![\"Debbie](\"http:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Maestas-Deborah-336x217.jpg\")
Courtesy photo<\/p>
Debbie Maestas, chairwoman of the Republican Party of New Mexico.<\/p><\/div>\n
Debbie Maestas<\/a>\u00a0issued her\u00a0statement of support following Sunday’s debate between Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton. It comes in the context of\u00a0Friday’s release of\u00a0a 2005 video<\/a>\u00a0in which Trump\u00a0talks about trying unsuccessfully to have sex with a married woman and claims to kiss and grab women \u201cby the pussy\u201d without their consent.<\/p>\n “The Republican Party of New Mexico certainly does not condone the language used nor the actions described in the video of Mr. Trump released on Friday; however, we believe Mr. Trump to be a different man than that today and that he is the better choice for president,” Chairwoman Maestas said.<\/p>\n Trump said Friday, in response to the release of the video, that\u00a0he is\u00a0a different man<\/a> than he was in 2005. And he said during Sunday’s debate that he did not actually kiss and grab women as\u00a0he described in the video, but only after moderator Anderson Cooper asked the question\u00a0several\u00a0times.<\/p>\n Nationally, many Republicans have been quick to condemn<\/a>\u00a0Trump since the video was released Friday.\u00a0Some have withdrawn their endorsements<\/a> and called\u00a0for Trump\u00a0to quit the race<\/a> \u2014 which he\u00a0says he will not do<\/a>. Other prominent Republicans have stood by Trump<\/a>.<\/p>\n Such\u00a0division\u00a0exists among New Mexico Republicans as well. Martinez said Saturday that Trump\u00a0has displayed \u201ca pattern of disturbing conduct and offensive rhetoric\u201d and she \u201cwill not support\u201d him.<\/a>\u00a0State Rep. Andy Nu\u00f1ez, R-Hatch, called Trump’s comments in the video “terribly offensive”<\/a> and said he doesn’t support anyone in the presidential race.<\/p>\n Lt. Gov. John Sanchez and state Rep.\u00a0Sarah Maestas Barnes, R-Albuquerque, meanwhile, were quick to condemn<\/a> Trump’s comments but didn’t say whether they will vote for him.<\/p>\n Others have avoided talking about Trump since Friday.\u00a0Republican secretary of state candidate Nora Espinoza’s campaign manager\u00a0said Espinoza\u00a0would have no comment about Trump because she is “focused on her race.”<\/p>\n And U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., who has said previously that he will vote for Trump<\/a>,\u00a0has not responded to requests for comment on the 2005 video.<\/p>\n Chairwoman Maestas, however, appears to be all in for Trump.<\/p>\n “Donald Trump’s resilient performance in the debate was what his campaign needed tonight,” she said. “Mr. Trump effectively redirected the narrative back toward the critical issues this country faces and the many failures of Hillary Clinton.”<\/p>\n “If we do not want another four years like the failed status quo of the past eight years, Donald Trump is our only chance to make America great again,” Maestas said.<\/p>\n Not surprisingly, the state Democratic Party had a different take.<\/p>\n “Yet again, Hillary Clinton delivered a positive vision for our country, while Donald Trump showed us that he is still the man who degrades women, disrespects our Hispanic communities, unfairly targets Muslim Americans, and refuses to pay his fair share of taxes,” said state Democratic Party Chairwoman Debra Haaland<\/a>. “There is no \u2018other\u2019 Donald Trump \u2013 this is who he is \u2013 and that\u2019s why it\u2019s so shameful that many Republicans like Steve Pearce and Nora Espinoza still refuse to un-endorse him.”<\/p>\n Some Republicans had rejected Trump’s candidacy even before the 2005 video was released.\u00a0Aubrey Blair Dunn, a Republican trying to unseat state Sen. Bill O\u2019Neill, D-Albuquerque, was among those already\u00a0supporting Libertarian Gary Johnson in the presidential race. Over the weekend Dunn called Trump\u2019s comments in\u00a0the video \u201cmorally repugnant.\u201d<\/p>\n Gage Skidmore \/ Creative Commons<\/p> Libertarian presidential nominee Gary Johnson (photo cc info<\/a>)<\/p><\/div>\n Many other New Mexico Republicans are supporting the\u00a0Libertarian presidential candidate. One recent poll from the Albuquerque Journal<\/a> had Johnson’s support at 23 percent in New Mexico among Republicans and 24 percent overall. A second poll conducted for KOB-TV<\/a> had his support at 14 percent overall and 16\u00a0percent among Republicans in New Mexico.<\/p>\nSome NM Republicans back Johnson<\/h3>\n
![\"Gary](\"http:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Johnson-Gary-336x235.jpg\")
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