pete Domenici for improvements to the aging levee system in Doña Ana County. The funding, part of a larger appropriations bill, is awaiting final approval of a House/Senate conference committee and a signature by the president. The funding is not currently included in the House version of the bill. But the Senate bill includes $21.7 million for levee repairs in Doña Ana County and the El Paso area. Domenici said he’ll work to make sure it’s in the final bill sent to the president. Continue Reading

Kissling to formally launch campaign on Sunday

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Though he has been campaigning and raising money for eight months, Democrat Al Kissling plans to officially kick off his bid to unseat U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., at an event Sunday in Mesilla. The event will be held from 2-6 p.m. at Joe Soebbing’s Wild West Museum, 3307 McDowell Road, according to a news release from the campaign. The news release states that Kissling will be available to discuss issues, and those who attend will also be able to fill out surveys that will help Kissling “better know their concerns.” Kissling received 40 percent of the vote last year in his unsuccessful bid to unseat Pearce. This year, he faces two primary challengers – Doña Ana County Commissioner Bill McCamley, who raised 10 times what Kissling raised during the second quarter of the year, and Rick Bolaños, who ran unsuccessfully for a congressional seat in Texas last year and has since moved to Doña Ana County. Though Bolaños says he’s running, he hasn’t appeared at recent Democratic events and many are beginning to wonder whether he is a serious candidate. Continue Reading

NMSU student government tries to encourage voting

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The student government at New Mexico State University is trying to encourage voter registration in advance of the Las Cruces municipal election on Nov. 6. The Associated Students of New Mexico State University has added banners to its Web site and MySpace page that link to MTV’s Rock the Vote campaign to encourage students to register to vote. As the city election approaches, ASNMSU members plan to set up voter registration booths around campus. “Students go to the booth, learn their voter rights, fill out an application, print it and hand it in. Continue Reading

New ad claims guv brings change and experience

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Gov. Bill Richardson is trying to jumpstart a presidential campaign that has stagnated in recent weeks with a new television advertisement highlighting his assertion that he is the candidate of both change and experience. Richardson scored points at a recent debate when, while others debated Hillary Clinton’s experience and Barack Obama’s statements about bringing change to Washington, he said he represented the best of both worlds. Despite that, Richardson’s poll numbers in Iowa and New Hampshire have stagnated in recent weeks. The ad began running today in Iowa. The news release announcing the ad takes a shot at Clinton, without naming her, for “borrowing” Richardson’s claim that he’s the candidate of change and experience. Continue Reading

New anti-war ad targets Domenici

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A new television ad from a group that wants to end the Iraq war is challenging U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici of New Mexico and three other GOP incumbents up for re-election next year. Sponsored by Americans Against Escalation in Iraq, a coalition of national anti-war groups, the ad will cost about $500,000 to run in the districts of the four senators and on national cable for 10 days, the Associated Press is reporting. The ad is the newest assault against a senator whose popularity has dropped in recent months because of his involvement in the U.S. attorney scandal and his position on the Iraq war, but Domenici has yet to draw a top-tier challenger in 2008, when he is up for re-election. Three lesser-known Democrats are vying for the right to challenge him. Domenici has broken with Bush on Iraq policy – saying he wants a withdrawal of American troops to begin in the spring – but he doesn’t support Democratic proposals to bring troops home now or cut funding for the war. Continue Reading

Small joins race for open city council seat

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Nathan Small has announced his candidacy to replace District 4 representative Steve Trowbridge on the Las Cruces City Council. Trowbridge isn’t seeking re-election, and Small joins Steven Montaño and Isaac Chavez in the contest to replace him. “Las Cruces is at a crossroads,” Small said in a news release. “We can continue business as usual where we react to events as they happen to us. Or, we can rise to the occasion and embrace the opportunities of our growing city: investing in existing neighborhoods, carefully planning new ones and building a healthy community that all of us can share.” Small, 25, is a member of the Doña Ana County Planning and Zoning Commission and is active in several community groups. Continue Reading

Montoya pleads guilty to state racketeering charge

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Former state Treasurer Michael Montoya pleaded guilty today to one state charge of racketeering for his role in the scandal that rocked the treasurer’s office several years ago. In exchange, 15 other counts were dropped. The state charges were brought by former Attorney General Patricia Madrid after Montoya testified in the federal case against former Treasurer Robert Vigil last year as part of his plea bargain on the federal charges. Madrid was criticized at the time for indicting Montoya and three others based on their federal testimony. Federal prosecutors said that affected their ability to retry Vigil after his first trial ended with a hung jury. Continue Reading

Metro Court defendants enter not-guilty pleas

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Two men facing recently added charges in the Bernalillo County Metro Courthouse scandal pleaded not guilty today. Michael Murphy, who became the fifth person indicted in the scandal last month, and former Senate President Manny Aragon, who had another charge of mail fraud added against him, both entered the pleas today in federal court, the Associated Press is reporting. Aragon had previously entered a not-guilty plea to the other charges he faces. You can read the indictment against them and three others by clicking here. Prosecutors say the group bilked taxpayers out of a combined $4.2 million by inflating and falsifying invoices on the project. Continue Reading

King fundraiser is another sign of the need for reform

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In an attempt to pay off campaign debt, Attorney General Gary King is holding a fundraiser next week that will be co-hosted by two members of a law firm that was recently awarded a state contract by King’s office, the Santa Fe New Mexican is reporting. Turner and Margaret Branch are members of the Branch Law Firm of Albuquerque, which is representing the state on a case involving unpaid royalties on state land, the newspaper reported. The firm gets a percentage of the money the state is awarded as a result of the case – somewhere between 12 and 16 percent, King said. King told the newspaper he didn’t see impropriety or the appearance of it, saying Turner Branch “has been a friend of my family’s for years. I don’t see why he should be precluded as a supporter because he has contracts.” The Branches gave $7,838 to King’s campaign last year and $5,500 to a primary opponent, Geno Zamora. Continue Reading

Former county commissioner to challenge Frietze

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Former Doña Ana County Commissioner Miguel G. Silva has announced his candidacy to represent District 1 on the Las Cruces City Council. The seat is currently held by José Frietze, who is seeking re-election on Nov. 6. Silva said in a news release that he views this election as pivotal to the city’s current and future growth. “Las Cruces is experiencing growth and change at a rate the city has never before seen, and new things are happening faster every day,” Silva said. Continue Reading