He arrived back on New Mexico's TV screens in January to great fanfare and with high hopes for KOB-TV's ratings. So how is veteran anchorman Nelson Martinez doing after a month of anchoring the NBC affiliates noon and 5 p.m. newscasts? Not too shabby, if the latest ratings are accurate. TV insiders tell "NM Politics With Joe Monahan" that Nelson "started off flat" his first couple of weeks but lately "has spiked KOB's noon & 5 p.m. ratings a bit." February is one of several crucial "sweeps" months when stations fight for big audiences so they can command healthy advertising rates. Martinez was hired by KOB after years on the anchor desk at KOAT, in part, to boost viewing in Hispanic households where he has a strong following. Nelson's hiring, we are told by insiders, rocked the boat a bit at KOB, but in TV good ratings rule, and if he continues to score you will continue to see Nelson on a tube near you.

And there's more action to report in TV ratings land. According to our sources, the big surprise so far this month has been the rise of KRQE-TV 13 in the 10 p.m. ratings. The CBS affiliate is now a close second to number one KOB with KOAT-TV, the ABC affiliate, coming in third at 10. But there are some big 'ifs' here. These ratings are the "overnights" and do not reflect the "Super Millionaire" series that ABC is now hyping. The insiders say that should give a late boost to 7 at 10 p.m. Also, my TV experts say Channel 13 "continues to skew older" winning an audience that is not "quite as attractive" to advertisers as the other two combatants.

It does appear Channel 13 is getting its money's worth out of Larry Barker, who jumped the KOAT ship to join his old cohort Dick Knipfing who co-anchors late night with Erika Ruiz. Barker is bringing back hallway chases and shouted questions to his investigative reports. He's being challenged in court by one of his subjects generating publicity for the station statewide. Larry's lawyer points out that he is not being challenged on the content of his investigative report. Maybe all the commotion is helping out the news ratings there. We shall see.

THE GOP'S GAY BRIGADE

A couple of prominent GOP political insiders have signed up with the gay and lesbian Log Cabin group and are forming a chapter of the national organization in NM. Patrick Killen, political director for the John Sanchez 02' Guv campaign and a two-time campaign manager for former state GOP Chair John Dendahl, and Troy Benavidez, a onetime aide to Senator Domenici, are among the chapter's first members here.

Killen, 24, stresses that the group supports President Bush and his policies, but part ways with him on the constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. They think that matter should be left to the states. The Log Cabin Republicans formed in California in the 1970's and has spread nationally. They work to "support a more inclusive Republican Party." The latest national polling shows young voters overwhelmingly opposed to the anti-marriage amendment, but support is higher among older voters. The group gets its name from Abe Lincoln and his birth in a log Cabin and his support of civil rights.

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NM's gay residents are front and center this month with Sandoval County Clerk Victoria Dunlap stunning the nation when she issued marriage licenses for same sex couples. The resulting controversy played a part in President Bush's call for a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage in the U.S. and has prompted reflection on the role of gays in the Land of Enchantment's political system.

It turns out that role is sparse, at least on the public record. As far as we can determine only one openly gay individual has been elected to prominent state office here; Liz Stefanics who served one four year term in the state senate in the 1990's and was defeated for re-election by Phil Griego. Her sexuality was never a blatant issue on the campaign trail, but it played a role among some socially conservative voters in the Northern NM district. While openly gay elected officials are a rarity, many gays toil at lower levels of NM government as was seen when some applied for the aforementioned marriage licenses.

The Santa Fe New Mexican's Steve Terrell points out that the northern congressional district has one of the highest percentage of same sex couples (mostly in Santa Fe) in the nation. But Bush's anti-marriage amendment is aimed squarely at voters on the state's east side, what old time politicos refer to as "Little Texas." There, socially conservative voters overwhelmingly reject gay marriage and civil unions. Congressman Steve Pearce, who represents the area, offered the strongest support for the amendment among the state's congressional delegation. But most high elected NM officials (Big Bill, Mayor Marty) are on the record as strong supporters of gay rights, but not gay marriage. Big Bill has appointed the first openly gay cabinet secretary in history and former Senator Stefanics is now a deputy secretary in the state Human Services Department.

SEX IN OUR CITIES

Sen. Cutting
Students of NM history will recall with me the gay rumors that followed NM U.S. Senator Bronson Cutting through his political career and which are still debated by today's historians. Republican Cutting served the state in the 1930's. But sex "scandals" in NM history have been exclusively of the heterosexual variety. Perhaps the most famous was the late 1940's murder of Dona Ana County waitress Cricket Coogler. The investigation involved several prominent elected officials suspected of having relationships with the young lady, but the murder went unsolved.

In an interesting twist on all this, many Hispanics are among the socially conservative electorate who oppose gay marriage and civil unions, But the top elected Hispanic officials in the state have taken the opposite tack, perhaps influenced by the civil rights struggles of Hispanics. The Blog bottom line: Covering NM politics is like covering three different states. The issue of gay rights adheres to that age-old formula.

THE RUN-OFF RUN AROUND IS FINALLY SETTLED (I HOPE)

First, I reported that there would be no mayoral run-off elections in NM in 2005. I took that post down pretty quick when top NM lobbyist Scott Scanland chimed in that a constitutional amendment will be on the ballot this year that would restore run-off's in ABQ and permit them in other NM cities. Now, Charlie Young, attorney, lobbyist and veteran politico gets the final word.

Scott was right that there will be a vote in November. Charlie adds that because ABQ would be returning to the run-off system it would be REQUIRED to conduct such elections between the two top finishers for mayor or council seats. However, municipalities that have not previously had run-off provisions would have the OPTION of holding run-off's. That means if voters approve the amendment ABQ would have run-off elections next year. Under the old ABQ system a candidate had to get 40 percent of the vote to avoid a run-off. I am assuming that will be the case if run-off's are reinstated. Of course, with the trouble this story has given me, I probably should assume nothing. Thanks Charlie for being our on-the-ball, pro bono Blog lawyer.

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The Capitol is now as quiet as a falling snowflake, but the political buzz is already building over what happens when the state senate reconvenes next winter. Insiders are wondering if the coalition of Republicans and Dems that made Richard Romero President Pro Tem can continue and who, if anyone, will keep the hybrid arrangement in place. At the top of the list, is ABQ Sen. Linda Lopez, who doubles as chair of the Bernalillo County Democratic Party. She is not a friend of Big Bill's, splitting with him on key legislation such as the food tax repeal. All this, my insiders say, as she prepares to round up the votes to replace Romero.

One lawmaker told me: "If (Senate Republican Leader Stuart) Ingle is smart he will do the deal with Linda." He points to her independent streak and her abandonment of Manny Aragon when he needed her vote to stay as pro tem, only to fall to Romero.

There are many other names circulating for the Pro Tem job. But I have highlighted Lopez because she is the one Democrat it seems the R's could accept. They like her because she has stood up to Big Bill publicly. In fact, she has been tougher on him than many of the R's. The Senate is not brimming with impressive pro tem candidates. It could come down to who wants it the most. So far, the insiders say, that's the maverick Linda Lopez. But the alligators in the ABQ Valley are lying in wait for Linda. She apparently will have a Dem primary opponent which she should easily overcome. But as her campaign for senate power picks up speed, look for the allies of Manny & Big Bill to turn up the heat.

READING THE MANNY TEA LEAVES

Speaking of Manny, one of my sources at the Roundhouse thinks he is giving more signs of getting ready to hit the exits. "It was overlooked, but at the end of the session the senate had a nice little ceremony praising Manny just like the one they had for Richard Romero, who is retiring. Manny also did not fight Bill one iota, even giving him support on the food tax repeal which he has opposed for decades," declared our deep insider. Our source thinks this spells continued lobbying by Manny for the presidency of NM Highlands University. He could be right. But we might point out that Manny gets praised at the end of almost every session by colleagues hoping to curry favor with the legislative powerhouse for the next session. Still, it's an open secret now that Manny wants that big plum of a job.

DUST-UP IN CARLSBAD

SEN. KIDD
We've got a great race shaping up for the state senate down in Carlsbad. The GOP's Don Kidd is giving up his seat after three terms and two Dems and three R's are now vying to replace Kidd, a high-school dropout who went on to become president of the major bank in Carlsbad, a president of the NM State University Board of Regents and a salt-of-the-earth legislator who won respect from both sides of the aisle. But the 66 year old says it's time to step aside. In my conversation with the retiring senator, Kidd did not explicitly endorse anyone but he spoke very highly of the GOP's Mark Schinnerer, who is an administrator at the Lakeview Christian Nursing Home and was introducing himself in Santa Fe during the session.

The Kidd district is Eddy and Otero counties. It's almost evenly divided between the D's and the R's, and Kidd says it is a true swing district. "It still leans Republican, but the candidate will have to work it hard." Eddy County Commissioner Lucky Briggs and Vernon Asbill, a retired Carlsbad school superintendent, are the other R's vying for the seat. The Dems are Jeff Diamond, a local attorney and city councilman and Steve West, a school teacher and chair of the Eddy County Demo Party.

The Carlsbad Current-Argus takes an in-depth look at Kidd's political career.

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Ralph Nader wasted no time in striking back against Governor Bill who accuses the independent Prez candidate of running because of his "ego." But Nader, widely blamed by the Dems for throwing the Prez race to Bush in 00', lashed back with a fury in an appearance on CNN late Monday when asked about Richardson's ego statement. "That's because they have no other argument. You see, that's name-calling, like Governor Bill Richardson, who is a chronic speedster in his car as governor. He violates speed laws. He's probably a little irritated that I pointed that out," snapped Nader.

Consumer and safety advocate Nader took after Bill when it was disclosed last year that the Guv was traveling NM's highways at an alarming 110 mph. Now, Nader says Bill is paying him back. This is Ralph's third Prez bid and the Dems are in a tizzy believing he could again cost them the White House which Nader says is "corporate occupied" territory. The big question now is whether Nader can get the 18,000 petition signatures he needs by September 7 to get on the NM ballot. Steve Cabiedes, a petition collection specialist and longtime Green Party member, says Nader "has plenty of time" and "will get help from some Greens" insuring he will make the cut.

Unanswered questions include whether Republicans will help Nader make the ballot here and elsewhere and whether Dems will put up a fight by challenging Nader's petition signatures.

Nader's run complicates things for the Greens, under whose banner Nader ran four years ago when he garnered four percent of the NM vote which Al Gore ultimately won by just over 350 votes. The Greens have David Cobb running this time, which means New Mexicans are likely to see two liberal alternatives on their ballots. Cobb needs to get five per cent of the vote here if the Greens are to retain their "major party" status. That grows increasingly unlikely with Nader vying for the same votes as Cobb. Notable NM Green Carol Miller is one you can expect carrying the Nader banner here, despite it's possible harm to her party's own contender. She has been a longtime Nader supporter.

One top level NM Dem strategist emails in with more analysis: "Ralph's candidacy is a dagger in the Green heart. And that's not just a New Mexico phenomena. Undoubtedly, Green Party ballot status will be jeopardized in other states as well. Moreover, their ability to meet the threshold for federal matching funds goes out the window for the next cycle too."

Cabiedes puts Nader's base vote in NM at 2 percent, or about 10,000 votes. Nader picked up 21,000 ballots in NM in 2000. But it's Nader's impact on the Dems and their hopes of unseating Bush that remains the big issue. And Big Bill's personal tongue-lashing of the new Prez hopeful might only harden his position on staying in the race until the bitter end. Folks at home may quiver when Big Bill speaks, but it's different on the national level where guys like Nader have been playing this game for 40 years and are more than willing to return fire and then some.

MAYORAL RUN-OFF'S COULD COME BACK

Well, our accuracy record is pretty solid here, but once in a while we drop the ball. And that's what we did today when our early morning readers read our item saying municipal run-off elections would not be brought back to NM anytime soon. Top New Mexico lobbyist Scott Scanland was quick to notice and reports that a constitutional amendment allowing cities, such as ABQ, to conduct run-off's between the two top finishers for mayor and council will indeed be on the November ballot for voters to decide. Scott says the amendment, if passed, would give city councils around NM the option of going to the run-off system. If passed by voters and approved by the city council, the 2005 ABQ mayoral election would feature a run-off. Under the old system that was struck down, a candidate would have to get 40 percent of the vote to avoid a run-off election. It will be up to each municipality to decide what the threshold will be for an outright winner. Suffice it to say there are a lot of angles to this one, and we apologize for our earlier erroneous report.

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Judy Woodward
She may be well into her 70's and owner of a controversial public record, but that apparently isn’t stopping former Bernalillo County Clerk Judy Woodward from running yet another campaign. She's telling friends that she's looking at the Bernalillo County Commission seat being vacated by Tom Rutherford. Judy's name became known far and wide in the 90's when election mishap after election mishap piled up during her eight year tenure. Despite problems counting the votes in her first term, she was handily re-elected in 96’, only to preside over another set of vote tallying problems in 2000 when computer snafus and missing ballots delayed the final vote count for days. Because the Prez race was so close Woodward and then county elections bureau chief Robert Lucero found themselves featured in the national media. (Robert is now an elected member of the ABQ School Board).

If Judy does seek the June 1 Democratic nomination for the commission seat she will join flood board member Danny Hernandez and Deanna Archuleta-Loesser, a UNM sociology instructor, who has signed up Eli Lee's liberal consulting group Soltari. Bianca Ortiz-Wertheim was also being mentioned as another possible for the Rutherford seat, but she took a job with Big Bill and will not make the race. Woodward has over three decades of service to the Dem Party but this campaign would surely be a tough test. Hernandez is concerned that he and Loesser could divide up the liberal vote in the SE Heights district, and he is redoubling his efforts.

FIRST PUNCH THROWN TO REPLACE ROMERO

Meanwhile, another Dem Party old timer who is also trying to get back in the game, Adele Baca-Hundley, is already drawing fire from opponent Jerry Ortiz y Pino. Hundley and Pino are squaring off for the Dem nomination for the Downtown/Barelas state senate seat being vacated by Richard Romero. In an indirect slap at Hundley, Pino says in his campaign lit that "he isn't just another recycled politician." Baca-Hundley is a former state legislator and ABQ city councilor who, like Woodward, counts over three decades of political involvement. Ortiz y Pino, A Santa Fe native and former department director for ex-ABQ Mayor Baca, also had a short-lived stint in state government under Big Bill. He is unabashedly liberal. Attorney Reggie Garcia, a friend of former House Speaker Sanchez, has also been gathering petition signatures for the seat. And there are rumblings of another well-know Dem contender getting in the fight, but nothing firm yet.

Meanwhile, Romero, coming off a solid performance in his final legislative session, is also using Eli Lee's liberal Soltari group to help him sew up the Dem nomination for the right to take on Congresswoman Heather in the General Election. He will debate his two opponents, Dr. Miles Nelson and former DEA agent Eli Chavez, at the TV-I Montoya campus tonight.

THEY WRITE: "BILL IS NO GARY."

Last week I wrote (see Feb. 20) that there were similarities in the governing styles of Big Bill and former Guv Gary. I received several comments, including one from my occasional and anonymous insider commentator, "N.E. Mann." Here’s his entertaining summary.

"Eight years of Gary fighting wars created an interesting situation. The legislative work ethic went to hell. Legislators went thru the motions, but likely as not, hard work got vetoed. So, like kids, they found themselves with down time while mom and dad fought.

Now, with a new sheriff in town, it's time to go back to work and - whoa! - we're out of shape! And there will be a certain amount of mumbling and chaos while everyone starts getting after the gridlock flab. Meantime, Bill is running around like Richard Simmons on speed making them nuts by demanding that things get done. This will pass and all will be well.

Meanwhile, we have grownups who chose the political life acting shocked - yes, shocked - that the governor hollers at them instead of holding hands. It's enough that there is no law against legislators' relatives being paid lobbyists, but to cry, "he was mean to us" when a full-grown governor takes strong exception is a bit much. That's part of the deal. Near as I can tell, grown ups argue. They're supposed to draw the line at hitting each other.

Being shocked at being hollered at and that a session finds people in adversarial positions is akin to being shocked that rock stars like attention, that fraternity guys know what beer is and that movie writers prefer violence to philosophical exploration."

Thanks for the witty insight, Mr. Mann. Maybe we can set up a wrestling match between Bengie Regensberg and Big Bill to settle this thing once and for all.

Meanwhile, I welcome reader comments and story tips, anonymous and otherwise, so keep em' coming.

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