An analysis of area PRC races

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Here’s my analysis of the two Public Regulation Commission races whose districts include parts of Doña Ana County. PRC District 5 In this race, Democrat Sandy Jones faces Republican Earl Greer. Jones knocked off incumbent E. Shirley Baca in the primary. Both candidates are from Sierra County, bucking the conventional wisdom that the commissioner from this 11-county district would most likely be from Las Cruces, the population center. Both have run active campaigns and raised a lot of money. Continue Reading

We have November surprises aplenty

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Many have been waiting to see whether a November surprise would turn the nation’s mood back to Republicans to the point that they would keep control of the House and Senate in Tuesday’s elections. It looks like we have two November surprises. A verdict in the Saddam Hussein trial is expected on Sunday. The former Iraqi dictator will likely find out on that day whether he’ll hang, according to Reuters. Saddam’s chief lawyer said the timing of the verdict was designed to boost President Bush’s popularity in advance of Tuesday’s election, and urged a delay. Continue Reading

Huge GOP donor plays in N.M. races

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Many are wondering about Republican donor Bob Perry of Texas, who has inserted himself into New Mexico politics in a big way this year by giving tens of thousands of dollars to Republican statewide candidates in the Land of Enchantment. He also gave $20,000 to Isaac Chavez, the Republican seeking to knock off State Rep. Andy Nuñez, D-Hatch. As I’ve reported, Perry was the head financial backer of the 2004 Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. According to Bloomberg.com, he’s the biggest donor in U.S. politics this election cycle. Click here to read more about him. Continue Reading

Readers’ election predictions

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I asked earlier this week for your election predictions. Here are most of the responses I received. Thanks to those who took the time to do this. *** Wilson, Madrid race will drive everything (This prediction was added about 10:30 a.m., after I published the original set of predictions.) The turnout in the counties that encompass the First Congressional District – Bernalillo, Torrance, and parts of Valencia and Sandoval – will drive all the races in the state. These voters will be turning out in higher percentages than the north or the south to cast a ballot for Heather Wilson or Patsy Madrid. Continue Reading

Voters can’t lose in county sheriff race

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I’ve been asked repeatedly who I’ll endorse in the Doña Ana County sheriff’s race. I don’t do endorsements, but I’m happy to offer my thoughts on this contest. It’s simple: The public can’t lose. Either candidate would serve residents well. Both men have come a long way from their interviews with the county commission in early 2005, following the resignation of then-Sheriff Juan Hernandez. Continue Reading

A third group would have bid on state election canvassing job, but didn’t get response from SOS

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Sen. Pete Domenici has joined the chorus of Republicans upset that the state won’t hire an independent auditor to canvass the Nov. 7 general election. The Secretary of State’s Office says there isn’t enough time. It claims it only received two bids, and neither met the requirements. But Domenici says otherwise, according to the Albuquerque Journal. Continue Reading

A woman scorned: E. Shirley Baca strikes back

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We all knew E. Shirley Baca isn’t one to go quietly into the night. The outgoing Public Regulation Commission member for District 5 sent a letter to Democrats this week urging them to vote against Sandy Jones, the candidate who beat her in the Democratic primary. “My opponent, Mr. Sandy Jones, chose to engage in lies and negative campaigning. The PRC is not about partisan politics, but about honesty, integrity, and hard work,” Baca wrote in the letter. “If you feel as strongly as I do… please send a message to Mr. Jones, by NOT voting for him on November 7th.” The mailer states that it was “Paid for by E. Shirley Baca.” Jones and his Republican opponent, Earl Greer, told me they heard about the mailer but had not seen it, and Greer said he had nothing to do with it. Continue Reading

Richardson campaign breaks sign etiquette

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It’s no secret that Republicans think they can beat Rep. Andy Nuñez, D-Hatch, and have put a lot of money into the campaign of Republican challenger Isaac Chavez. Gov. Bill Richardson is under a lot of pressure to help candidates like Nuñez keep their positions. Chavez e-mailed me this photo this morning. It was taken at the intersection of Lohman Avenue and Roadrunner Parkway in Las Cruces, where someone put a bag-type Richardson sign around a Chavez sign, blocking the view from any angle of Chavez’s sign. You can see the Web address at the bottom of Chavez’s sign sticking out below the Richardson sign. Continue Reading

Madrid holds lead after debate, and Democrats’ chances of taking the House look good

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A new poll confirms that U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., is still trailing Democratic challenger Patricia Madrid. The newest Reuters/Zogby poll, released today, has Madrid ahead 53 to 44 percent. The poll, a live survey of at least 500 likely voters, was conducted Oct. 24-29, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.5 percentage points. The last Albuquerque Journal poll, conducted by pollster Brian Sanderoff’s group between Oct. Continue Reading

New database helps you find your polling place

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The secretary of state’s office unveiled a redesigned Web site this week. It also launched VoterView, a searchable database that lets you look up voter registration and find polling places.Many will be disappointed that you can’t look up a person’s political affiliation on the site. But you can get the rest of the information – addresses, precincts, polling places, and which districts they live in for various offices.It’s designed for voters to be able to check their addresses to make sure they are up to date and to easily find their polling places.The program is also available in Spanish. Continue Reading

Democratic group comes to aid of Foley opponent

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The New Mexico Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee has jumped into a House race between two republicans in Roswell. District 57 Rep. Dan Foley, R-Roswell, is challenged on Nov. 7 by Republican Steven Gavi, who is running as a write-in opponent. Gavi apparently has the support of the Democratic leadership. Gavi collected signatures earlier this year to run against U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., then changed his mind and filed a petition to run against Foley in the primary election. Continue Reading

BREAKING NEWS: Democrats’ new poll shows many statewide races are tight contests

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The Democratic Party’s newest poll numbers may surprise many and should have some of its statewide candidates a little nervous. Gov. Bill Richardson and treasurer candidate James B. Lewis are doing fine, according to the polls, but every other statewide Democratic candidate is running a close race. The poll, which is hot off the presses and the most recent survey conducted by the Democrats, has a margin of error of about 4 percent. Let’s start with the interesting races: • Democratic attorney general candidate Gary King is beating Republican Jim Bibb 49-45 percent. This is perhaps the biggest surprise in the poll, though Bibb is saying his latest poll also has the race in single digits. Continue Reading