Latest Stories

Grant County clerk will replace Altamirano in Senate

By |

Gov. Bill Richardson announced today the appointment of Howie Morales to fill the state Senate seat formerly held by Ben Altamirano, who died in late December. The appointment to the District 28 Senate seat is effective immediately. Morales has been Grant County clerk since 2005 and also teaches at Western New Mexico University. “Howie Morales has worked closely with Senator Altamirano,” Richardson said in a news release. “I am confident that he will follow in Benny’s footsteps and serve the constituents of Grant, Catron and Socorro counties with the same compassion and commitment.” Before taking his current jobs, Morales worked in special education for the Cobre Consolidated Schools and at Silver City High School. Continue Reading

Obama inspires America’s youth, but can he deliver?

By |

In his song Waiting on the World to Change, John Mayer says America’s young people do care about politics, but they don’t participate because they don’t believe their voices can make a difference in a system that’s rigged to ensure those who have power keep it. Barack Obama challenges such people to dare to hope, to reject cynicism and join together behind him to challenge that system. If his early success is any indication, Obama may be accomplishing something rarely seen in American politics. During an Iowa Caucus with record turnout, it was young people and independents who gave him the win. The same didn’t happen Tuesday in New Hampshire, so it’s too early to know whether the Obama movement is real. Continue Reading

Rove to attend fundraiser for state GOP

By |

Former White House political director Karl Rove will be in Artesia on Jan. 23 to attend a fundraiser for the Republican Party of New Mexico. The fundraiser will be at The Wellhead Restaurant and Brewpub in the evening, but the time and other details have not been finalized, a source with knowledge of the situation said. Rove was caught up in the U.S. attorney scandal and other controversies last year and left the White House. His involvement in that scandal included passing along complaints from the state GOP chair about former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias to the Justice Department. Continue Reading

Richardson considers whether to stay in the race

By |

Gov. Bill Richardson said in a speech following tonight’s New Hampshire primary that he’s continuing in the presidential race, but the reality, sources confirm, is less certain than what he says. “We head out West, and the fight goes on, and we will continue,” Richardson said. “We will continue to raise the question of getting all our troops out of Iraq and America becoming a clean-energy nation and getting rid of No Child Left Behind.” Richardson, his wife and some campaign staffers are headed back to New Mexico tonight. While here, Richardson does have some official business to take care of – making an appointment to the state Senate and preparing for the legislative session – but sources confirm that he’s also going to reassess whether he should stay in the race. After finishing at 2 percent in Iowa and 5 percent in New Hampshire, there are signs that Richardson’s campaign may not continue. Continue Reading

Clinton comes back to win New Hampshire

By |

It has the pundits – and even members of her own campaign staff – scratching their heads, but Hillary Clinton has been declared by the networks to be the winner of the New Hampshire Democratic Primary. Barack Obama has conceded to her. With 75 percent of precincts reporting, Clinton has 82,068 votes – or 39 percent – to Obama’s 75,495 votes – or 36 percent. That’s despite 15 polls conducted in the last three days that had Obama ahead. Even members of Clinton’s staff, according to reports, expected her to lose. Continue Reading

Richardson heading back to New Mexico

By |

CNN’s Wolf Blitzer is reporting that Gov. Bill Richardson is headed back to New Mexico to reassess his campaign after a disappointing showing in New Hampshire. Richardson campaign spokeswoman Katie Roberts said the governor is heading back to New Mexico, but the reasons are “to take care of some official business” and prepare for the legislative session that begins a week from today. A good source told me Richardson will take care of official business but will also assess his campaign while he’s in New Mexico. Richardson has a scheduled meeting on Wednesday with a candidate for the state Senate seat that’s vacant because of the death of Ben Altamirano. Continue Reading

Clinton has a surprising lead in New Hampshire

By |

After at least 15 polls in the last two days showed her trailing Barack Obama in New Hampshire, it’s somewhat of a surprise that Hillary Clinton is ahead of Obama with 26 percent of precincts reporting. Clinton has 25,859 votes, or 40 percent, to Obama’s 22,476, or 34 percent. John Edwards is in third with 10,892 votes, or 17 percent. Bill Richardson remains in fourth with 2,918 votes, or 4 percent. Continue Reading

McCain wins New Hampshire GOP Primary

By |

The networks have declared John McCain the winner of the New Hampshire GOP Primary, and Mitt Romney has congratulated him on his victory. With 22 percent of precincts reporting, McCain has more than 14,000 votes, or 37 percent, to the second-place Romney’s 10,600 votes, or 28 percent. Mike Huckabee is in third with 12 percent, and Rudy Giuliani is in fourth with 9 percent. Continue Reading

Richardson at 4 percent early on

By |

Gov. Bill Richardson is at 4 percent in New Hampshire with 9 percent of precincts reporting. If he keeps that pace, he’ll win twice the support he had in last week’s Iowa Caucus, but it still won’t be enough to give any momentum to a sinking campaign. Hillary Clinton is currently leading with 37 percent of the vote to Barack Obama’s 36 percent and John Edwards’ 16 percent. Continue Reading

Officials report high voter turnout in New Hampshire

By |

As voting wraps up in New Hampshire, officials are predicting record turnout, suggesting that the unprecedented energy that existed in Iowa last week exists in the Granite State as well. Many polls just closed, and the rest close at 6 p.m. Mountain Standard Time, but lines around the state are very long, and those who are in line when the polls close get to vote, no matter how long it takes. That could delay final results in New Hampshire. Check back throughout the evening for updates. If you’re not by a television, you can watch MSNBC’s coverage online by clicking here. Continue Reading

Could Richardson quit the race tonight?

By |

Is there a chance Gov. Bill Richardson will drop out of the presidential race tonight if he’s slaughtered by voters in New Hampshire? Speculation is beginning to grow that it’s a possibility. Still, most sources I’ve spoken with expect the governor to stay in the race until the Nevada Caucus on Jan. 19. But there are definitely signs that the campaign is winding down. Continue Reading

District 6 voters are motivated and have good choices

By |

In my view, the story from Monday evening’s Las Cruces City Council District 6 candidate forum wasn’t the candidates. It was the 150 people who showed up to hear the candidates. At a time when we’re seeing record voter and caucus-goer turnout in the presidential election, I was pleasantly surprised to find an overflow crowd show up to the Methodist Church on Morningstar Drive to hear the council candidates. There wasn’t this much interest in November in forums for the regular city election that included races for mayor, municipal judge and several council seats. Too see this sort of interest in a forum for one open council seat in a special election was exciting. Continue Reading

Speaker will support legislation to ease ballot access

By |

House Speaker Ben Lujan said today he will support changing a law that limits ballot access for some major-party candidates during the upcoming 30-day session. “Yeah, I will support any possible way of getting more people to be able to participate in the process,” Lujan said. “The more the merrier.” Under the previous law, Democrats and Republicans could get on the ballot by receiving the votes of 20 percent of delegates at their party’s preprimary nominating convention or, if they failed to do that, by submitting petitions containing enough signatures to qualify. The 2007 change, approved unanimously by lawmakers and signed by the governor, got rid of the second provision, and was designed to increase the power of those who control the major parties. Third Congressional District candidate Don Wiviott is suing to challenge the law, and a number of legislators, including Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez of Belen, Minority Leader Stuart Ingle of Portales and Rep. Jose Campos, D-Santa Rosa, are proposing changing the law to provide an alternate path to the ballot – changes that would take effect immediately because of the preprimary conventions that will be held in March. Continue Reading

Guv has at least one vote in New Hampshire

By |

For months, Gov. Bill Richardson has been in fourth place in New Hampshire polls, and two small communities whose residents voted in presidential primaries shortly after midnight place him in that position as voting in the rest of the state begins this morning. With residents of the hamlet of Dixville Notch and town of Hart’s Location casting votes already, Barack Obama is leading with 16 votes to three votes apiece for Hillary Clinton and John Edwards. Richardson has one vote. Obviously, that’s not a significant enough sample to give any clues about what’s going to happen today. Polls open at 4 a.m. Mountain Standard Time in most of the rest of the state, and the last polls close at 6 p.m. MST. Continue Reading