Don't worry Dems, we haven't forgotten you. But it's like the scene of a bad car accident; we know we shouldn't look, but we just had to. We've seen most of the gory stuff now, so it's time to pick up speed, get past the GOP wreck and look up the road where those Dems are wheeling along, mostly accident-free. First, some odds and ends on that erupting volcano known as the Grand Old Party. One of our state's brightest legal minds e mails in with a GOP concern. Where does all the fighting over the Prez contest leave 2004 state and local candidates hoping for wins? Here's how our high-up GOP'er puts it:

"Gorham has promised to support statewide and legislative candidates, but the tendency for the Bushies is to usurp state party functions for the presidential bid. The feeling in 2000 and 02' was that the national guys can run their own show fine, but the state GOP was distracted from helping locals by the subservience required by Washington. A big question is whether GOPNM can put together campaigns for winnable legislative districts while being ordered around by the national crew."

Well, we'll call that "Ramsay's Challenge." She doesn't plan on "being ordered around." At least not too much.

And on the possible Zangara-Barnett face-off for the job of GOP National Committeeman, a veteran Republican clarifies our report from yesterday. "Joe, the Committeeman will be elected by the quadrennial statewide convention in May of 04', not just the Central Committee." He's right. It will be GOP'ers from the grassroots that pick Barnett or Zangara, a choice that may tell whether Gorham has gained the full confidence of her fellow party members.

SELF-SERVING, HORN-TOOTING DEPARTMENT; THIS BLOG OF OURS WAS FRONT AND CENTER THIS WEEK

Our exclusive coverage of the GOP war went national with the National Journal's daily "Hotline" spreading the news to politico populated D.C., including the top dogs at the White House. Indulge me while I show you an excerpt:

"NM reporter/consultant Joe Monahan, writing on his own blog, reports, "it's shaping up as one of the wildest weeks in the history" of the NM GOP. "And the hits just keep coming. Sources now" say that Bush '04 NM finance chair Ken Zangara "is seriously contemplating a challenge" to RNC cmte member Mickey Barnett.

"NM reporter/consultant Joe Monahan, writing on his own blog, reports that GOP "sources say the high-stakes battle over presidential politics" in NM "now has the full attention" of the WH and the RNC and that "a truce is in the works." One source: "Five or six high-ranking Republicans outside New Mexico are making phone calls to both sides, and I think in a few days this thing will be settled." Asked if any of those involved were from the WH, the source said: "Yes" (11/12).

Thanks to all of you tuning in and/or contributing, we have become the hot place for NM political news. The "Hotline" is the "Bible" of American politics. It costs, but is worth it. Check them out at .http://nationaljournal.com

NOW ON TO THOSE SMILING DEMS
You notice I didn't say gloating Dems. That's because they really aren't, at least not publicly. After all, they've had their share of family squabbles, and besides, what's to gain by piling on? Plus, the Dems still have to decide who will face Bush and there's plenty of fighting over that. State Democratic Party Chairwoman Joni Gutierrez of Las Cruces tells me she has been fielding press phone calls about her Republican counterpart but tells them she's concentrating on her party's candidates. And guess what? One of those races may personally involve Joni. Read on.

STATE DEM CHAIR GUTIERREZ PREPARES FOR POSSIBLE LEGISLATIVE RUN

Rep. Taylor
Ramsay isn't the only party chair making news. Joni tells "New Mexico Politics with Joe Monahan" that she will seek the state House seat held by J. Paul Taylor, if Taylor decides not to run. Friends of Taylor tell me he is NOT running, so Joni better get out her running shoes. Joni is sure to get the endorsement of the incumbent when he does step down: Taylor is Joni's godfather. She is a talented landscape architect down Cruces way and Taylor's District 33 is safe Democratic. Gutierrez is a major friend of Governor Bill, who appointed her to the Board of Directors of the National Hispanic Cultural Center in ABQ, besides helping make her Chair.

Is this the first time in NM history that women have chaired the two major parties at the same time? Not that many people would notice since women have been a major force in New Mexico politics for quite a while. Denish, Madrid, Joni, Ramsay.. you get the idea.

Final note to all you Democrats: If Joni Gutierrez runs for the legislature, will she give up the party chairmanship, or stay in the legislature like State Sen. Gorham? If she doesn't, whose in line to become the new Dem chair? I await your e mails.

As always, thanks for tuning in. Bookmark our site--JOEMONAHANSNNEWMEXICO.BLOGSPOT.COM--and pass it on to your friends.

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ZANGARA
It's shaping up as one of the wildest weeks in the history of the New Mexico Republican Party. And the hits just keep coming. Sources now tell "New Mexico Politics With Joe Monahan" that ABQ's Ken Zangara, finance chairman for the Bush re-election drive here, is seriously contemplating a challenge to Republican National Committeman Mickey Barnett. It's a continuation of the battle that went public this week between the forces of ousted chairman John Dendahl and current Chair Ramsay Gorham.

Lawyer-lobbyist Barnett and Dendahl have been fric and frac for years and are credited with resurrecting the state GOP by electing a governor, increasing Republican representation in the state legislature and protecting the GOP members on the state's Congressional delegation; accomplishments that are nothing to sneeze at. But, sources say, their continued desire to keep power, even though Dendahl was voted out, has the Gorham camp going into war mode. And auto dealer Ken Zangara has been anointed a general.

"The fight over who will control the president's re-election campaign is going to be solved, but the war between the Dendahlites and Gorham will go on until there's no blood left to spill. If Gorham is going to be anything more than a transitional chair, she will have to clean house. She has put a target on Barnett because he is the ringleader of the Dendahlites--bright, successful and determined. If the Dendahl forces are to make a comeback, it would fall to Mickey to organize it. You stop him and you have just cut off the head." That brutal assessment according to a GOP insider close to the action.

The news of the possible Zangara challenge of Barnett comes amid a whirlwind of developments this week in the state GOP that kicked up dust from Tucumcari to the Potomac. The White House was tuned in again Wednesday (to this web site, among other places) looking for the latest and apparently encouraging peacemaking talks that sources told us yesterday are underway. (see below for full details)

BARNETT
The election for the National Committeeman post (Rosie Tripp is NM Nat'l Committeewoman) won't be held for a while, but the possible Zangara candidacy is a clear message: Gorham is looking to consolidate power under her chairmanship and that a policy of accommodation is not in the cards. "Why should it be?" asks one of her supporters. "It's not like she stole anything. She was elected fair and square but they are making her fight for the power she should naturally have as a duly elected chair."

Ramsay knows what others know about Dendahl, Barnett and company: They are major league political operatives who don't know the meaning of losing. Their never give up attitude stunned the Democratic Party establishment in this state in the 90's, but times change and the old luster is gone. The loss of the chairmanship, as hard as it is for them to accept, was indeed lost. Gorham, as the Dendahlites assert, may be a "lightweight" but she has stunned her opponents by standing up to the national party. Some observers, including Dan Houck who resigned from the GOP Executive Committee this week, say she has buried herself by doing so and is finished as chair.

Don't count on it.

Here's how a Roundhouse insider reminded me of Gorham's two ABQ North Valley State Senate wins over Democrat Janice Paster: "Janice was one of the toughest, meanest candidates I've ever seen and I'm a fellow Democrat. When Janice lashed out, we used to say, 'You've just been Pasteurized.' That's how tough she was. But Gorham beat her twice. Not many people saw those fights. Now they are getting the flavor. Gorham may not have graduated with honors, but she's one tough gal who doesn't have a lot of quit in her."

A state convention, made up of top GOP'ers from around the Land of Enchantment, will make the Committeeman decision next May. Barnett ousted former Congressman and Interior Secretary Manuel Lujan from the position a couple of years ago, but if the turmoil of today extends into the future it's anyone's guess if he can win again.

Don't be left out of the loop! Bookmark our site now and check for regular updates. Send a link to our site to your interested friends. E mail me from the link on this page.

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Karl Rove
Republican sources say the high-stakes battle over presidential power politics in New Mexico now has the full attention of the White House and GOP National Committee operatives and that "a truce is in the works." One operative close to the battle told me: "Five or six high-ranking Republicans outside New Mexico are making the phone calls to both sides, and I think in a few days this thing will be settled." I asked if any of those involved were from the White House and was told: "Yes." How do I spell K-A-R-L R-O-V-E? Yup. Him. He's the man, who along with John Dendahl, got John Sanchez to run against Big Bill and who presides over the Prez's political operation.

And why not Rove or a near-equal? New Mexico's five critical Electoral College votes could sway the outcome of the U.S. Presidential contest, and unless the infighting between GOP State Chair Ramsay Gorham, ousted Chairman John Dendahl and Senator Pete Domenici is ended, the Presidency could be lost. The stakes don't get any higher.

The "Gallegos Compromise," as I am dubbing it, is alive and well, according to sources. Said one: "Lou has done it all in politics and if he is appointed executive director for Bush in NM all sides to this bloody battle will be happy. "It's the smart thing to do, and usually people do the smart thing." A big factor working in Gorham's favor is the perception of regular Republicans that "outsiders" could be trying to dictate how New Mexicans should participate in the presidential election. A respected local voice who is not seen as a puppet would address that concern.

Meanwhile, Ramsay will up her public profile and take the "high road" in her effort to shore-up support of the Republican rank and file and show Senator Pete there is no hard feelings and also to show the Dendahl/Barnett/Adair forces she will not, as her supporters put it, rise to the bait. Her camp is determined, however, to send a message to the Dendahlites that if it is continued war they want, it is war they will get. Meanwhile, Domenici Chief of Staff Steve Bell was pushing buttons again late Monday making remarks that were interpreted by Gorham's camp as condescending. "Bell is playing with fire. I think Pete needs to put him back on his leash and let's get this thing done. There is no long-term threat to the Pete-Ramsay relationship, but Bell piling on has not helped. He is a brilliant guy. But he is not a public guy and he is not a diplomat," said one Gorham ally.

Also Tuesday, a spokesman for Gorham told me she "did not have a chance to connect" with Republican National Committee Chair Ed Gillespie. Monday I was told a phone meeting was being pursued. Maybe both sides at this delicate stage are like lawyers: neither wants to ask questions they don't already know the answers to.

The tell-tale sign will be the Bush executive director job. From the Dendahl faction young and aggressive Jay McCleskey is on the short list, but unacceptable to the Gorham camp. Former Gov. Johnson's favored PR man, Doug Turner, is Ramsay's choice, and above them towers the veteran Gallegos who can deal with both camps. It seems obvious that Gallegos, or a similar figure, is the way out of the mess. But egos need to be massaged at this point and Gorham wants assurances that any peacemakers tell the ousted Dendahlites to cool it, that she is the Chair and she needs to be dealt in.

Wild rumors have circulated that Pete would go toe-to-toe with Ramsay and move for her ouster. No one is taking that seriously, and equally bizarre rumors of having the State Central Committee meet to oust her can be readily dismissed as emotion driven. Pete was wounded by the closeness of the Permanent Fund election in September, a measure he supported and Ramsay opposed. And an additional wound was administered when the wife of his campaign manager lost her fundraising contract under Gorham. His support of moving the Bush re-elect away from Ramsay is seen by observers close to the battle as more of his long-established desire to control the party, not a lashing out personally at Gorham. One operative told me: "I think what happened here is that the RNC and Pete expected Ramsay to simply accept whatever was laid out. They did not account for her suspicion that Dendahl was behind it all and trying to pull off a coup. Whether that is true or not is incidental, but I don't think it was presented to her in the proper way."

On the other side of the coin a longtime associate of Dendahl let loose to me: "Ramsay has had huge turnover in the party staff, she has tried to micromanage the place and the RNC was justifiably worried that her involvement in the Bush campaign would be disruptive."

Of course, having the state party chair outside the tent would be far more disruptive than having some of her people get some of the presidential goodies that will be passed out in the next year. Insiders tell me the executive director of the Bush NM campaign will be named "in a couple of weeks;" that love and peace will be expressd in public between Pete and Ramsay (but not Dendahl) and "in a couple of days" this whole thing will be chuckled over. Republicans better hope so or it could be the Democratic Party that is laughing come November 2004.

Remember to bookmark our site JOEMONAHANSNEWMEXICO.BLOGSPOT.COM and check for regular updates. Send a link to our site to your interested friends.

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Lou "The Fireman" Gallegos

Desperate to end infighting that threatens a Bush re-election victory in NM, sources close to the White House tell me that Lou Gallegos, former Gov. Johnson Chief of Staff and right-hand fireman to Senator Domenici for over 25 years, may be brought in to extinguish the blaze that has engulfed the party. Under this scenario, Gallegos would be tapped to be the executive director of the Bush re-elect drive in the state and responsible for dealing everyone in. But the Dendahl faction is pushing for GOP consultant Jay McCleskey to get the job, even though McCleskey is coming off a losing city campaign for which he took heat for going too negative on behalf of the Citizens for Greater ABQ (CGA). As word spread that ousted former GOP Chair John Dendahl and other prominent GOP'ers were invited to a strategy session with Bush General Chair Marc Racicot Monday, but current GOP Chair Ramsay Gorham was excluded, (our exclusive, full story is just below) Republican elders looked for a way out.

Said one: "Both sides are out of control and the fight must stop. Lou Gallegos is respected by both factions, and he is the one able to end it." The bloodletting here has caught the eye of the White House and the Republican National Committee (RNC) which Gorham supporters see as being brainwashed by the Dendahl forces into believing she doesn't have the savvy to play presidential politics. But Gorham proponents continue to hammer Dendahl's faction as a bunch of "money-grabbers" who are upset that Ramsay has cut them out of lucrative consulting deals while she stems a flood of red ink at GOP Headquarters.

Another Republican who has seen it all told me: "Joe, this is one of the hottest party battles we've had. When Steve Bell, (Domenici Chief of Staff) publicly said there was a breach, but did not hold out an olive branch, Ramsay's supporters hit the roof. Now this meeting excluding her has turned this thing into a bonfire. They have to move Bell out and Lou in to protect the interests of the White House and Pete, and at the same time cut Ramsay into the action and put this thing behind us."

Ramsay is awaiting a phone confab with Republican National Committee Chair Ed Gillespie during which I am told she will tell him that the RNC must make clear to the Dendahlites that she is first in line on the re-elect. Said our source: "Ramsay is going to make it clear that it will not be possible to bring her into the fold, unless the Dendahl supporters are told that they have lost and she is preeminent. Once that is done we can deal." It was made clear to me that Ramsay CAN work with Gallegos.

Sources in Washington said late Monday the road map to peace is clear and that they believe the Gallegos compromise is the best bet; that Ramsay will be dealt in because her public withdrawal from the Bush effort would do incalculable damage with rank and file Republicans in New Mexico. "As the White House gathers intelligence it's becoming clear that continued warfare will endanger the President. The next stop after Gillespie is Karl Rove (White House political director). That's taking it too close to the President, so they are going to move this week to end it all."

As we have reported, presidential power politics isn't all about ideas. Consulting contracts, jobs and vendor business are all part of the big-time White House chase, and in a key swing state like ours a lot of money is going to be spent. But for Mr. Bush the treasure is New Mexico's five precious electoral votes, narrowly lost to Gore four years ago. They hang in the balance as the warfare here escalates and so may the Presidency of the United States.

Remember to bookmark our site JOEMONAHANSNEWMEXICO.BLOGSPOT.COM and check for regular updates. Send a link to our site to your interested friends.

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Bush Chair Racicot


The ongoing battle over presidential power politics in the NM GOP, first reported here, (see below) continued Monday with the General Chairman of the Bush re-election effort, former Montana Governor Marc Racicot, presiding over a high-level strategy meeting that included ousted GOP State Chairman John Dendahl, but excluded current State Chair Ramsay Gorham. Sources in the know about the meeting, conducted at the Albuquerque Hilton Inn, tell "New Mexico Politics With Joe Monahan" that Bush Regional Chair John Sanchez was on hand, but neither Gorham nor an official representative from the State GOP headquarters was there. Exclusion of the State GOP from a presidential campaign is next to unheard of and highlights the battle between Dendahl and Gorham over the future of the party.

Even though Dendhal was soundly beaten by Gorham for the top job in May, he is exercising his political muscle to keep his power alive via the Bush campaign, and because the Bushies have had success with him in the past, they apparently are none to worried about excluding Gorham who has been painted with the brush of incomeptence by the Dendahlites. But Gorham backers say hogwash; Bush lost to Gore here in 2000 and during the last couple of years of Dendahl's reign the GOP lost Legislative seats.

Also on hand at the high-level Bush strategy pow-wow was Ramsay supporter and Bush finance chair Ken Zangara, State Rep. Larry Larranaga, Senator Kent Cravens and GOP financier Anna Muller.

GOP operatives tell me they are now awaiting a move from Ramsay. "If she just sits there and takes this kind of treatment, she will be Chair in name only and the forces most rank and file Republicans wanted out of control will effectively be back. Ramsay needs to gather her forces now and strike back." Gorham certainly has cards to play in her deck. She DID win support from the GOP grassroots, She DID conduct a nearly winning campaign in the Permanent Fund election in September, and she IS perhaps one of the most prominent Republican women in the nation right now. On top of that she could hurt Bush money-raising efforts here.

Her trouble began when she began canceling lucrative deals held by the Dendahl faction and even one of a Senator Pete ally. She said the party was more than $250,000 in debt when she took over and had to do it. Those urging Gorham to fight wonder if the contracts and jobs that go with a presidential campaign are all kept under the former chair and his cohorts, how will she react? Will she just brush it aside and cave for the "good of the party." If she does, they argue, what is the point of electing anyone Chair?

The Bush snub Monday morning of Gorham is the first round in what could turn out to be a several round battle. Or, according to sources deep on the inside, it could be the beginning of the end of her. Said one GOP operative: "I think she's going to have to organize support and put pressure on the White House and Congressional delegation to turn this thing around. Otherwise, she is marginalized and threatened with Dendahl or his associates coming back. We are a small party and infighting is no stranger to us, but now the stakes are too high. NM could be decisive in the Electoral College. I think as that reality weighs-in, the White House may change its tune. If not, we are headed into unknown territory."

Remember to bookmark our site JOEMONAHANSNEWMEXICO.BLOGSPOT.COM and check for regular updates. Send a link to our site to your interested friends.

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Who are the next generation of New Mexican political leaders? In ABQ young hot shots like 32 year old Democratic City Councilor-elect Martin Heinrich and 20 something Republican Seth Heath have made radar contact, but on a statewide basis 33 year old Democratic State Rep. Al Park is drawing the big buzz. Park showed up with Governor Bill on TV screens across our Land of Enchantment during the recent special session of the Legislature when he successfully marshaled the sex offender bill through the House. (The other main House sponsor of the bill was Dem. Rep. Tom Swisstack who won a cliff hanger in 02' to gain entrance to the Roundhouse.) The brainy young lawyer, a graduate of Sandia Prep and George Washington Law School, was first elected in 2000 and laid pretty low until now. His emergence in the special has put him in the middle of the buzz as a possible candidate for the Dems for Attorney General in a couple of years. Park is not discouraging the chatter.

He tells "New Mexico Politics with Joe Monahan" that the AG's job, which Patsy Madrid will vacate in 06', is on his radar screen, but right now he's concentrating on getting re-elected next year to his District 26 seat. That could be a bit more challenging than it was two years ago, when the GOP dropped the ball and failed to field a candidate against Park, even though he represents a swing district (50% Democrat) which covers portions of the ABQ Southeast and Northeast Heights in the Central and Louisiana area. The latest word is that Republican Kathy Leyendecker, who worked for the highway department under Governor Johnson and now works for the ABQ International Balloon Fiesta, is thinking about challenging the popular Park.

Park's shepherding of the sex offender bill gives him a boost, but is also drawing the attention of other possible Democratic AG hopefuls even though the race isn't until 2006! Attorney Dolph Barnhouse from the environmental group 1000 Friends of NM, who sought the job previously, is again a possible contender, as is State Rep. Joseph Cervantes of Dona Ana County. Republican Dona Ana County District Attorney Susana Martinez is also said to be eyeing the AG's job, if she can get re-elected DA, which she narrowly won in 2000.

Park doesn't wear his ambition on his sleeve, but has been plodding along and hit paydirt this year. He has the pedigree to be a major factor in the AG's race. His father, a University of Virginia Law School grad, is wrapping up a successful career at Sandia Labs, and previously worked in the Panama Canal Zone, where Al was born to his mother of Venezuelan descent. He even has a bit of Republican in his background. He served as law clerk to federal judge John Conway, a former State Senate GOP leader. The old saying goes "youth must be served." And so it must, but for Al Park youth serving the public is also an imperative; one that has landed him in the limelight of La Politica.


SECOND THOUGHTS

State Sen. Cisco McSorley of the Southeast Heights has done it again--played the big tease. Cisco informs us via Harry Moskos of the Journal that he WILL seek re-election to his Senate seat after months of floating trial balloons (mentioned on this web site) that he might bow out to run for the Bernalillo County Commission seat being vacated by Tom Rutherford. Associates of the liberal McSorley tell me he wants to make another run at the Democratic nomination for State Land Commissioner in 2006 and believes the Senate provides him with the necessary platform from which to run. He got beat by fellow Democrat Art Trujillo in 02.' Trujillo lost to Republican Pat Lyons in the General. An old friend of Trujillo, Dan Serrano, who has run a couple of races for ABQ City Council, tells me he is looking toward a Land Commission run as well. Cisco's decision also puts to rest for now the Senate aspirations (if she had any) of State Rep. Gail Beam, (AKA Mrs. David Norvell) former Bernalillo County Commissioner Lenton Malry and Rutherford. Sounds like a game of dominoes doesn't it? One falls and there they go......McSorley was key in Senator Manny Aragon's loss of the Senate Pro Tem job to Sen. Richard Romero a couple of years ago when he joined with Senate Republicans to elect Romero. By the way, our younger readers might not know it, but Moskos was a pioneer in bringing modern newspapering to NM when he served as managing editor of the ABQ Trib in the 60's and 70's.

And speaking of special NM newspaper guys, Ned Cantwell, publisher of the Carlsbad Current Argus for 25 years, is retired to Ruidoso now, but is still stirring things up with a regular column. Check Ned out at www.currentargus.com

SECOND THOUGHTS, TAKE TWO
ABQ attorney David Duhigg, reported here earlier as toying with the idea of a run for the Democratic nomination for the State Supreme Court seat held by Edward Chavez, is apparently NOT going to play. Chavez was appointed by Big Bill to replace retiring Supreme Gene Franchini. We'll keep you posted.

Remember to bookmark our site JOEMONAHANSNEWMEXICO.BLOGSPOT.COM and check for regular updates. Send a link to our site to your interested friends.

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