Susana Martinez is starting to show some flexibility, moving to the middle on the critical issue of education and signaling that while she is still primarily a conservative candidate, she is not bereft of political pragmatism.

It's been a question all summer: would the Dona Ana County DA stay pinned closely to the right, or would she start throwing bones to the middle where New Mexican gubernatorial elections are traditionally decided?

With her pledge not to cut public school spending and now her switch on the issue of school vouchers (like Diane Denish she is not going to support them) Martinez seems to be recognizing that she is trailing by double-digits among female voters with whom the education issue especially resonates. If she can start cutting that leg out from under Di, she can make an upward move. First the news quotes then the analysis:

The public school budget:

Both candidates said they support higher pay for teachers but only if salaries were linked to student performance. Neither would allow education cuts in the state budget.

Now the vouchers:

Martinez said she would not support school vouchers in the traditional sense, which are promoted in the Florida system, but she would be willing to give tax credits to businesses that donate money to private school scholarship programs.

Denish said there are already plenty of philanthropic organizations that provide scholarships, and the state's money should remain with public schools and charter schools in the system.

To make her move to the middle Martinez has had to abandon the views of the GOP legislative leadership and her own Republican Party.

The Republican legislative leadership is calling for across-the-board cuts in state education spending to bring the budget into balance. But Denish--and now Martinez--wants public schools spared from the budget knife.

In the last session of the Legislature, the schools were nicked with a small cut, but other agencies suffered more as Big Bill and the Dems worked to spare the public schools from the worst pain. But now Richardson appears ready to go for an across-the-board cut in all state agencies, including public education.

Public schools may be subjected as soon as September to a three percent cut, a reduction State Senate GOP leader Ingle says must be done--but not R Martinez. From an Ingle news release earlier this year:

Nobody likes having to do this, but we have to remember there had been very large increases to education and teacher salaries in recent years.

Senator Ingle is proposing an amendment to the House’s budget will that would save the state $300 million in costs by reducing state spending across the board by 5.7%.

Martinez's hands-off approach to the school budget and her newly found opposition to vouchers could temper some of the fiercest criticism of her candidacy and provide her a gateway to moderate, undecided voters she probably needs to win.

POLITICAL IMPACT

Political pros see the move favorably. They think the Martinez camp may have become too much of a one trick pony--all corruption all the time.

University of New Mexico poly sci professor Lonna Atkeson is among the doubting Thomases, saying:

The economy is so much more important than unsubstantiated claims of corruption. I think you need something more specific...

But Martinez has not come with any specific corruption charges on Denish (no, $794 in office Xmas cards don't count and neither does hopping an occasional ride on the state jet). The GOP rant against corruption taps into generalized voter angst and moves Martinez forward with her base voters, but it is in the economy and education--the meat and potatoes issues--where the real gravy awaits.

Martinez's media message is still portraying a right-wing and anger based candidacy. But it would seem only a matter of time before the new Martinez mantras make their way onto the airwaves--if she truly wants to win.

THE NEW POSITION

The Denish camp isn't asleep at the switch, and they can see Susana's switcheroo clearly as a red caboose coming down the track. Di came with this statement:

When it comes to funding our public schools, the choice couldn't be clearer. While I have pledged to fully fund our public schools and make them stronger, Susana Martinez wants to take money out of our public schools and give it to wealthy private schools. As much as Susana Martinez would like to abandon this unpopular position less than three months before the election, New Mexico’s parents, teachers and students won’t be fooled.

At an Otero County Republican forum in April, Martinez said: “...School choice is very important--parents having a say in whether or not they’re going to have their child attend the local school that may be failing their child--or if they get to receive a tax credit (or) voucher--whatever it is that child should have in order to select a charter school (or) a Christian school...whatever kind of school that parent decides...

Martinez will have to take that hit, move on and start cultivating votes with her new and more moderate position on education.

Now what about the economy, Susana? Any flips for us there?