Organ Mts Las Cruces

Phil Archuleta won't be number 11. So says Dem Dona Ana County Chair Christy French. She reports that Archuleta will seek re-election, despite speculation to the contrary here and elsewhere. Archuleta, serving his first term, missed the entire 2014 legislative session because of serious health problems.

So far 10 House members have said they won't seek re-election. While Christy says Archuleta of Las Cruces will file for re-election March 11, our Senior Alligators are still hedging. They are watching to see if Archuleta stays in for the duration and doesn't withdraw. If he did, it would mean Dona Ana County Dem Central Committee members would name a replacement.

Former Dem Andy Nunez plans on running for the seat as a Republican.

More Dem news:

DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz announced that native New Mexican and political operative Raul Alvillar will be the next Political Director at the DNC. DPNM Chairman Sam Bregman said:

Raul worked extensively in New Mexico politics, we know firsthand that he has great determination and political skills. . . I am very excited that Raul will be joining the DNC team and I look forward to working with him. . .

Alvillar was born in Albuquerque and worked for DPNM, Senator Udall and Richard Romero’s Congressional campaign before working in the White House. . . .

SATURDAY'S MEET

State Dems hold their preprimary convention Saturday at the Route 66 Casino and Hotel and there's  suspense over which of the 5 candidates will get at least 20% of the delegate support to win an official sport on the ballot. We'll cover the results on Twitter Saturday afternoon. Our handle is @newsguy44.

Speaaking of Twitter, a news reporter put out this tweet:

Gov. Susana Martinez says she's surprised by number of NM House incumbents not seeking re-election. At least 10 set to leave.

To which a Senior Alligator responds:

(click to enlarge)

The first serious shots of Campaign '14 have yet to be fired and they're already lighting the rockets under Campaign '16. Look at this--a full-page ad in the Taos News running today. It slams state Senator Carlos Cisneros for  his move to table a constitutional amendment that if passed by voters would provide money from the state's $13 billion Permanent Fund for early childhood education.

Supporters of the amendment describe themselves as frustrated with members of the Senate Finance Committee--like Cisneros--who voted to avoid sending the amendment to the full Senate for consideration, It died on a 8 to 2 vote in Finance. Cisneros voted to block the amendment even though in previous years he has offered his support,

Carlos says he voted the way he did because of the way its supporters roughed up Senate Finance Chairman John Arthur Smith at a public hearing last year. They presented Smith with a card that said Mississippi thanks New Mexico for taking over the 50th spot in a national child well-being ranking. That, said Cisneros, was over the top and he withdrew his support.

With the state continuing to experience a social conditions crisis that has grown deeper with the economic stagnation, rhetoric and action is going to get cranked up.

Amendment supporters have had a majority in the state House. Opposition among key Senate Democrats has been their focus. Now they have to worry that the House gets taken over by the R's in November and the amendment is killed there. All 70 House seats are up for election this year. The 42 Senate seats go before voters in '16.

It's likely that Cisneros is going to get hit with more than adveritisng in the next two years. Insiders say amendment supporters are looking for a '16 primary opponent for him. They say former Santa Fe County Commissioner Harry Montoya is one possibility.

The newspaper ad was paid for by the Center for Civic Policy, a liberal advocacy group that has been active in the state for a number of years. Under IRS rules, it does not have to disclose its donors.

WIPP LASH

We doubt if anyone knows more about WIPP than Don Hancock of the environmental group Southwest Research and Information Center. He opposed the facility when it was conceived back in the 70's and retains his skepticism in the wake of a never-supposed-to-happen radiation leak from the low level nuclear storage waste site near Carlsbad. That event has Hancock coming with the best piece of explanatory reporting we've seen on the subject. Here are some of the unknowns he lists:

* What caused the leak?
* How much leaked into the underground salt mine?
* How much leaked into the environment?
* Where are those radioactive and toxic wastes now?
* To what amount of radiation were the workers exposed?
* What are the health effects for those workers?
* What decontamination is necessary in the underground mine?
* What decontamination is necessary on the WIPP site and surrounding area?
* If WIPP reopens, what changes in the operation, monitoring, and safety culture will be implemented?

The Feds are now saying that workers exposed "aren't likely" to experience an ill effects.

WIPPING IT GOOD

Sens. Udall & Heinrich

WIPP was conceived as a storage site for low-level nuclear waste but boosters in SE NM have tried for years to expand the mission to include high level waste, Obviously, that is now out of the question--perhaps forever.

Governor Martinez's administration seems reasonably on top of the situation, but this is a federal facility run by a contractor for the Department of Energy. The feds--and thus our congressional delegation--have to take the lead.

Southern NM GOP Congressman Steve Pearce, whose district includes WIPP, was slow off the mark in reacting to the sensational news that there had been a radiation leak, He has now scheduled a town hall in Carlsbad Friday to hear citizen concerns. Senators Udall and Heinrich have issued statements saying they are communicating with administration officials. DOE will hold a town hall for Carlsbad residents tonight.

Will our environmentalist Senators arrange a congressional oversight hearing (in due time) at WIPP? Will they not allow local economic concerns about WIPP to interfere with an aggressive posture over this incident? Hancock says WIPP has a lackadaisical "safety culture." Sounds like a subject for that congressional hearing.

And what about Carlsbad boosters? Isn't it time for them to back off their insistence that WIPP take on high level nuclear waste? Of they continue to promote that mission, those who have been consistently supportive of federal funding requests for WIPP may be much less so.

As for the politics of this, Pearce is vulnerable in moderate Las Cruces over his refusal to rule out a high level waste mission for WIPP. However, his probable Dem opponent--former Eddy County Commissioner Rocky Lara of Carlsbad--has said nothing since the Valentine's Day breach. Is she silenced because of the hometown boosters? Stay tuned...

THE MOST EVER?

And now gentle reader, we present to you another chapter in the continuing story of "The Most Transparent Administration in State History":

The state law enforcement academy has changed the way it trains police cadets on the use of deadly force but it’s unclear exactly what those changes are because the state has refused to make the new curriculum public despite a rule requiring that it be published. In other changes, the state academy’s curriculum was shortened from 22 to 16 weeks of training. All this comes at a time when at least two law enforcement agencies in the state--the Albuquerque Police Department and the State Police--have come under scrutiny for their use of deadly force.

The best selling item at the Santa Fe Walgreen's is a pair of Ray-Bans--so the bureaucrats can be sure no sunshine gets through.

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Alan Webber, Howie Morales and Lawrence Rael top the field of Dem governor candidates in an insider poll conducted of delegates who will be attending Saturday's Democratic Party preprimary convention. The big surprise is how Attorney General Gary King trails the field. He's the best known contender and was the first to announce but in this survey he came in last. State Sen. Linda Lopez is in fourth.

Webber had a very slight lead over Morales and Rael who were virtually tied. None of the candidates polled over 25% in the survey that was conducted Monday by automatic phone calls and asked about 360 of the 1,700 delegates eligible to attend for their candidate preference. Key point: The biggest vote-getter was undecided. 32 percent of those polled said they were still on the fence.

The poll was conducted by a group that has proved reliable in the past and is not associated with any of the Guv campaigns.

Webber, a Santa Fe businessman, has been busy courting delegates across the state and has signed up a bevy of consultants to help him in his maiden political contest.

Morales recently gained an endorsement from the NM branch of the American Teachers Federation (ATF)--an important Dem interest group. He also won a court battle over rival Lawrence Rael who had challenged Morales' petition signatures in an unsuccessful bid to knock him off the ballot.

The critical number Saturday is 20 percent. Only those who reach that number will be rewarded with an official spot on the June 3 primary ballot. A candidate who doesn't get there can still get on the ballot by filing additional petition signatures. However, no candidate in state history--Republican or Dem--has gone on to win a party's primary without first crossing the 20% preprimary mark.

King can treat the poll as both a blessing and curse--a curse because it shows him in trouble and a blessing because he has several days left to turn the tide.

An ABQ forum featuring all five Dem Guv hopefuls will be held tonight at 6 at Carpenters Union Hall, 3900 Pan American Fwy NE.

IT'S JAVIER

Mayor-elect Javier Gonzales

Money talked loudly in the Santa Fe mayoral race last night. Javier Gonzales didn't just beat fellow Dem Patti Bushee, he nearly pummelled her into third place.

Each candidate was given $60,000 in public financing but Gonzales benefited from an additional $60,000 spent on his behalf by third party groups--mainly big labor. Much of it was used to attack Bushee.

It was a controversial move because it nullified the city's public finance system, but it paid off big time. Gonzales, 47, a former Santa Fe County Commissioner and chairman of the NM Dem Party, won with 43.31 percent of vote. Councilor Bushee came in at 28.70 percent. City Councilor Dimas garnered 28.0 percent.

NM pollster and Republican Bruce Donisthorpe did polling for the Bushee campaign. He said:

The Election Day turnout was higher than expected and that made the difference. We had about 17,000 total votes cast and some 14,000 of them came Tuesday--not early or absentee. That is one of the lower early voter turnouts we have seen in recent cycles. The Election Day vote is weighted more Hispanic and it went mainly for Javier and some to Bill Dimas. The extra money  from third parties helped him get that vote to the polls on Election Day. If the turnout had been lower, the race would have been closer. 

GOP analyst Bob Cornelius added that conservative Democrat Dimas also made headway by capturing the Republican vote.

A ten point win gives Mayor-elect Gonzales a lot of goodwill to get his programs through, but it will still take much political acumen to win over the city council. As Inez Russell Gomez of the Santa Fe New Mexican tweeted:

Can you imagine being mayor with the two people you beat watching your back--eyes bored in?

RUN OFF IN RIO

No surprises at all in Rio Rancho. Republican Greg Hull will go to a mid-April run-off election with Dem Mike Williams. They led the four way battle. Hull, a small business owner, claimed 43.47% and Williams took 29.70%. Two other Republican contenders trailed.

With that showing Hull will be favored to take the prize, but a late flap over his Rio Rancho residency could cause headaches. Donisthorpe, who did polling for Hull, analyzed Hull's victory this way:

He was the best organized and best financed candidate. It's not supririsng that Williams made the run-off as he was the only Democrat in the four way race.

DOWN ROSWELL WAY

Mayor-elect Kintigh

A familiar face on the state political scene is back in the game. Former Roswell GOP state Rep. Dennis Kintigh is now Mayor-elect Kintigh after ousting incumbent Mayor Del Jurney in one of the evening's biggest blowouts. Kintigh captured 69% of the vote. Donisthorpe, who polled for Kintigh, told us:

Dennis is a retired FBI agent and a former Roswell police chief. Widespread crime and gang violence is the #1 issue in our Roswell polling and voters saw him as the man of the hour to deal with it.

From Taos, reader Helen Laura Lopez reports:

There is a new mayor in Taos: Dan Barrone. The incumbent mayor, musician, and radio entrepreneur Darren Cordova was beaten 2 to 1. It is a small town with a small electorate but the mayor has a big impact on northern New Mexico.

Mayor Cordova's brother wasn't too pleased with the decision of Taoseños. He told the newspaper the voters had a "lack of appreciation for proven results."

Darn the people. There they go again.

ALL RESULTS

Some 101 municipalities had elections on Tuesday. Some of the results are posted on the secretary of state's website. Election watcher Steve Cabiedes reports: "Of the 80 NM communities that had a direct election for Mayor Tuesday, 38 were unopposed or 47.5%.

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The speculation over who the Republicans might tap as Speaker of the NM House seems stranger than fiction but with the Governor's race yet to catch fire, right now the prospect of a House GOP takeover for the first time since 1953 tops the chattering charts of Campaign '14.

And who might it be? Okay, thanks for asking. With House Minority Leader Bratton ending his political career, some R's are casting about for an elder to fill his shoes. Their hooks are landing in the vicinity of Socorro area State Rep. Don Tripp. At 68, with eight terms under his belt and commanding respect within the House GOP caucus, Tripp is seen as a logical choice--assuming he doesn't join the long list of those retiring from the House.

We are not among those who believe a GOP House majority is going to be a lay up. It hasn't happened in over 60 years for a reason--NM is Dem territory. The odds seem better for the R's to pick up a seat or two on a good Election Night and then form a conservative coalition with a few stray Dems like Sandra Jeff. If they got it that way, they would still get the plum committee slots and control whose hands are on the Speaker's powerful gavel. . . .

JUMP BALL

A reader writes of our take that so far the battle for the Dem Guv nomination is a "jump ball":

I believe the Dem party benefits from a jump ball with each player elbowing Susana and not at each other to get in position.

This Saturday the Dems hold their preprimary convention at the Route 66 Casino. It will be closely watched to see which of the five contenders manage to get at least 20 percent of the delegate votes--the threshold for getting an official spot on the June 3 primary ballot.

Perhaps Governor Martinez is trying to put down those rumors that because she is a native of El Paso and a longtime Dona Ana County resident, she is at heart a NMSU Aggie.

But here she is with hubby Chuck Franco leading the cheerleading as the UNM Lobos sink a basket at a recent game at the famous pit.

Sorry, Aggies but this Lobo joy looks pretty genuine. She may not be seen as bipartisan on a lot of matters, but not on this one.

Will we see a similar celebratory photo of the first couple when Election Night rolls around in November? Dem Guv candidate Linda Lopez hopes not. She came with this blast as she prepared for Saturday's preprimary convention:

Do we really want four more years of this divisive style of leadership that results in nothing more than secret backroom deals and economic stagnation? I don’t think so!

If we haven't already said so, let the games begin. . . .

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Even the prospect of becoming the majority party isn't enough to keep top House Republicans from saying adios to the Roundhouse. State House Minority leader Don Bratton--conceivably in line to become Speaker of the House--surprised La Politica Friday and announced he will not seek re-election this year.

Now our GOP Alligators confirm that Bratton will be joined in retirement by ABQ GOP Rep. Jim White who is serving his third term. They add that ABQ GOP attorney Jim Dines is collecting petition signatures in preparation for a run in the far NE Heights district.

The other Reps who have announced they will not seek re-election are Dems Ed Sandoval, Kiki Saavedra, Rick Miera and Ernie Chavez--all of ABQ. Dona Ana County Dem Nate Cote is also out. On the GOP side Anna Crook of Clovis, Tom Taylor of Farmington and Bill Gray of Artesia are retiring.

We may be headed for a record or near record for the number of retirements for this century. In 2012, 12 House members bailed out (13 got out in '98).

We don't expect ailing Dona Ana Dem Phil Archuleta to try for a return Roundhouse trip. That would bring the state House retirement total to 11. That's 15 percent of the 70 member chamber.

Bratton of Hobbs is 66 and has been in since 2001. Still, it was somewhat remarkable that the prospect of becoming Speaker or the head of a conservative coalition that would seize power from the Dems was not enough of a lure for him to stay.

Then again, the R's see their primary job as stopping the Dems from spending money and passing new programs. With a Republican Governor in office and poised for another four year run, what's the point of being there?  Her veto pen is plenty of protection. For Dems, they can't spend any big money and get anything of significance approved by the Governor and that serves as an added incentive for them to hit the road. With Martinez favored for re-election, it could be another four years of twiddling your thumbs.

THE NEW SANTA FE

There seemed to be near universal agreement among the Wall-Leaners that the recent legislative session was so dull and irrelevant it was worse than watching televised chess. The ennui was enough to induce hair-pulling among those who are inclined to actually pay attention--an increasingly small crowd these days.

It just doesn't seem relevant. Not when the state is facing epic social and economic transformation and Santa Fe seems--as one reader put it--"like a club for insiders that spends most of its time honoring local Mariachi groups and debating meaningless memorials."

Not that a couple of even really productive legislative sessions could solve the intransigent problems this state faces--we're nearly 50th in everything. But the lack of serious engagement--even denial--amid this new social and economic paradigm has given the Roundhouse a reputation for insularity that rivals that of the Congress.

Those retiring may miss the ego trips they get from those who must curry favor with them but they may be getting out while the getting is good. It seems the storied Roundhouse has few stories to tell these days that really matter to Mr. and Mrs. New Mexico.

GOP PREPRIMARY ACTION

Clements

Democrat Tom Udall is heavily favored for re-election to his US Senate seat this year, but could an unknown and younger foe give him a harder time than a well-known and older one? That's the question in the aftermath of the surprise showing of David Clements at Saturday's GOP preprimary convention.

Clements stunned Allen Weh, a former NM GOP chairman, by getting 46.83% of the vote to Weh's 53.17%. The raw vote total had Weh with 402 votes and Clements with 354. (Video of Clements' convention speech is here.)

Clements is a former chair of the Dona Ana County GOP. His campaign says he broadened his delegate support by traveling across the state to visit them. They say he won stronger than expected showings in the ABQ suburbs (Valencia and Sandoval counties) and in the north.

Clements, 34, is a former assistant district attorney in Las Cruces and a Republican libertarian. Weh, 71, is the establishment candidate who has been a prodigious fundraiser for the GOP but as party chairman made his fair share of enemies. That showed in his weak preprimary showing. Weh lost the 2010 GOP Guv nod to Susana Martinez.

Because he has independent wealth, he will have TV money for the June primary and still starts as the favorite. But Clements' strong preprimary showing might attract out-of-state conservative support and that could make this a real race to watch,

Udall is surely already watching. He knows what he gets with Weh but Clements is a different story. He is new and unpredictable. How he would play with the public at large is an open question. Certainly, Udall is already eyeing Clements' libertarian stance on Social Security and Medicare. . .just in case. . . .

BATTLE OF UNKNOWNS

It was the battle of the unknowns at the GOP preprimary when it came to ABQ congressional candidates Mike Frese and Richard Priem. Frese, a small business owner from Corrales who has run for elected office before, beat out Priern 63.6% to 36.4%. Priem is a program manager and corporate officer overseeing law enforcement training.

Priem has personal wealth that could be used for TV. That could make a difference as he looks to score back on Frese.

The winner of the June primary will take on Dem Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham who is heavily favored and who the national R's are not targeting.

ANATOMY OF AN UPSET

Weh

Weh told me that because he got in the race several months after Clements he was at a disadvantage cornering delegates, but added:

A win is a win. We are on the ballot--the first order of business.

Clements' campaign says he traveled 17,000 miles since announcing his candidacy in October.

Weh pointed out that a controversy stoked by Clements over allegations that the selection of certain Bernalillo County preprimary delegates had been rigged also hurt his showing. "The charges were refuted but they stuck with some," he said.

Weh took a mild swipe at Clements, saying, "the Ron Paul wing is trying to find a home in the Republican Party. It's a real problem."

Weh did not mention Paul's son, Kentucky GOP Senator Rand Paul, who is expected to run for President and who Clements will now hope will give him valuable fundraising assistance.

Clements hired aggressive DC consultants who some GOP insiders thought were too harsh, but nothing sells like success and they were successful as they relentlessly attacked Weh for being out of touch and for trying to rig the convention.

State Republicans gather Saturday at the ABQ Marriott to name their favorite US Senate candidate, but the race between former NM GOP Chairman Allen Weh and Las Cruces attorney David Clements seems more like a rush to see who can be the first to face the firing squad. Democrat Tom Udall is heavily favored to secure a second term this November and there has been little if any national interest expressed in the contest. But that hasn't stopped the Weh-Clements face-off from getting quite nasty behind the scenes.

The key number at a preprimary convention such as Saturday's is 20 percent. That's the amount a candidate needs to win an official spot on the June primary ballot. If he or she doesn't reach that number they can still get on the ballot by filing additional petition signatures. However, since 20% is a low barrier, failure to get it has always spelled the demise of the contender who came up short. Weh is heavily favored but Clements should get to the magic number.. . . .

The other race that insiders will be watching at the GOP meet is between Richard Priem and Mike Frese. They are seeking the GOP nomination for the congressional seat held by Dem Michelle Lujan Grisham. Like Udall, she is heavily favored for re-election.

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National media coverage of Gov. Martinez has gotten more salty in the aftermath of that groundbreaking piece from the National Journal on the inner workings of her administration.

Real Clear Politics comes this week with a 4,100 word missive diving deep into all things Martinez. They headline it: "Susana Barracuda: Does Bigger Stage Await Gov. Martinez?"

That reference to the predatory barracuda signals that the prosecutorial side of Martinez's political personality is beginning to be factored in as pundits and others weigh her national ambitions. The superficial portrait of Martinez as the up and coming first female Hispanic Governor is not fading away, but is being augmented by more critical reporting as we draw closer to the '16 cycle (at least national reporting).

The author of the RCP piece--Scott Conroy--wrote a book on Sarah Palin who in 2010 played a key role in getting Martinez the GOP Guv nomination  He draws some interesting comparisons between the two governors. And, as it did in the National Journal piece, the soft underbelly of Susana land surfaces--the controversial ABQ Downs racino lease. The FBI has an active investigation underway into that lease.

FOURATT'S MOVE

Fouratt (Bralley)

Gov. Martinez named former acting US Attorney Greg Fouratt--an archival of former Dem Guv Bill Richardson--as the new head of the NM Department of Public Safety. He replaces Gorden Eden who is the new ABQ police chief.

Fouratt, who is a 17 year prosecutor in the US attorney's office, relentlessly pursued pay to play allegations against Richardson, but never did get an indictment. However, Fouratt did have success in sending former State Senate Majority Leader Manny Aragon to jail on corruption charges,

Governor Martinez's administration is now embroiled in her own pay to play problem over that Downs racino lease. Fouratt won't be sticking around for that one. After 17 years, he leaves his prosecutor chores at the US attorney's office to become a member of her cabinet. How much in the loop he has been on that Downs investigation is open to speculation and what his departure means to that probe--if anything--can only be speculated about. He is a hard-core Republican and close to the inner circle surrounding Martinez.

Fouratt, who grew up in Roswell, has been a powerhouse at the US attorney's office. Even when Kenneth Gonzales came in as US attorney under President Obama, insiders say Fouratt's influence remained prominent. Gonzales has left to become a judge. The new US Attorney will be Damon Martinez--another veteran prosecutor in the office. He is a Dem whose nomination awaits US Senate approval.

THE TESLA TEASE

New Mexico is in the middle of the Tesla tease. The electric car manufactures says our enchanted land along with Arizona, Nevada and and Texas, are on the final list for where the company will locate a huge battery factory. That may seem like a come down because when the news of Tesla toying with New Mexico was first reported on your blog, a Wall St. analyst said New Mexico was the "likely location."

Tesla says the factory could cost up to $5 billion to build and employ up to 6,500. A 2017 opening is planned.

So should we all call CNM and ask them to start a class for us on battery making? Well, not so fast. Nevada may have a leg up on us because it is closer to Tesla's Palo Alto headquarters and is a great location for solar energy which would be used by the factory. But the big Nevada advantage could be this: The Silver State has the only active lithium mine in the country. That's the key ingredient for the electric car batteries.

And one more thing. Our Senior Alligators point out that Nevada is home to US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid who says he is seeking re-election in 2016. He could use a coup like Tesla to kick-start his effort in job needy Nevada.

Tesla now has the advantage of playing the four finalist states off one another as they all drool over the prospect of those thousands of jobs. Will one of the state's give up the store to get the factory? Stay tuned. . . .

The Alligators were getting in on the Tesla tease. One of them writes:

Joe, just have Tesla take over the Intel building in Rio Rancho for that battery factory. The way things are going they should be out of there in a year or two..."

And another:

Well, Susana may have her very own billionaire. Big Bill had Richard Branson and his Virgin Galactic. Now she has Tesla billionaire Elon Musk promising the moon.

MAKE IT EIGHT

Your blogger

Make it eight. That's the number of incumbent state representatives choosing the retirement rocking chair over another round trip to the Roundhouse. Veteran Ed Sandoval chairman of the powerful House Taxation and Revenue Committee--will not seek re-election. He is third in seniority in the 70 member chamber, having been first elected to the ABQ North Valley seat in 1983.

The Sandoval seat is safe D an will not play a role in the coming battle for control of the House in which the Dems have a narrow majority. As for tax and rev, Santa Fe Rep. Jim Trujillo is vice-chair and in line for the chairmanship--but only if the Dems keep the majority.

The first candidate for the Sandoval seat is out of the gate. It's Deborah Armstrong:

Ms. Armstrong has over 25 years of experience in public policy and health care and is a Democrat, small business owner, licensed New Mexico attorney, former Cabinet Secretary for the NM Aging and Long Term Services Dept. and a former physical therapist. 

Other House news....Rod Montoya, a former chief of staff to Lt. Gov. John Sanchez, made if offical and announced he will seek the Farmington area seat held by retiring GOP Rep. Tom Taylor. Karen Bayless, a legislative analyst, has also announced she's running. No Dems need apply. This is GOP territory.


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We're following the money today. Along with our readers we continue to probe for any political and financial connections possibly involved in the Martinez administration's controversial decision last year to freeze Medicaid funding for 15 behavioral health providers and replace them with Arizona firms. Here's what we're learning. . . .

RGA was by far Martinez's largest contributor to her 2010 campaign. She reported raising $7.4 million of which over $1.3 million came from the RGA.

The questions raised here include how much of that money was donated by persons wishing to do business with the state and ended up doing business? And were campaign contributions run through the RGA as a means of keeping secret the identities of those making contributions and planning to do business with the new administration?

OBAMA LUV FOR SUSANA

How about those words of praise from President Obama for Susana? The Prez praised her for acting in a bipartisan matter by supporting increased funding for early childhood programs. Obama's White House remarks came Monday when he hosted the National Governors Association. Susana has to be happy with the praise as she is courting Dem votes to secure her re-election, even if it might raise some Republican eyebrows. We know five folks who are surely hopping mad at the President--those would be the five Dem hopefuls who are vying for the June Dem Guv nomination.

(Hey, Susana, if you support that constitutional amendment to use Permanent Fund money to fund early childhood programs, next time the Prez will give you a hug. So go for it. Call John Arthur Smith ASAP).

Here's the video of Obama giving luv to Susana, along with a number of other Guvs.

COP SHOP

Eden

We wondered here about comments made by new ABQ police chief Gorden Eden asserting that there has been a nationwide increase in attacks on police officers and that could be a possible reason for the big increase in police shootings here. We said we did not have the statistics to question Eden, but thanks to our readers we do now. The new chief may want to take a look.

Reader Alan Wagman comes with this from the Los Angeles Times:

According to a preliminary report by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund , 111 law enforcement officers died in the line of duty in 2013, the lowest number since 1959. Most of the deaths came in traffic accidents, said the nonprofit, which tracks law enforcement deaths and maintains the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington. The most dramatic number in the report may be the 33 officers killed by gunfire, the lowest number since 1887, when the country's population was more than four times smaller than it is today.
It's like father, like son for Republican Adam Paul Laxalt. The now not so secret son of former NM GOP US Senator Pete Domenici has launched a bid for the Nevada attorney general's office. It was a shocker last year when it was revealed that Laxalt, 34, was fathered by Domenici who kept the affair quiet. Laxalt's mother, Michelle Laxalt, is the daughter of former Nevada Senator and Governor Paul Laxalt who is now 91. Adam Laxalt grew up with his mother Michelle in Washington DC. She was a lobbyist.

 Like his father, Adam starts his first statewide race as the decided underdog. Pete Domenici ran for NM Governor in 1970.  He lost to Bruce King but was elected to the Senate two years later. Another Domenici son--Pete Domenici, Jr.--sought the 2010 NM GOP Guv nomination. . . .

Retirements from the state House have been coming fast and furious. Today's entrant is four term Rep. Bill Gray, a Republican from Artesia with ties to the oil industry. The district is safe R and will not be a battleground for the fight for control of the House in November. Insiders expect an R or two with ties to the energy industry to seek the seat.

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White Sands

Our DC insiders say it's the Army's White Sands Missile Range near Alamogordo and the Army's Fort Bliss near El Paso that they are keeping a close eye on in the wake of Defense Secretary Hagel's announcement that the Pentagon is proposing to shrink the nation's Army to its lowest level since the pre-WWII years when Eisenhower was emerging.

The state's Air Force installations--like ABQ's Kirtland Air Force Base--are not seen as threatened by the downsizing proposed for the nation's military and which will set off a battle in Congress. Our Potomac Alligators add that Cannon Air Force Base near Clovis could  benefit from the Pentagon's new strategy of relying more on Drones. Cannon now conducts military drone operations....

Speaking of Eisenhower, as we've noted a number of times here he was President when the NM GOP last held control of the state House, and news on that front continues. . . .

The talk thus far has mostly been about the vulnerability of the majority Dems to a Republican onslaught, but Dems have a shot at picking up a seat or two and keeping the GOP at bay.

Dem Joanne Ferrary fought Las Cruces GOP State Rep.Terry McMillan to a near tie in 2012, losing by only 8 votes. She says she's going to try to again defeat him. If she could take McMillan out, it could prove key to the Dems hopes of keeping the Speaker's gavel in the hands of Kenny Martinez. . . .

It was no surprise when ABQ South Valley Dem State Rep. Ernie Chavez announced Monday he won't seek re-election this year. The 77 year old has been ill and missed the entire '14 legislative session. City of ABQ employee Lorenzo Pino announced for the Dem nod for the Chavez seat even before Ernie made his retirement official. Now there's another player who a supporter claims has the inside track for the Dem nod for the Chavez seat:

Patricio Ruiloba has the inside track. He's a retired APD officer who worked security for APS at Atrisco Heritage. Solid guy. Strong ties to the community. Chairman of the board of Partnership for Community Action, local non-profit.

No R's need apply here. The seat is very heavy Dem.

Any more House retirements to come? Yes, we expect Rep. Phil Archuleta of Las Cruces to hang it up. Like Chavez, he missed the entire legislative session because of illness. As we previously blogged  insiders are mentioning Las Cruces City Councilor Nate Small as a possible Archuleta replacement. Andy Nunez, the former Dem state rep turned independent then turned Republican will try to claim the seat for the GOP.

There's lots of election action in ABQ's Vally area, isn't there? Ernie Chavez leaves, Rep. Kiki Saavedra retires as does Rep. Rick Miera. These fellas have all been around for years and their departures are rare opportunities for those seeking a seat at the Roundhouse.

All three seats are heavy D and will remain so. We expect a number of candidates to emerge on filing day March 11. Count Dem politico Sisto Abeyta as one of them. He announced  on social media that he will join the fray for the Dem nod for Kiki Saavedra's seat. There are now three contenders in that Dem race.

MAKE IT GO AWAY

The economic Depression in the state and ABQ construction industry has gotten so pronounced that those most closely involved with it don't even want to talk about it. They are depressed about the Depression:

Kucinski, who has family ties to Albuquerque, ended up as the sole speaker at what originally was advertised as a panel discussion with local representatives of the construction sector. The panel discussion was scratched.“None of us were looking forward to sitting up here and talking about the construction industry,” explained Keven Yearout of Yearout Mechanical Inc. in Albuquerque, who originally was to be the panel moderator but ended up just introducing Kucinski as keynote speaker.

Maybe if Santa Fe had taken some of the $600 million in unspent capital outlay money and began ramping up spending on bridges, roads and the like, the would-be panelists would have something "constructive" to talk about?

SIMPLY NOT TRUE

A reader sent this newspaper clip to us about Senate Finance Committee Chairman John Arthur Smith:

Critics of the fiscally conservative chairman of the Senate Finance Committee portrayed the Deming Democrat as a stand-alone barrier to Senate consideration of a proposal to take more money from a permanent fund for early childhood programs. The Senate Finance Committee’s 8-2 vote to table the measure proved this implication to be simply not true.

Well, Senator Campos voted against the measure as a parliamentary maneuver so it could again be considered. He supports the constitutional amendment for early childhood. And Senator Carlos Cisneros has been a public supporter, but said he voted against it in committee because of what he considered personal attacks on Senator Smith. In a committee vote in 2012, he voted against tabling the amendment. Those two would make the vote 6 to 4 with Smith and Senator Munoz as the only Dems with real philosophical disagreement.

And it is common knowledge for even those with only a rudimentary understanding of the Legislature that the Senate has come to yield to Smith on just about all fiscal matters. If you ask the Senators--as we have--they will tell you just that. His power is especially pronounced in his committee where he can persuade members with favors or disfavor.

More important, in this effort to debunk the notion that Smith is not the chief obstacle to the early childhood amendment we are left to believe that there is widespread legislative opposition to the amendment (it has previously passed the full House) and that this opposition is somehow representative of the New Mexican public. Those implications are simply not true.

Unbiased polling shows the public is overwhelmingly in favor of the constitutional amendment--just as the ABQ public was for increasing the minimum wage when 66 percent voted for an increase. But this year state legislators refused to pass a statewide hike also broadly supported by the public.

It is Santa Fe and much of its long-in-the-tooth court that is increasingly out of touch with the mainstream of New Mexico, its economic malaise and its deepening social conditions crisis that this week includes a sexually abused and murdered four month old infant.

Why don't Senator Smith, the Senate Republicans and their stenographers simply say what they really believe? That for them the public can't be trusted with their Permanent Fund money. That they just don't get it. That elders like John Arthur need to protect the people (mostly Hispanic) from themselves. That the misery and suffering that makes this state 50th in just about everything would be even worse if the people who actually live here were listened to.

THE GUV RUN

Wanna see the 5 Dem candidates for Governor joust on stage? Here's your chance:

The Bernalillo County Democratic Party is sponsoring a Gubernatorial Candidate Forum for the candidates for the Democratic Party ticket for governor. The date is Wednesday, March 5, 2014 at 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. The location is Carpenter's Hall, 3900 Pan American Freeway NE (at Comanche), 

The Dems state preprimary convention is Mar h 8, just three days after that forum. The five Guv candidates are hoping to each get at least 20 percent delegate support to earn an official spot on the June primary ballot. If they don't they can still get on by submitting additional petition signatures.

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2014. Not for reproduction without permission of the author