Controversy over guv’s endorsement continues

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Bill Richardson has been unable to get away from the controversy surrounding his endorsement of Barack Obama, so he confronted it head-on in a Tuesday op-ed published in the Washington Post. Today another newspaper revealed a weekend meeting where Bill Clinton expressed his anger at Richardson for endorsing Obama. In the Post op-ed, Richardson ripped into Hillary Clinton supporter James Carville, who has compared Richardson’s endorsement of Obama to Judas’ betrayal of Jesus. “While I certainly will not stoop to the low level of Mr. Carville, I feel compelled to defend myself against character assassination and baseless allegations,” Richardson wrote. “Carville has made it very clear that this is a personal attack – driven by his own sense of what constitutes loyalty. Continue Reading

Udall is among the top fundraisers through ActBlue

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Tom Udall raised an impressive amount of money through the liberal fundraising site ActBlue during the first quarter of 2008, perhaps a sign of what’s to come when overall fundraising reports for the quarter are made public on or before April 15. According to CQ Politics, the $195,000 Udall raised through the site from Jan. 1 to March 31 was the second highest total raised by any Democratic candidate for a House or Senate seat. Udall has raised almost $334,000 through the site this election cycle, according to his page on ActBlue. The enthusiasm for Udall’s campaign on the site underscores the importance of New Mexico’s Senate race on a national level. Continue Reading

Wiviott loans his campaign another $300,000

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Third Congressional District Democratic candidate Don Wiviott loaned his campaign another $300,000 on Monday, bringing the total he’s given his campaign to $890,000. It’s a sizable amount of money for a candidate in New Mexico to give to his own campaign. Though such self-financing is rare, it’s not unheard of: For example, in 1998, when Democrat Phil Maloof unsuccessfully challenged U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson, he gave his own campaign almost $6.5 million, according to FEC records. Wiviott had previously topped $350,000 in personal contributions and triggered the Millionaire’s Amendment, which triples contribution limits in the primary race to $6,900. Though the other candidates can raise more money because of that, Wiviott is giving his campaign money at a pace they probably won’t be able to match. Continue Reading

Nader files signatures to get on ballot in N.M.

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Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader said last week that New Mexico would be the first state where he qualified for the ballot. On Tuesday, his campaign filed 6,700 signatures with the Secretary of State’s Office in an attempt to make that claim a reality. Nader told the Associated Press that New Mexico is the first of at least 40 states where his campaign will file to appear on the November ballot. “We’re drawing a bright line between us and the three corporate candidates,” the news service quoted him as saying. Nader is running in New Mexico under his newly formed Independent Party, rather than as a candidate independent of any party, because it’s easier to qualify for the ballot as a minor-party candidate than as a candidate not affiliated with any party. Continue Reading

Clinton to attend fundraiser in Albuquerque

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Hillary Clinton will be in Albuquerque for a few hours on Sunday to attend a fundraiser at the home of former Ambassador to Spain Ed Romero, the Associated Press is reporting. For a donation of $1,000 attendees will be called “friends,” while those who give $2,300 will be “sponsors.” Those in attendance will include Lt. Gov. Diane Denish, Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chávez, former state Democratic Party Chair John Wertheim and former Ambassador Joe Wilson and his wife Valerie Plame, the news service reported. Clinton narrowly beat Barack Obama by 1,709 votes in New Mexico’s Feb. 5 caucus. Continue Reading

Wilson, Pearce spar over history of Cannon vote

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Sparring between Republican Senate candidates Heather Wilson and Steve Pearce continued on Monday with back-and-forth accusations related to the history of the decision to mothball Cannon Air Force Base. I wrote last week that Wilson was accusing Pearce of attempting to rewrite history by falsely stating that all five members of the New Mexico delegation signed a letter shortly after Cannon appeared on the base closure list saying “please let us mothball” Cannon. She also said Pearce has given differing explanations for his vote to OK the mothballing of Cannon. Over the weekend, the Associated Press published a story on the situation that included this paragraph, quoting Pearce spokesman Brian Phillips: “Pearce voted for base closings after assurances from Defense Department officials that a new mission would be found for Cannon, which in 2005 housed three F-16 fighter squadrons, Phillips said,” according to the Associated Press article. That prompted another Monday release from the Wilson campaign. Continue Reading

Voters OK LCPS mil levy that will generate $35 million

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Voters on Tuesday approved a refinancing and restructuring of the Las Cruces Public Schools’ debt that will generate $35 million over the next five years to help with construction of three new schools and other projects. With 28 of 28 precincts reporting, 2,625 voters, or 84.3 percent, voted in favor of the three-mil property tax levy, while 490, or 15.7 percent, voted against it. Turnout was relatively small – that adds up to 3,115 votes, and there are several hundred absentee and provisional ballots that will be counted today. The yet-to-be-counted ballots won’t make a difference in the outcome. “It’s very gratifying to see this support,” LCPS Superintendent Stan Rounds said in a news release. Continue Reading

Richardson goes to Washington to promote spaceport

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Gov. Bill Richardson is heading today to the nation’s capitol to meet with a NASA official and a congressman to lobby for funding and other support for Spaceport America. Richardson will meet Wednesday with NASA Administrator Michael Griffin at NASA headquarters. Accompanying the governor on the trip is Steve Landeene, executive director of New Mexico’s spaceport. The two will also meet on Wednesday with U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon, D-Tenn. and chair of the House Committee on Science and Technology. Continue Reading

Poll puts Dunn ahead in Republican CD2 primary

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A poll conducted for the campaign of Republican Aubrey Dunn has him leading the pack of five men seeking the party’s nomination in the race to replace Steve Pearce in Congress. The poll places Dunn at 22 percent, Ed Tinsley at 16 percent, C. Earl Greer at 10 percent, Monty Newman at 8 percent and Greg Sowards at 1 percent. Thirty-six percent of the 400 likely Republican primary voters surveyed said they are undecided. Of the remaining 7 percent surveyed, 6 percent refused to answer the question of who they support, and 1 percent named someone else as their choice. No one else will appear on the ballot in June. Continue Reading

Gutierrez deserves praise for disclosing DWI

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I wrote last week that Doña Ana County Clerk candidate Lynn Ellins’ voluntary disclosure of a 2006 drunken driving arrest was an example others should follow. Apparently, former county Treasurer David Gutierrez thought such a disclosure would also be a good idea. Gutierrez revealed to the Las Cruces Sun-News, in an article published today, his August 2005 arrest for drunken driving. He told the newspaper he “had a few beers” with friends at his house before driving to the restaurant he owns in Las Cruces. He was pulled over and found to have a blood-alcohol level of 0.12. Continue Reading

RNC chairman says GOP is optimistic about N.M.

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The Republican National Committee is confident that the GOP can successfully defend three seats in Congress from New Mexico this year without incumbents and that John McCain can win the state’s five electoral votes in the presidential race. That was the message delivered today by Mike Duncan, the RNC chairman, in an exclusive interview. “I think we’re very well lined up this fall,” Duncan said, speaking by phone from the 2008 state chairmen’s meeting being held this week in Northern New Mexico. “We have to work for it. Obviously, New Mexico is competitive, but we’ve got the candidates and we’ve got the issues.” This is the first time Republican state party chairs from around the nation have come to New Mexico for the annual meeting. Continue Reading

LCPS mil levy vote is today

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Many people don’t even know there’s a Las Cruces Public Schools mil levy election today. That’s probably going to lead to incredibly low voter turnout. But the election is important. What the schools are asking is that voters approve the refinancing and restructuring of the district’s debt to generate $35 million over the next five years to help with construction of new schools and renovations at existing schools. Property taxes won’t go up or down either way. Continue Reading

Magistrate candidate’s petition signatures challenged

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A Democratic voter has filed a challenge in district court to the petition signatures filed last week by Frank Rivera, a candidate for Doña Ana County magistrate judge. Nancy Abeyta is seeking to disqualify Rivera, a Democrat, from the race on the grounds that he didn’t submit enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot, her attorney Greg Valdez said. Valdez filed the request in district court in Las Cruces on Friday. A hearing has not been scheduled. Valdez said there are three problems with Rivera’s signatures. Continue Reading

Newman unveils lengthy video on Web site

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Second Congressional District Republican candidate Monty Newman has unveiled a new, lengthy video on his Web site that is designed to give voters a deep understanding of the candidate. The 14-minute video – an unusually long production – begins with a 40-second narrative about trees to paint the picture of Newman as a strong man with integrity. “Strong, powerful, constant. The strongest trees have roots that reach deep down,” the narrator states. “… Deep roots. Continue Reading

Rep. Garcia to challenge Gwaltney for DNC position

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State Rep. Mary Helen Garcia, D-Las Cruces, is challenging Mary Gail Gwaltney later this month for the position of Democratic national committeewoman for New Mexico. Garcia said this may be the first time Gwaltney has had a challenger in her 13 years as the state’s committeewoman. She said Gwaltney hasn’t done a good job of communicating with local and state Democrats about what’s happening on the national level or of taking New Mexico’s issues to the Democratic National Committee. “I’ve always like challenges. I just feel that with leadership you involve people. Continue Reading