Voters shouldn’t tolerate debate ducking

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Many people in the Santa Fe/Albuquerque area don’t realize that Doña Ana County has historically been disconnected from state government and politics. State government has historically ignored this place. And the county is not in the Albuquerque television market, so we get little news from the north. Many Democrats from up north e-mailed or called me in the last two weeks to complain that I was running columns by Republican gubernatorial candidate John Dendahl. Most said they believe everyone knows where Dendahl stands, so running his columns wasn’t doing anyone a service. Continue Reading

Poll: Democrat in danger of losing House seat

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Most who voted in last week’s non-scientific poll on this site said Republican challenger Isaac Chavez will beat Democratic incumbent Andy Nuñez in the House District 36 race. Of 240 votes, 146, or 61 percent, went to Chavez. Some 94, or 39 percent, went to Nuñez. Don’t forget to vote in this week’s poll, located near the top of the right column on this page. Continue Reading

Lyons, Baca square off in Las Cruces

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This is video of Lyons’ introductory remarks during Friday’s debate.This is video of Baca’s introductory remarks during Friday’s debate. Pat Lyons fired the first shot during a debate in Las Cruces between the two state land commissioner candidates Friday night, but after that, things remained fairly cordial. Republican incumbent Lyons, during his opening remarks, said he received a grade of “A+” from the National Rifle Association, then pointed out that Democratic challenger Baca was the only statewide candidate to receive a grade of “F” from the organization. Baca took time during an answer to a question to respond by listing the nine guns he owns. “One of those is loaded right next to my bed,” Baca said, adding that the NRA gave him a low grade because of his opposition to concealed weapons. Continue Reading

Garza insists he doesn’t use illegal drugs, but commission found that evidence proves otherwise

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Though Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Carlos Garza says he does not use illegal drugs and the evidence does not prove it, the Judicial Standards Commission found otherwise. The commission, according to the petition filed today with the New Mexico Supreme Court, found that Garza “willfully and knowingly” used cocaine. The commission’s filing states that, though Garza cut the hair on his head “to a very short length” before submitting to the drug test, the test found cocaine, and there was no medical explanation. You can read the petition for Garza’s removal by clicking here. You can also read the supplementary findings of fact and conclusions of law, which contains more detail, by clicking here. Continue Reading

Commission accuses Garza of illegal drug use

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Suspended Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Carlos Garza faces several judicial charges, including illegal possession and use of drugs. The petition filed with the high court today charges that Garza: • illegally used and possessed drugs. • failed to comply with a Judicial Standards Commission order that he submit to testing for illegal drugs. • evaded service of the commission’s order. • inappropriately used his judicial position in February 2006. Continue Reading

BREAKING NEWS: Court asked to remove Garza

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The Judicial Standards Commission filed today a petition with the New Mexico Supreme Court seeking the permanent removal from office of Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Carlos Garza. The petition, filed Friday morning, comes after a secret trial before the commission held earlier this week. Garza was accused of illegal drug use and a host of other improprieties. I’m still trying to get a copy of the petition and will have more on this later today. The high court has already placed Garza on suspension without pay though Oct. Continue Reading

Racism allegations fly in treasurer’s race

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We had to know that, in such a dirty election season in New Mexico, skin color would become an issue at some point. Republican state treasurer candidate Demesia Padilla sent out a mailer this week that includes a caricature of her opponent, Democrat James B. Lewis, who is Black, smiling and dangling from puppet strings being pulled by Gov. Bill Richardson. The ad includes a quote from Lewis, published in the Albuquerque Tribune in 2005, stating that he thinks the treasurer should probably be appointed by the governor. The governor’s ethics task force has proposed making the position appointed, rather than elected. Lewis told the Albuquerque Journal this about the flier: “It’s borderline … (it) almost seemed racist. Continue Reading

Dendahl on abortion and federalism

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Gov. Bill Richardson has still not agreed to a debate with Republican challenger John Dendahl, so here’s a column Dendahl wrote on abortion as part of a larger debate on federalism, taken from his Web site. It was published in the Albuquerque Journal on Nov. 14, 2003. Abortion Debate Embodies Larger Federal DebateBy John Dendahl “A loud din has arisen from opponents of the national ban on partial-birth abortion signed into law by President Bush on November 5. I might actually agree with them but, if I did, our policy reasons would be light years apart. Continue Reading

Differences are obvious in District 37 House race

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Like the District 53 House race, the contest to replace District 37 Rep. Ed Boykin, R-Las Cruces, is a hot one. A poll by the Democrats has their candidate, Jeff Steinborn, ahead by several points, party sources told me, but I have been unable to get the actual numbers. Republican Scott Witt isn’t doing polling, and is instead spending his money getting out his message. In 2004, Steinborn received 48.7 percent of the vote against Boykin, despite jumping into the race late when another Democrat dropped out. Democrats are optimistic that they can take this seat from the Republicans. Continue Reading

King responds to negative Bibb ad

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Republican attorney general candidate Jim Bibb, facing huge deficits in the polls, has unleashed the first negative ad of the campaign. The television spot criticizes Democratic candidate Gary King’s voting record, saying he missed important votes on child pornography and child sex predators. The ad accuses King of missing almost 1,300 votes as a legislator. Bibb’s campaign claims the tally doesn’t include votes from the 1990 and 1994 legislative sessions. In all, King spent 12 years in the legislature. Continue Reading

Jones, Greer raising lots of campaign cash

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Campaign finance reports in the races for the two Public Regulation Commission Districts whose boundaries include parts of Doña Ana County reveal a lot of activity in one race and less in the other. In the District 5 race, Democrat Sandy Jones and Republican Earl Greer are raising a lot of money. Jones, who knocked off incumbent E. Shirley Baca in the primary, started the last reporting period with $10,527, according to his report filed Monday. He raised $25,691 and spent $30,866, leaving him with $5,352 in the bank. Jones also had $5,900 in loans and in-kind contributions totaling $1,857. Continue Reading

Democrats set sights on Marquardt’s House seat

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Democrats believe they have a chance oust one of the Republican House leaders on Nov. 7. Some Republicans I spoke with also believe it’s possible. That’s why the House District 53 race between Republican incumbent Terry Marquardt and Democratic challenger Nate Cote has become one of the hottest in the state. Sources tell me a recent poll done by the Democrats has Marquardt, the House minority whip, ahead 46-42 percent, with 12 percent undecided. Continue Reading