{"id":1018,"date":"2006-12-19T07:43:00","date_gmt":"2006-12-19T13:43:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nmpolitics.net\/index\/2006\/12\/lujan-has-difficult-task-of-balancing-governors-ambitions-and-demands-of-house-democrats\/"},"modified":"2006-12-19T07:43:00","modified_gmt":"2006-12-19T13:43:00","slug":"lujan-has-difficult-task-of-balancing-governors-ambitions-and-demands-of-house-democrats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/2006\/12\/lujan-has-difficult-task-of-balancing-governors-ambitions-and-demands-of-house-democrats\/","title":{"rendered":"Lujan has difficult task of balancing governor’s ambitions and demands of House Democrats"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Monday\u2019s vote to continue the leadership of Ben Lujan wasn\u2019t entirely a defeat for House Democrats who supported his ouster. <\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

His challenger, Majority Leader Ken Martinez, emerges from the loss having brought to light concerns about Lujan\u2019s leadership. He also helped House Democrats confront their leader and, in doing so, Martinez<\/st1:city><\/st1:place> lessened the fear that existed among caucus members.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

At least for now. A swift dose of retaliation could change that.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Though the vote totals in the speaker of the House race have not been disclosed publicly, both sides believed going in to Monday\u2019s meeting that the race was very close. Lujan told me Monday evening that he won by \u201cmore than two votes,\u201d but would not be specific.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

It\u2019s rare for a significant number of House Democrats to stand up to the speaker, but on Monday they did just that. Even a few of Lujan\u2019s backers \u2013 including the powerful chair of the Legislative Finance Committee, Luciano \u201cLucky\u201d Varela of Santa Fe \u2013 placed conditions on their support.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Varela wants the House Democratic caucus to display more integrity than it has in the past, and to assert more independence from the governor.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cI told (Lujan) that I would be emphatic about restoring the integrity of the Legislature and emphatic about the separation of powers of government,\u201d Varela told the Santa Fe New Mexican.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\n

\n

Other House Democrats, including Rep. Mary Helen Garcia of Las Cruces<\/st1:City><\/st1:place>, also want Lujan to make a greater effort to consult with caucus members and build consensus, instead of ruling with an iron fist.<\/p>\n

\n

\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Lujan has been given a chance to make some changes. He might have fewer votes in two years if he doesn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

In an interview Monday night, Lujan refused to comment on whether he\u2019ll make any changes in his leadership style. I asked about Varela\u2019s comments and Lujan said, repeatedly, \u201cThat a question for Representative Varela. If you want to talk about what he says, talk to him.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

When I asked Lujan whether he will make any changes in his leadership style, he made the same comment referring me to Varela.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Lujan said at a news conference after the meeting that he has always listened to concerns of caucus members and doesn\u2019t need to change his leadership style.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m satisfied that I\u2019m not an iron-fisted type person,\u201d Lujan said, according to the Albuquerque Journal<\/a>. \u201cI will definitely work with my caucus as I have in the past. I think the people in my caucus were completely satisfied with my leadership abilities. So I don\u2019t see why I would need to change anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

I also asked about committee assignments, and Lujan said he\u2019ll announce his appointments on the first or second day of the session, like he has in the past. When I asked if Garcia might lose her seat on the powerful Appropriations Committee, he would not answer.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a question that doesn\u2019t even deserve an answer,\u201d he said. \u201cI have the prerogative and I\u2019ll discuss it with the majority leader\u2026 and make a decision like I have the power to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Lujan is right: Committee assignments are his to make. Though Martinez<\/st1:place><\/st1:city> emerges as the face of reform among House Democrats, for the time being, Lujan holds the power, along with his close ally, Gov. Bill Richardson.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

A Richardson<\/st1:place><\/st1:city> spokesman told me last week it was \u201cridiculous\u201d to assert that the governor was getting involved in the speaker race simply because he was working quickly to fill a House vacancy right before the vote. But after Richardson<\/st1:city> appointed a Lujan supporter two hours before Monday\u2019s vote, several Martinez<\/st1:city> supporters told me they thought it was Richardson<\/st1:place><\/st1:city>\u2019s denial that was ridiculous.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

The timing was too much, they told me, for a reasonable person to believe Richardson<\/st1:place><\/st1:city> wasn\u2019t getting involved.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

The appointment likely swayed some other swing votes. House Democrats took it as the powerful politico\u2019s endorsement of Lujan.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

The other major factor in the vote was that Lujan has done more financially to secure support than Martinez<\/st1:place><\/st1:city>. The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, controlled by Lujan because he is speaker, raised just over $597,000 during the 2006 election cycle, and spent just over $528,000. The committee, whose focus is electing Democratic legislators, put money into approximately 16 high-profile House races.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Lujan\u2019s own political action committee raised more than $83,000 and spent almost $44,000 helping House Democrats.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Martinez<\/st1:place><\/st1:city>\u2019s political action committee did almost nothing during the 2006 election cycle.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

But the money Lujan controlled wasn\u2019t enough to stave off a serious challenge. If he wants to keep his position past 2008, Lujan will have to reach out to House Democrats in a way he hasn\u2019t done in his first six years as speaker. It won\u2019t be as easy for him to make unilateral decisions. Many House Democrats will expect him to assert the Legislative branch\u2019s independence from the governor.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

On the flip side, Lujan will have the expectations of Richardson<\/st1:place><\/st1:city> to appease. The governor has an ambitious legislative agenda he hopes will boost his presidential run.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

It will be a difficult balancing act, but Lujan is a shrewd politician. His actions in the next few weeks will set the stage for the next two years.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Garcia, for example, is waiting to see whether she keeps her seat on appropriations. She\u2019s also anxious to see whether legislation she introduces that would create a state ethics commission gets a fair hearing.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cIf that doesn\u2019t move out of committee, I will know definitely that there was retaliation,\u201d Garcia told me.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

But even Garcia said she is willing to work with Lujan if he is willing to work with her, and Democrats emerged from Monday\u2019s meeting making rosy statements.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cWe are united and we look forward to this session under the current leadership,\u201d said Rep.-elect Nate Cote of Las Cruces<\/st1:place><\/st1:city>.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cThe majority has spoken, and the caucus will unite behind the majority,\u201d said Rep. Joseph Cervantes of Las Cruces<\/st1:place><\/st1:city>.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Even Lujan sounded, to some degree, conciliatory. He acknowledged the dissent, and said it was resolved during Monday\u2019s closed-door meeting.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a family affair. We discuss issues there, just like any other family,\u201d he told me. \u201cI\u2019m satisfied that there was a good dialogue and good discussions.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Though I couldn\u2019t reach Martinez<\/st1:city> for comment, he said during a news conference that he believes his challenge will make House Democrats feel freer to speak their minds, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican<\/a>. He acknowledged that there had been a perception that Lujan wanted to stifle dissent, but said it was \u201cjust a perception. It\u2019s not real.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Quietly, some of Martinez<\/st1:place><\/st1:city>\u2019s supporters think it\u2019s real, and doubt he believes what he said. Tell those who have had their capital outlay chopped after not supporting Lujan and the governor that debate and dissent are acceptable to the leaders, one said to me.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

The harmony displayed after Monday\u2019s meeting is fragile. Another ethics scandal could rip it apart, as could swift and severe retaliation against those who opposed Lujan. Martinez<\/st1:place><\/st1:city> and his supporters succeeded in shining light on the way the House has operated for the last several years. Many House Democrats now expect some changes in exchange for unity.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

If those changes don\u2019t come, the next leadership battle could be even more divisive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Monday\u2019s vote to continue the leadership of Ben Lujan wasn\u2019t entirely a defeat for House Democrats who supported his ouster. His challenger, Majority Leader Ken Martinez, emerges from the loss having brought to light concerns about Lujan\u2019s leadership. He also helped House Democrats confront their leader and, in doing so, Martinez lessened the fear that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1018","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1018","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1018"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1018\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1018"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1018"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1018"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}