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Richardson getting little support early on

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With about 25 percent of the results in, Gov. Bill Richardson isn’t coming close to meeting his Real Clear Politics average of recent Iowa polls in tonight’s caucus. Richardson’s average in the polls is 5.2 percent, but with 461 of 1,781 precincts reporting, he has the support of 1.89 percent of Iowa Caucus goers, according to the Iowa Democratic Party’s Web site. Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton, John Edwards and Barack Obama are essentially tied at 32 percent apiece. The good news for Richardson: He’s currently in fourth place. Joe Biden currently has the support of 0.75 percent of caucus goers, and Chris Dodd’s support is 0.11 percent. Continue Reading

Wiviott challenges new ballot-access law in court

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Third Congressional District candidate Don Wiviott, a Democrat, is suing the state in an attempt to overturn a law approved by the Legislator and governor last year that makes is more difficult for some major-party candidates to get on the ballot. 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 change got rid of the second provision, and was designed to increase the power of those who control the major parties. The change makes is harder for candidates like Wiviott, who aren’t part of the established political system, to get on the ballot, and also creates the possibility that, if no candidate receives 20 percent at the preprimary, the party won’t place a candidate on the ballot. “This law runs contrary to the values of New Mexico and the Democratic party,” Wiviott said in a news release announcing the lawsuit. Continue Reading

Richardson and Obama may be targeting Edwards

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Though Bill Richardson’s campaign denies an earlier report from the Iowa Independent that he will direct his supporters to caucus in the second round for Barack Obama in precincts where he’s not viable, the New York Times is now reporting the same thing. Quoting a senior Obama adviser, the Times reports that Richardson will urge his supporters to pick Obama as their second choice – which Obama’s campaign estimates will give him a seven- or eight-point boost. In exchange, Obama will urge supporters in places where he has more backers than he needs to win additional delegates to back Richardson, helping the governor reach the 15-percent threshold of viability in some precincts. If it’s true – and there is mounting evidence that it is – the strategy for both campaigns appears to be taking down John Edwards. For the record, both campaigns officially deny that it’s true. Continue Reading

N.M. AFSCME worker pushes Clinton in Iowa

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Carter Bundy has left behind his home in Albuquerque for the past several weeks to spend time in Iowa persuading members of his union to caucus tonight for Hillary Clinton. On the day of the Iowa Caucus, Bundy, the political and legislative director for AFSCME in New Mexico, still believes what he wrote in a column published on this site yesterday: that the race is wide open. He’s only legally allowed to try to persuade AFSCME members to support Clinton, and he said the union has found that she is “the pretty clear favorite of our members.” “But we’ve also found members who are supporting other candidates, including. Gov. Richardson, and we’re not here to badmouth any of the other candidates,” he said. “When I talk to any one of our members who’s a Richardson fan, I tell them he’s done a lot for our union and he’s an excellent choice.” Bundy is spending today in Iowa City contacting union members who are identified supporters of Clinton to let them know where they can caucus tonight and to offer rides. Continue Reading

Madrid campaigns for Edwards in Des Moines

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Former New Mexico Attorney General Patricia Madrid has been in Iowa campaigning for John Edwards since Dec. 30, and what she’s seen has made her optimistic that the former senator will win the state’s caucus tonight. “We are doing really well in the rural areas because we’ve worked them hard,” she said. “Rural areas take a lot of personal time.” Gov. Bill Richardson and Sen. Joe Biden are also expected to also make strong pushes in rural areas of the state, but Madrid mentioned only Biden as a candidate the Edwards campaign is closely watching. In recent weeks, Richardson’s support in Iowa polls has fallen and Biden’s has climbed, and the two are now statistically tied. Continue Reading

Guv’s campaign rejects report that it will back Obama

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Bill Richardson’s presidential campaign is rejecting a report that says it plans to ask supporters to caucus for Barack Obama in the second round of the Iowa Caucus tonight if the governor isn’t viable. The Iowa Independent is reporting that Richardson plans, for strategic reasons, to send support to Obama in the second round in places where he falls short of the 15-percent support threshold that makes his campaign viable under Iowa Caucus rules. The thinking of the Richardson campaign, according to the report, is that an Obama victory is better for the governor than victories by John Edwards or Hillary Clinton. The report is “completely false,” said Richardson campaign spokeswoman Katie Roberts. “We are viable throughout Iowa. Continue Reading

City council candidates to participate in forum tonight

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Candidates vying to be the next District 6 representative on the Las Cruces City Council will square off tonight. A forum will be held at 5:30 p.m. at the Doña Ana Community College East Mesa Campus, 2800 N. Sonoma Ranch Boulevard. It’s sponsored by the Las Cruces Home Builders Association, Las Cruces Realtors Association and the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce. A second forum will be held Monday in the sanctuary at Morning Star United Methodist Church, 2941 Morning Star Drive, beginning at 7 p.m. It’s sponsored by the High Range Neighborhood Association. The candidates are former Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Patrick J. Curran; Lawrence Joy, the owner of a direct mail advertising firm and the voice of NMSU’s marching band; Berchard Ray Shipley, who has a background in the military, commercial property management and community planning; Sharon Thomas, former head of the Quality Growth Alliance; and Karen Trujillo, a real-estate broker and president of the Hispano Chamber of Commerce de Las Cruces. Continue Reading

What about 2008?

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By Dr. James “Jim” Kadlecek “When the number of factors coming into play in a phenomenological complex is too large, scientific method in most cases fails. One need only think of the weather, in which case the prediction even for a few days ahead is impossible.” – Albert Einstein Notwithstanding the truth of Einstein’s quote, I offer herein a few predictions for 2008. Let me acknowledge to start that my predictions are no more likely to be accurate than those of the generally well-informed readers of this blog, so feel free to add your own comments at the end of this posting. Let’s dispense quickly with national predictions, since we are besieged daily by many media political commentators. For my part, I predict that: • a Democrat will be elected president and the Democrats will again control Congress, despite their dismal performance since the 2006 elections. Continue Reading

Remembering Ben Altamirano

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Because I was on vacation when he died, I was unable to devote the attention I would have liked to give to the Dec. 27 passing of former Senate President Ben Altamirano. But I can tell you this: Altamirano was well-respected by his peers and others. He was a devoted public servant whose last great accomplishment was the passage of the minimum wage increase that took effect Tuesday, just days after his death. Altamirano was 77 and the longest-serving member of the Legislature, having been in office since 1971. Continue Reading

Greer announces run for Pearce’s House seat

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Sierra County Republican Party Chair C. Earl Greer formally announced today that he will run for the Second Congressional District seat being vacated by Steve Pearce. Greer joins four Republicans who have announced candidacies for the seat. At least four other Republicans are considering running. In a news release, Greer said he is “forging a new direction” with a campaign he calls “Grassroots for Greer.” The release said the campaign will focus on a “person-to-person approach” that involves one-on-one meetings with voters to discuss their concerns. Greer is a fifth-generation resident of Sierra County, is half Hispanic and is fluent in Spanish. Continue Reading

Charges against Foley won’t be re-filed

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I’ve speculated for months that the criminal case against House Minority Whip Dan Foley had some major holes and might not go forward. Now, a special prosecutor assigned to consider the case has decided there are no charges to be filed. “I’ve basically found that there is insufficient evidence to prosecute on those charges and that case law, in other words appellate decisions, are totally against us here in New Mexico,” former district court Judge Ralph W. Gallini told the Roswell Daily Record last week. That effectively closes the book on the case. Foley was charged in June with disorderly conduct, obstructing an officer and resisting arrest – all misdemeanors – stemming from a fight between two teens at a basketball tournament in Roswell. Continue Reading

As he falls in polls, guv says he will ‘shock the world’

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As Bill Richardson’s support in polls in Iowa and New Hampshire continues to drop, the governor says he will “shock the world” when Democrats in Iowa caucus on Thursday. At the same time, Richardson also appears to be backing away from previous statements that he has to finish third or better there to have a shot at the nomination. Richardson has said throughout the campaign that he had to place third or better in Iowa and New Hampshire, hoping that would propel him to victory in Nevada and strong showings on Feb. 5 in states like New Mexico, Arizona and California. But about a week ago he began downplaying Iowa, mentioning only New Hampshire when saying he had to finish third or better. Continue Reading

Cervantes’ decision to put family first is commendable

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Politicians talk all the time about the importance of family, but too many put their work ahead of their own families. That’s why the decision by state Rep. Joseph Cervantes to withdraw from the Second Congressional District race is so commendable. It’s a rare example of a politician backing up his statements on family with action. Cervantes took quite a political risk by withdrawing last week from the race. He’s been pushed by supporters for years to run for Congress, has openly considered the race, and has decided each time against running. Continue Reading

In Iowa, anything can happen on Thursday

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By Carter Bundy I complain as much as anyone about how the horserace aspect of campaigns overshadows substantive policy discussion. But it’s a love-hate thing, because there’s nothing quite as exciting in politics as the first truly wide-open presidential race in 80 years. 1928 was the last year that neither party had an incumbent veep or president run for its nomination, and the lack of a pre-ordained frontrunner in either party means that the horserace is going to be tight all the way down the stretch. It’s caucus eve, and the Iowa Democratic Caucus is a total toss-up. Hillary, John, and Barack have all been ahead in recent polls, although generally Edwards has been about five points back. Continue Reading