Swift Boat Vets funder gives big to N.M. GOP

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The Texas homebuilder who funded the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth’s 2004 campaign against Democratic Presidential candidate John Kerry is continuing to aid New Mexico Republicans. Bob Perry gave $125,000 to the Republican Party of New Mexico last month, according to The Associated Press. That was some 90 percent of the total funds raised by the party from May 28 to June 28, and it helped the GOP dramatically out-raise the Democratic Party of New Mexico during that period. Perry has shown quite an interest in New Mexico in recent years. He gave almost $240,000 to the 2002 gubernatorial campaign of Republican John Sanchez. Continue Reading

Heinrich’s new poll has him leading by three points

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A new poll conducted for the campaign of 1st Congressional District Democratic candidate Martin Heinrich has him narrowly leading his Republican opponent, Darren White. The poll, conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, had Heinrich leading White 47 percent to 44 percent. The survey of 518 likely voters was conducted June 29 to July 2 and has a margin of error of 4.4 percentage points, so Heinrich’s lead was within the margin of error. The question that was asked of those surveyed, according to the poll memo, was, “Thinking about the election for U.S. Congress in November, if the election for U.S. Congress were held today and the candidates were Democrat Martin Heinrich and Republican Darren White, for whom would you vote, Democrat Martin Heinrich or Republican Darren White?” The last publicly released poll of the race came in October, when a poll conducted for the White campaign had White leading Heinrich in what was then a theoretical match-up by 18 points, 51 percent to 33 percent. That poll, conducted by Public Opinion Strategies, surveyed 400 likely voters, was conducted Oct. Continue Reading

LFC releases information about funding requests

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The Legislative Finance Committee has decided to make available on the Internet years of data about who requested funding that ended up in the state’s so-called “junior budget” bill. It’s a smart move toward increased transparency at a time when many accuse the state Senate of blocking ethics-reform and transparency proposals. In light of recent controversies over rugby and trash-can funding, it’s a way for the public to know who originated funding requests, which could pressure lawmakers to act more ethically. The move comes at the direction of Sen. John Arthur Smith, D-Deming and chair of the LFC. The last four years of appropriations requested by senators and the governor to be included in the junior budget are included on the site, which you can find by clicking here. Continue Reading

Democrats tout voter-registration advantage

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More New Mexicans registered to vote as Democrats than as Republicans and independents combined in the first six months of the year, a statistic that has the state’s Democratic Party smiling. “With more and more Democrats registering to vote, we are confident that this year New Mexico will turn blue,” Brian Colón, chairman of the Democratic Party of New Mexico, said in a news release. “Democrats are on the right side of the issues and represent the values of New Mexicans. Not only are we registering more and more voters, but record interest in volunteering has energized all the Democratic campaigns here in the state.” From Jan. 1 to June 30, 27,207 New Mexicans registered as Democrats, while 12,926 registered as Republicans and 11,805 registered independent of any political party, according to the news release. Continue Reading

McDonough won’t take the reins at NMSU after all

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James McDonough won’t be New Mexico State University’s interim president after all, the university announced today in a news release. McDonough’s withdrawal is due to a health concern he wasn’t aware of when he accepted the job last month, according to the Albuquerque Journal, which was quoting from the news release. No other details were released. “Jim’s health is of the utmost importance to all of us,” Regent Bob Gallagher stated in the news release. “He will remain in our thoughts and we wish him well.” The regents will reconsider candidates for the interim job at their July 14 retreat in Mescalero, according to the news release. Continue Reading

McCain mocks Obama’s message of hope in new ad

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Republican presidential candidate John McCain’s new TV ad running in New Mexico and elsewhere mocks Democratic opponent Barack Obama’s message of hope while focusing on McCain’s background. Here’s the 60-second spot, which is airing in New Mexico and 10 other states and on national cable: The ad promotes McCain as someone who has spent a lifetime putting America “before party, polls and self” and as a maverick who “tackled campaign reform, military reform, spending reform… took on presidents, partisans and popular opinion.” “He believes our world is dangerous, our economy in shambles,” the ad’s narrator states. “John McCain doesn’t always tell us what we ‘hope’ to hear. Beautiful words cannot make our lives better. But a man who has always put his country and her people before self, before politics, can.” “Don’t ‘hope’ for a better life,” the narrator says. Continue Reading

No more seats available for McCain event

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There are no more seats available for next week’s town-hall meeting in Albuquerque with Republican presidential candidate John McCain. As previously reported, McCain will be in Albuquerque on Tuesday for the 10 a.m. meeting at Hotel Albuquerque in Old Town. The day before, he’ll hold an evening fundraiser in Albuquerque. McCain spokeswoman Whitney Cheshire said a few hundred seats were made available on Monday for next week’s town-hall meeting, but “they’ve all been snatched up.” Only people who have made reservations will be allowed to attend the meeting. Continue Reading

Will conservation legacy hurt the Udalls?

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Environmental groups have lined up to help elect Democrats Tom Udall and Mark Udall to the U.S. Senate in November. So, with today’s economic situation being the top issue for voters, it’s no surprise that Republican opponents are attacking the Udall legacy as a contributing cause to the high price of gasoline. The New York Times published an article today raising the question of whether the Udall legacy of protecting the West’s natural resources will help or hurt the two candidates in November. Tom Udall is running for Senate in New Mexico. His first cousin Mark is running in Colorado. Continue Reading

Udall raises $2.1 million during 2nd quarter

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Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Tom Udall raised more than $2.1 million during the fundraising quarter that ended June 30, the best fundraising effort yet for a candidate who, during the primary season, consistently outraised the GOP hopefuls combined. “We are so grateful to Tom’s strong, statewide base of committed supporters for making this our best fundraising quarter so far,” campaign Manager Amanda Cooper said in a news release. “Because of their generous support, our campaign is able to knock on thousands of doors, have a strong statewide presence and dominate the airwaves with hard-hitting TV ads.” The release didn’t state how much Udall spent during the second quarter of the year or had on hand on July 1. Finance reports aren’t due to the Federal Election Commission until July 15. During the first quarter of the year, Udall raised $1.3 million, while his Republican opponent, Steve Pearce, raised $473,725. Continue Reading

McCain to hold town-hall meeting in ABQ next week

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Republican presidential candidate John McCain will be in Albuquerque on July 15 for a town-hall meeting, according to his campaign Web site. McCain will apparently spend the night of July 14 in New Mexico, because he’s also holding a private fundraiser a week from today at the Albuquerque home of car dealer Ken Zangara. The town-hall meeting will be held at Hotel Albuquerque in Old Town, according to McCain’s Web site. The site doesn’t state whether the event will be open to the public or by invitation only. It also doesn’t state what time the event will begin, but says doors will open at 8:45 a.m. The McCain campaign has released no additional details about the event. Continue Reading

Pro-war group to run TV ads in New Mexico

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A political action committee that is supporting Republican congressional candidates will begin airing a television ad in New Mexico and other states next week promoting the “truth” about “progress” in Iraq and Afghanistan. Here’s the ad from Vets for Freedom: The ad, according to the a news release from the group, is intended “to inform the American public and key lawmakers about the phenomenal success that our troops have achieved as a result of the surge and the importance of ensuring victory in Iraq, Afghanistan and the overall global war on terrorism.” The Washington Post is reporting that the ad will run this month and next, and is the first of several ads the group will run during in the coming months. The initial ad buy is $1.5 million. The overall campaign by the group will continue through Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11. Continue Reading

NY Times: N.M.’s ban hasn’t stopped cockfighting

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Thus far, New Mexico’s ban on cockfighting hasn’t stopped the bloody sport, which “continues unabated in hidden venues,” according to a weekend article in The New York Times. A December raid in Chaparral, The Times reported, didn’t yield the results officials expected: 150 law-enforcement officers from four counties descended upon a fight expecting to find 300 cockfighters. Instead, they found fewer than a dozen people, seized 12 roosters and issued four misdemeanor citations. Officials say, according to The Times, that the cockfighters had been tipped off. “It seems they’re always one step ahead of us,” Robyn Gojkovich, the state’s first full-time animal control investigator, told the newspaper. Continue Reading

Most voters in poll say Rawson will win re-election

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The majority of those who voted in last week’s non-scientific poll on this site said Senate Minority Whip Leonard Lee Rawson, R-Las Cruces, will hold off a general-election challenge from Democrat Steve Fischmann. Of 482 voters, 314, or 65 percent, said Rawson will win re-election, while 168, or 35 percent, said Fischmann will defeat him. Don’t forget to vote in this week’s poll, located at the top of the right column on this page. Continue Reading

Ruling might threaten campaign-finance reform

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The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision last month to strike down a law designed to level the playing field for non-wealthy political candidates could have a dramatic impact on other campaign-finance laws, the Washington Post believes. In striking down the Millionaire’s Amendment, the court could threaten state public-financing systems and restrictions on corporate and union spending, the Post stated in a June 29 editorial. New Mexico is one of five states with no campaign contribution limits for corporations, unions or anyone else, but there’s been a strong push in recent years by Common Cause and other groups to change that. If the Post is right, the high court’s ruling could further hinder their so-far unsuccessful efforts. New Mexico has also created a public financing system in recent years for the Public Regulation Commission, Court of Appeals and Supreme Court. Continue Reading

Heinrich is a top fundraiser through ActBlue

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Martin Heinrich was one of the top 10 fundraisers through the liberal Web site ActBlue during the second quarter of the year that ended Monday. The Democratic 1st Congressional District candidate raised $147,564.20 from April 1 to June 30 through the Web site, according to an ActBlue blog posting. That ranked him eighth among fundraisers through the site, behind four Democratic U.S. Senate candidates and three Democratic House candidates, but ahead of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, who raised $131,367.23 through ActBlue during the quarter. Heinrich and other federal candidates are expected to announce fundraising totals for the second quarter in the coming days. Reports are due to the Federal Election Commission by June 15. Continue Reading