Domenici steps up after Stevens’ indictment

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The federal indictment of Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, means Sen. Pete Domenici has to take on greater responsibility. Domenici, R-N.M., assumed on Wednesday the position of ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on Disaster Recovery, according to a news release from his office. Senate rules required Stevens to step down from the position pending resolution of a federal indictment on charges that he lied about accepting more than $250,000 in gifts from contractors. Stevens pleaded not guilty to the charges today. “This subcommittee plays an important role in maintaining our understanding of the role of the federal government in responding and dealing with disaster situations, and I plan to ensure it continues,” Domenici said in a news release. Continue Reading

Obama’s office locations reveal focus on southern NM

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The campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama will formally open two offices in Doña Ana County this weekend and plans a third later in the campaign. The offices reveal a widespread effort by the Obama campaign to reach voters in southern New Mexico and throughout the state. The campaign will open offices in Las Cruces and Anthony this weekend, according to a news release. It already has offices open in Silver City and Alamogordo. Later in the campaign it plans to open offices in Deming, Ruidoso and on the New Mexico State University campus in Las Cruces, the news release states. Continue Reading

Guv appoints new deputy secretary for prison reform

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Gov. Bill Richardson today appointed Gail Oliver to serve as deputy secretary of reentry and prison reform in the Department of Corrections. This is a new position Richardson created as a result of a recommendation from the Governor’s Task Force on Prison Reform. Richardson made the announcement in a news release. “I am committed to improving New Mexico’s corrections system,” Richardson said. Oliver will oversee development of prison and community programs that will allow inmates to leave prison with the skills they need to be successful. Continue Reading

GOP Senate group will come to Pearce’s aid

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Republican U.S. Senate candidate Steve Pearce is having a difficult time keeping up with the fundraising of Democratic opponent Tom Udall, but it appears that help is on the way. Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev. and chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, today pledged to match the spending of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in races in key states including New Mexico, and asked GOP senators to transfer money from their own campaigns to make that happen. The fundraising arm of Senate Republicans will spend most of that money — some $44.8 million — through independent expenditures on races in Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina and Oregon. The NRSC currently doesn’t have the cash to do that. Continue Reading

Rocket Racing League finally gets off the ground

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The Rocket Racing League finally got off the ground on Tuesday, but it has delayed its first exhibition race yet again. The league’s Rocket Racer took to the skies for the first time at an air show in Oshkosh, Wis. on Tuesday. Here’s video of the flight: “Today was truly a milestone not only in the history of the Rocket Racing League and aviation in general, but in the future of sports and entertainment,” said Rocket Racing League founder and CEO Granger Whitelaw. “This first flight proves that by bringing together the technological and business development power of the aerospace industry, we have changed the future of sports and entertainment.” The league plans additional flight demonstrations on Friday and Saturday at the EAA AirVenture air show. Continue Reading

Guv will host two Aug. 17 fundraisers for Clinton

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Gov. Bill Richardson will host two fundraisers in New Mexico next month to help Hillary Clinton retire the debt from her unsuccessful presidential campaign. Clinton will attend both fundraisers, which will be held in Santa Fe and Albuquerque on Aug. 17, according to a news release from Richardson. Both events are invitation-only. Clinton’s debt was $25.2 million at the end of June. Continue Reading

New McCain ad: Obama, Britney and Paris

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Republican presidential candidate John McCain’s new TV ad calls Democratic opponent Barack Obama “the biggest celebrity in the world” and compares him with scandal-plagued stars Britney Spears and Paris Hilton. Here’s the 30-second spot, which is airing in New Mexico, other battleground states and on national cable: The ad begins with huge crowds chanting Obama’s name, then flashes to images of him, Spears and Hilton. “He’s the biggest celebrity in the world. But is he ready to lead?” the ad’s narrator asks. “With gas prices soaring, Barack Obama says no to offshore drilling. Continue Reading

Doña Ana County’s independent streak leads the state

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Apparently, Doña Ana County is a fairly independently minded place — at least when it comes to politics. Currently, 18 percent of the county’s registered voters have declined to state a party affiliation, and that number is growing: Some 33 percent of people who registered to vote from January to June in the county are independents. It’s no secret that independents are a growing sector of the electorate in America and that young people are at least partly responsible for that trend. Though national voter-registration statistics aren’t available by party affiliation, about a third of the nation’s voters call themselves independent. Doña Ana County’s percentage of registered independents is greater than the state average of 15 percent, and only Los Alamos County has as high a percentage of independents as Doña Ana. Continue Reading

Jimenez out; Condit named guv’s new chief of staff

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Gov. Bill Richardson’s chief of staff, James Jimenez, is leaving to take another job and will be replaced by the governor’s deputy chief of staff, Brian Condit. A news release from the governor’s office said of Jimenez’s departure only that he is leaving at the end of August to take another job. Richardson spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said Jimenez will announce his plans next week. Two Rio Rancho news sources — The Observer and The Sandoval County Online Reporting Enterprise — are reporting that Jimenez is the leading candidate for the open city manager job in the state’s third largest city. Gallegos said Jimenez is not available for comment today because he is “tied up all day with negotiations.” Jimenez served as governor’s secretary of the Department of Finance & Administration from 2003 to 2006, when he was appointed as the governor’s chief of staff. Continue Reading

Pearce: We need oil industry to ‘tell us what to do’

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Republican U.S. Senate candidate Steve Pearce is gaining attention today for a controversial comment he made about how to solve the nation’s energy crisis. “At a time when we’re facing $4 gasoline, I think that you need people who’ve been in the energy industry to tell us what to do,” Pearce was quoted as saying in an article published today in the Los Angeles Times. Pearce is a U.S. House member from Hobbs and an oilman. According to the article, he was speaking in the context of defending the oil industry’s involvement in national politics. The article is about GOP congressional candidates facing a barrage of advertising attacking their ties to oil companies. Continue Reading

Obama plans to spend $20 million to reach Hispanics

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The campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama plans to spend $20 million in the coming months to reach Hispanic voters across the nation. Obama National Hispanic Leadership Council Chairman Frank Sanchez called the effort “bold and unprecedented” today in a conference call with reporters. He said a recent study by the Hispanic Voter Project at Johns Hopkins University confirms that the money the campaign will spend to reach Hispanics is of “a size and scope that has never been undertaken in the history of presidential politics.” Linda Chavez Thompson, vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, said on the conference call that she believes Hispanics will pick the next president because they play a key role in several critical battleground states. Sanchez said the money will be spent in every state to coincide with Obama’s 50-state strategy, but a high percentage of the money will be poured into New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada and Florida — swing states with large Hispanic populations. He said the money will be spent on voter registration and mobilization activities, paid advertising and efforts at online organizing. Continue Reading

Scant Hispanic support threatens McCain’s campaign

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Is there a disconnect between Republican presidential candidate John McCain and Hispanic voters? An article in The Politico suggests that, despite McCain’s efforts to reach Hispanics in New Mexico and other states, he has a big problem. According to the article, one top GOP strategist who is now McCain’s pollster has long said that Republicans need 40 percent of the Hispanic vote to win. President Bush reached that goal in winning re-election in 2004. But recent polls, including one released last week by the Pew Hispanic Center, show McCain falling far short of that goal. Continue Reading

No more tickets available for Domenici conference

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Registration for the inaugural Domenici Public Policy Conference is now closed. All available tickets for the New Mexico State University conference honoring retiring Sen. Pete Domenici have been snatched up, the university announced today in a news release. “We are elated about the conference and the excitement it has generated,” said Christina Chavez Kelley, NMSU senior assistant to the president and Domenici Legacy project manager. “We only wish we had more space to accommodate everyone who wants to participate.” A prominent list of speakers including U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd, former Secretary of State James Baker, U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman, Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman, former U.S. Rep. Manuel Lujan Jr. and Gov. Bill Richardson will speak at the at the conference, which will be held Aug. 20-22 at NMSU. Continue Reading

Take that, Heinrich: White’s poll says he’s ahead

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Take that, Martin Heinrich: Less than three weeks after the Democratic 1st Congressional District candidate released a poll showing him leading Republican opponent Darren White by three points, White has his own poll showing him in command with a six-point lead. The new poll, conducted by the Republican firm Public Opinion Strategies for the White campaign, has White leading 47 percent to 41 percent. The survey of 500 likely voters was conducted Tuesday and Wednesday and has a margin of error of 4.4 percent. The question that was asked of voters is not included in the polling memo, which you can read by clicking here. “Democrats may find they have to salivate over this seat a while longer. Continue Reading

Lawmakers, guv debate impact of oil and gas prices

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Several lawmakers are expressing doubt about the governor’s special-session plans in light of falling oil and gas prices, but the governor’s office says there’s nothing to worry about. According to the revenue forecast from early July, the state will have $392 million for recurring expenses in next year’s budget and another $392 million for one-time expenses because of windfall revenues from oil and gas. The forecast was based on a number of factors, including oil prices of $134 a barrel and natural gas prices of $11.50 for each thousand cubic feet. Since then, oil and gas prices have dropped significantly. Today, oil is trading at about $124 per barrel and natural has dropped to below $10 per thousand cubic feet. Continue Reading