Report reveals division over protection of federal land

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The recent fight over a 6,000-acre development on Las Cruces’ East Mesa is only one aspect of the fight over the future of Doña Ana County’s land. Another major issue is what areas should become protected wilderness areas. The City of Las Cruces’ planning department recently sent to Southern New Mexico’s congressman and senators a report that reveals the division that exists. U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici had hoped the report would serve as the basis for federal legislation that would resolve the dispute over what federal land would become wilderness areas. Instead, it reveals that there’s going to have to be more work before a compromise is reached. Continue Reading

Leadership fight reveals disunity that hampers GOP

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Because they were united, House Republicans were a force during this year’s legislative session, and they accomplished a lot. By contrast, the Republican Party of New Mexico failed to capitalize on any of Gov. Bill Richardson’s arguably ethically challenged decisions and handed him a landslide victory last year as he was preparing to run for president. They failed to pick up any statewide offices. Though they were three seats away from having a larger influence in the state House, and they failed to gain any ground. This weekend’s fight over who would be state party chair reveals the reason. Continue Reading

Richardson, press staff, have busy weekend

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Since last week’s presidential candidate debate, Gov. Bill Richardson has been busy campaigning, and his press staff has been busy putting out releases proclaiming he’s gaining momentum. The campaign put out a news release Friday – the day after the debate – naming the governor as “a standout” at the event, saying he distinguished himself “with foreign policy experience, plan to get U.S. troops out of Iraq.” The release quoted one South Carolina newspaper that said Richardson was one of two candidates who “stood out with clearly stated positions and a deft handling of a few tough questions,” and said that article was “just one of the many reports today praising the governor’s performance in the debate and his impeccable and unequaled experience and credentials.” The release was a nice piece of spin, but that’s what it was supposed to be. It’s true that there were a few articles praising Richardson, but there were many others criticizing him, and most gave him hardly a mention. You can read what I thought of Richardson’s performance by clicking here. After spending some more time in South Carolina, Richardson headed to California to speak at that state party’s convention. Continue Reading

Voters in poll optimistic about Richardson’s prez run

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Voters in last week’s non-scientific poll on this site are apparently optimistic about Gov. Bill Richardson’s run for president. Of 190 voters, 53, or 28 percent, said Richardson would be the Democratic Party’s 2008 presidential nominee. 38, or 20 percent, said it would be Barack Obama; 37, or 19 percent, said it would be Hillary Clinton, and 26, or 14 percent, said it would be John Edwards. Of the other candidates, Dennis Kucinich received five votes, or 3 percent; Joseph Biden and Mike Gravel each received two votes, or 1 percent; and Chris Dodd received one vote, or 1 percent. Al Gore, who hasn’t said he’s running, received 18 votes, or 9 percent, and “someone else” received eight votes, or 4 percent. Continue Reading

Vigil-Giron wants to be lieutenant governor

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Former Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron wants to be lieutenant governor. You might be thinking that she’s looking to get on a ticket in 2010. Vigil-Giron, however, is thinking about next year. She told me that during the Democrats’ convention in Las Cruces today. There isn’t currently a way in state law to replace the lieutenant governor if the governor leaves office and the current lieutenant governor moves up. Continue Reading

Democrats from around the state gather in Las Cruces

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The Democratic Party of New Mexico’s convention in Las Cruces was well attended by political oldtimers and newcomers alike. Many from Southern New Mexico were impressed at the number of officials who made the trek from Santa Fe or elsewhere to Las Cruces, including Lt. Gov. Diane Denish, Speaker of the House Ben Lujan and Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez. Potential gubernatorial candidate and Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chávez had the strongest showing of anyone politicking for a 2008 or 2010 race. He had the largest signs hanging in the Las Cruces High School gymnasium, had a number of people wearing and handing out “Marty” T-shirts, and also had a creative idea: His people were handing out energy-saving light bulbs with one of his stickers attached to the boxes. Denish’s campaign handed out breakfast burritos, and the lieutenant governor was around for about half the day, but Chávez stuck around until the end. Continue Reading

Colón to lead Dems, Weh keeps top GOP position

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Brian Colón was elected chair of the Democratic Party of New Mexico and Allen Weh was re-elected chair of the Republican Party of New Mexico in separate committee meetings held today. At a meeting held in Las Cruces, Democrats overwhelming picked the Albuquerque lawyer to lead them for the next two years. Colón received 295 votes, while Michael Olguin of Socorro, a former House majority leader, received 68 votes, and Gideon Elliot of Santa Fe, who runs the liberal blog New Mexico Matters, received 21 votes. Colón said he was honored that Democrats wanted him to be their leader. During his nomination speech, he spoke about growing up poor and said some types of government aid, including the free lunch system in the schools, helped him overcome poverty and become successful so that, today, his son has more than he did. Continue Reading

UP Aerospace rocket successfully reaches space

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Today marked a huge milestone for Spaceport America as an UP Aerospace rocket successfully reached space carrying the ashes of about 200 people. The success comes after a series of delays and a September launch that failed to reach space. Since then, company officials have been working to correct a flaw in the rocket’s design by adding another tail fin. “This launch has christened Spaceport America,” said Economic Development Rick Homans, who will begin his new position as executive director of Spaceport Authority on Tuesday. “Today is all about entrepreneurs blazing a commercial path into space. Continue Reading

Proposal shifts GOP power to east and rural areas

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A challenge to Allen Weh’s leadership of the Republican Party of New Mexico isn’t the only thing happening at Saturday’s GOP convention. Delegates plan to vote on two proposals that would shift more power in the Republican Party to rural counties and the eastern side of the state. The changes would increase the number of delegates and central committee members to the state party, but award Republican strongholds with an increased share of overall membership. The proposals, made by State Sen. Rod Adair, R-Roswell, would increase the number of delegates from moderate counties such as Bernalillo and Doña Ana only slightly, but Republican strongholds would gain a significant number of members. Democratic strongholds such as Santa Fe County wouldn’t gain any delegates. Continue Reading

X Prize Cup to expand, move to Holloman AFB

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Officials announced Thursday an expanded X Prize Cup this year that is expected to draw more than 100,000 people. To allow for the larger crowds and bigger events, the bulk of the annual showcase of the developing commercial space industry will be held at Holloman Air Force Base outside Alamogordo. The first two years, the event was held at Las Cruces International Airport. This year, the International Symposium for Personal Spaceflight, put on by New Mexico State University, will be held Oct. 24 and 25 at the Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum in Las Cruces. Continue Reading

Richardson’s performance didn’t impress pundits

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The consensus today generally seems to be that Gov. Bill Richardson’s performance at Thursday’s Democratic presidential debate was mediocre. MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough wrote after the debate that Richardson is “underperforming” and also “fighting his tongue as well as his Nixonian flop sweat.” Blogger Joe Monahan called Richardson’s “a pedestrian, but not a damaging performance.” The Santa Fe New Mexican’s Steve Terrell wrote that Richardson “looked uncomfortable, both when he was answering questions and when the camera caught him in random moments. He was sweating. He never smiled.” Even a Richardson supporter, on the site America for Richardson, wrote that the governor “showed his substance on the issues, but we didn’t see as much of his energetic and confident persona as one might have wished.” “The good news is that none of the other candidates really dazzled either,” the Richardson supporter wrote. “The most important thing, in my view, is that many more people got exposed to Bill Richardson, and heard his views,” the supporter concluded. Continue Reading

Liveblogging the first 2008 presidential debate

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I’m going to be watching tonight’s debate between the eight Democratic presidential candidates and blogging live. I’m not going to report the entire event word-for-word, but I’ll periodically update this site throughout the 90-minute event with observations and quotes. The newest updates will be at the end of this posting. Then, later, I’ll have an analysis of Gov. Bill Richardson’s performance. You can watch the debate live on MSNBC or the network’s Web site. Continue Reading

Three in running to replace Wertheim as Dem chair

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John Wertheim, chairman of the Democratic Party of New Mexico, is about to give up that position. He’ll be replaced when the party picks a new chair Saturday at its annual convention in Las Cruces. The meeting begins at 10 a.m. at Las Cruces High School. Registration begins at 8 a.m. “I trust that whoever is elected as chairperson will continue to build our party from the ground up, highlight Democratic values, fight for the priorities of America’s working families and hold the Republicans accountable for their reckless policies,” Wertheim said in a news release. In the running to replace him are Michael Olguin of Socorro, a former House majority leader, Brian Colon of Albuquerque, a lawyer, and Gideon Elliot of Santa Fe, who runs the liberal blog New Mexico Matters. Continue Reading

Guv names interim economic development secretary

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Gov. Bill Richardson today named Kelly O’Donnell acting secretary of economic development. She’ll replace Rick Homans on an interim basis when he officially becomes director of the New Mexico Spaceport Authority next week. She’ll serve until Richardson names a permanent replacement. O’Donnell is currently the deputy secretary of the Economic Development Department. Continue Reading