Marquardt accepts defeat, plans for future

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State Rep. Terry Marquardt, R-Alamogordo, has gained a couple of votes in Otero County, but it won’t help him win re-election, and he has already accepted defeat. Otero and Doña Ana counties are still sorting through and counting provisional ballots. As it stands now, Marquardt received 2,454 votes, or 48.3 percent. Democratic challenger Nate Cote has 2,632 votes, or 51.7 percent. Provisional ballots already counted in Otero County have given Cote an additional vote and Marquardt and additional three votes over the previously released totals. Continue Reading

Gadsden school board member resigns

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A member of the Gadsden Independent School District board has resigned because he doesn’t live in the district he represented. District 4 member Andrew Moralez quit Monday, according to the Las Cruces Sun-News. Gadsden board members recently began preparing for the February 2007 school board election. Moralez was reviewing paperwork when he discovered that he lives outside the district he represented, which includes areas in Anthony east of Three Saints Canal. Moralez and three of the other four members were appointed to the school board by the Public Education Department in January after their predecessors were recalled. Continue Reading

Wilson declares victory; Madrid not giving up

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U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., claimed victory late Thursday in the hotly contested 1st Congressional District race, but Democratic challenger Patricia Madrid said she isn’t ready to give up. With all precincts reporting, Wilson currently holds a lead of 1,607 votes out of more than 207,000 cast. There are 4,398 ballots left to be dealt with, but large number are provisional ballots, and many of those won’t likely be counted. Wilson has 104,575 votes, or 50.4 percent, to Madrid’s 102,968 votes, or 49.6 percent. If Wilson is right, she has overcome the biggest challenge of her political career. Continue Reading

Richardson to decide on ’08 run in January

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Gov. Bill Richardson says he’ll decide in January whether to run for president in 2008. That statement, published in today’s Albuquerque Tribune, shocked some I spoke with. Many had speculated that he wouldn’t make an announcement until after the legislative session so he could keep his focus on accomplishing his goals there. Were he already running for president, legislators would believe the ball is in their court because Richardson’s focus would be elsewhere, many told me. I’d argue that Richardson is the sort of politician who believes he can run for president and accomplish his legislative goals at the same time. Continue Reading

Legislators await Tuesday school board meeting

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Legislators who spoke Wednesday evening with state Secretary of Education Veronica Garcia plan a wait-and-see approach before they decide whether to ask the state to take control of the Las Cruces Public Schools. The school board placed Superintendent Sonia Diaz on paid administrative leave Tuesday night while it investigates allegations brought forward by staff members. The board plans a closed-door meeting on Tuesday to, hopefully, resolve the situation. “Right now, everybody’s going to wait and see what happens on Tuesday,” said State Rep. Joseph Cervantes. He said several legislators sat in on the conference call with Garcia to learn more about the process of state takeover. Continue Reading

Kissling shows that Pearce is vulnerable

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Al Kissling received just over 40 percent of the vote in his bid to unseat U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M. It was a surprise that has Democrats motivated about what might happen in two years. Kissling came into the campaign with no political experience and raised just under $150,000. Pearce raised $1.3 million. Contrast Kissling’s finances with those of New Mexico House District 37 candidate Jeff Steinborn, who raised more than $100,000 for a local race. Kissling fared better against Pearce than political veteran (and our newly elected attorney general) Gary King did two years ago. Continue Reading

Ellins and his staff ran a good election

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I want to make a point of congratulating the staff of the Doña Ana County Bureau of Elections for a job well done. Yes, we had a few problems, but no one ever said there would be none. All that was promised by Elections Supervisor Lynn Ellins was that he and his staff would try to anticipate problems and respond as quickly as possible. They did. I personally observed the responses to many problems, and staffers were competent, timely and comprehensive in coming up with solutions. Continue Reading

With provisional ballots yet to be counted, Democrats say they’ve won three closest races

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With hundreds of provisional ballots left to be counted, the three Democrats leading close races in Doña Ana County believe they have won. There are 714 provisional ballots yet to be counted in Doña Ana County, and about 100 in Otero County. The election will be certified in Otero County on Thursday, but a final tally in Doña Ana County may wait until next week. Those in Otero County are relevant to the House District 53 race between Republican incumbent Terry Marquardt and Democratic challenger Nate Cote because 2 of 10 precincts are in that county. In that race, Cote is beating Marquardt by 180 votes. Continue Reading

Garza has to pay thousands to commission

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In addition to being removed from the bench, Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Carlos Garza was ordered today to pay $16,760 to the Judicial Standards Commission. That was for reimbursement of the costs of its investigation. The commission found that Garza used cocaine and abused his position to benefit a woman with whom he had a personal relationship. Because of the commission’s findings, the New Mexico Supreme Court ordered Garza’s immediate removal from the bench, a permanent ban on him ever seeking or holding judicial office again and the reimbursement of costs, according to Commission Director Jim Noel. The court’s decision came after Noel and Garza each had an opportunity to argue their cases before the high court. Continue Reading

Board member: Allegations against Diaz must be probed; leave not indicative of lack of confidence

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Las Cruces Public Schools Superintendent Sonia Diaz was placed on administrative leave so the board could investigate allegations raised by staff, not because the board is unhappy with what she is trying to accomplish, the board says. Board Member Leonel Briseño, speaking for the school board, made the comments during a news conference this afternoon. He said the vote to place Diaz on paid, administrative leave was unanimous and taken in an open session. “Let me be clear: This does not reflect a lack of confidence in our superintendent’s performance. Dr. Diaz was selected for her passion, for the education of all children, her extensive background in curriculum and her ability to communicate with various segments of our community,” Briseño said. Continue Reading

Legislators say Diaz needs time, support to do job

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Las Cruces Public Schools Superintendent Sonia Diaz was allowed to lead a meeting of school board members and legislators this morning before the board advised her that she had been placed on administrative leave Tuesday night and asked for her keys and cell phone. In an interview, Diaz said she had no idea she had been placed on leave as she led the meeting. Several of the legislators had already heard rumors, and asked to meet with school board members about the situation after their initial meeting to discuss legislative priorities. Two board members – John Schwebke and Sharon Wooden – went with legislators, and told them Diaz had been placed on leave. Two others – Leonel Briseño and Chuck Davis – met privately with Diaz to inform her, Diaz said. Continue Reading

BREAKING NEWS: Superintendent placed on leave; legislators may ask state to take over LCPS

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Las Cruces Public Schools Superintendent Sonia Diaz was placed on administrative leave by the school board Tuesday night, and the Doña Ana County legislative delegation is considering asking the state to take over the school district. School Board member Leonel Briseño will make a public statement at 1 p.m. at the administration building, 505 South Main Street. Until then, the district will make no comment, said spokeswoman Jo Galvan. The county’s legislators had a previously scheduled meeting with the board this morning to discuss legislative priorities. State Rep. Joseph Cervantes, D-Las Cruces, said that, after the meeting, legislators met with Board President Sharon Wooden and member John Schwebke to discuss rumors that Diaz was placed on administrative leave. Continue Reading

Garrison survives local Democratic wave

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If provisional ballots don’t affect current results in other, closer races, the Republican sheriff will be the only GOP member to survive a Democratic wave that swept through Doña Ana County on Tuesday. Democrats kept all other seats they held in the county. They also picked up two House seats and one county commission seat, unless provisional ballots change any results. In this county, provisional ballots historically swing to Democrats. But Sheriff Todd Garrison, the Republican incumbent who was appointed to the job 18 months ago by the commission, beat Democrat Ralph Misquez. Continue Reading