The tentative Senate campaign of John Sanchez is apparently about to end all together. GOP sources say the Lt. Governor is preparing to exit the contest and while one of his consultants says he won't enter the GOP race for the ABQ House seat, Republican eyes will still be watching. Filing date for the congressional races is Feb. 14.

Sanchez's Senate effort never caught fire. He loaned himself most of his campaign funds. "It was like Rick Perry's run for President. A lot of people asked him to run, but when he did he could not pull it off," said one Republican Alligator.

Also, Governor Martinez and the party hierarchy were solidly behind Heather Wilson. It was like his candidacy was killed in the crib.

Another veteran Republican told us:

A smart move for Sanchez as his campaign was going nowhere. Could have been a great candidate for GOP this fall but pissed too many people off along the way. Prob can't take the humiliation of stepping down to a Congressional race after this embarrassment. Those Texan consultants didn't earn their keep.

Sanchez's withdrawal, expected in the days ahead, is a major break for Wilson. If Sanchez had gone the distance, she risked being pounded by national conservative groups with deep pockets who consider her too moderate. Now she should have a relatively easy road to the nomination. Las Cruces day care center owner Greg Sowards reports having $600,000 in the bank, but neither the organization or support to yet pose a serious threat to Wilson who has banked $1.1 million.

If Sanchez were to enter the ABQ congressional race he would face Dan Lewis, Janice Arnold-Jones and Gary Smith. But such a late switch could also cause major divisions within the party. Still, many R's believe a Hispanic nominee would be their best bet against the Dems.

We start our Friday clips with this:

ABQ Dem Senator Dede Feldman introduced a rule change for the New Mexico State Senate which would ban the carrying of firearms on the senate floor, in the senate gallery or in the committee rooms.

Is that so they don't shoot each other?...

Also from Santa Fe, is one term enough? Apparently so for Valencia County GOP State Rep. David Chavez. A source close to him says it is "highly unlikely" that Chavez, an attorney, will seek re-election this year. That will leave the Dems with an opportunity to take it back after losing it to Chavez in 2010. The district has gotten more Dem friendly with redistricting, reports a Dem consultant.

UPDATE--Chavez emails in that he is "still in the race" and should he decide otherwise we will be among the first to know. Maybe that source moved him off the dime.

SILENT SUSANA

Governor Susana would not give an interview to the Santa Fe Reporter about her first year in office, but they went ahead and did their story without it. Why blacklist a publication just because it has a liberal point of view? Aren't you Governor of all the people? Not that Susana is the first to take it out on the ink-stained wretches. Back in the 80's, GOP Governor Garrey Carruthers refused to talk to the now defunct ABQ Tribune because he disagreed with their coverage. But the "us against them" attitude is much more of a trademark with the new breed of consultants and press flacks.

NO PICS, PLEASE

A number of readers agreed with our support of the decision of Legislative Council Director Raul Burciaga to deny the Guv's request to put pictures of foster children who are up for adoption on thew walls of the Roundhouse. Paula Tackett was Burciaga's predecessor, holding the post for 22 years. From Santa Fe, she wrote:

Joe--I wrote my first letter to the editor today after many years of not and obviously took Raul's position. Then he showed my your comments and I just wanted to write you to say "thank you " as well. Your level of rationality gives me hope. Thanks again.

And ABQ attorney Antoinette Sedillo Lopez came with this:

Hi Joe, I was curious about whether the Governor's office has obtained the appropriate releases to post pictures of foster children publicly? I think many of those children might find that having their picture on the wall of such a public building might be embarrassing. I agree with you. Raul Burciaga was correct. It is the people's building and a fantastic showcase for local artists. The only way for the building to remain free of political agendas is to "just say no" to any and all causes...

Thanks for the note, Antoinette. The photographs were put together by the Heart Gallery of New Mexico Foundation.

DI'S DEAL

I ran into former Lt. Governor Diane Denish at the coffee shop the other morning and she gave us this letter she had just sent out:

Joe: Here is what I sent out. Since then, I have changed it to include Boys, many of whom are also responding.

Ok Girls: As Woody Guthrie said in his new year's resolution #33 : Wake up and fight! Now is the time. The Susan G. Komen Foundation has joined the war on women and women's health. They have announced they will no longer fund Planned Parenthood for Breast Cancer Detection. They have caved to the pressure of those who want to forever close the doors on Planned Parenthood. Please, call or email the Local NM Chapter. info@komencnm.org or call them @ 505-265-4649.

Tell them to follow the example of our neighboring Denver who said they would buck the national office and continue to fund PP in Denver. This is not about politics, it is about women's health. Planned Parenthood NM provides hundreds of women with early detection services and funding is critical... Do this for the woman you know who has had breast cancer and survived because of early detection. Do it for the thousands who didn't survive...

UPDATE: Susan G. Komen for the Cure has reversed its decision to cut off grant money to Planned Parenthood following an intense backlash from women’s groups and the left.

CLEAN IT UP

Bernalillo County Commission Chairman Art De La Cruz reports:

Youth groups, school clubs and teams are encouraged to apply for grants of up to $500 as part of Bernalillo County’s annual South Valley Clean Up Day. The grants will be awarded to nonprofit youth groups that help remove litter during the county’s annual South Valley event on April 14. Visit www.bernco.gov/fun to access the application. Applicants can also contact the Parks and Recreation Department at 505.314.0400 or parks@bernco.gov for more information.

DISSING DENTAL

A Senior Alligator leaning against the walls at the Roundhouse says our support for building a dental school at the University of New Mexico is misplaced and is not gaining any traction:

Your idea to start a dental school is going over like a lead balloon. There are plenty of dentists in New Mexico, but not always in the places where they are needed most. The dental hygienist and dental assistant pools are growing from the graduates of UNM, CNN, and proprietary schools. Also, vans take patients to Mexico for excellent dental care at affordable prices. The people who lined up for free dental care are an argument for affordable dental care not a dental school.

Okay, Senior Gator. But it wasn't our idea to build a dental school. Senator Bingaman and Big Bill were in the fore on this one. We still support it as we don't see filling vans up with dental patients and taking them down to Juarez lives up to the promise that is American health care. And we'd like to see New Mexico kids get the chance to go to a dental school here and become part of the professional class--just as they do with our medical and law schools.

THEY SAID IT

An Arizona state senator arguing against a measure to give the film industry tax incentives:

“We should not have to pay the bribe price to get companies to come here,” he said. “Disney? Give me a break! How much money does Hannah Montana make?”

Besides, he said, New Mexico doesn’t necessarily benefit from all the filming. Take the cable show Breaking Bad, he said. The show, which is filmed there, glorifies the meth trade and narco traffickers, he said.

Hey, Senator from Arizona, be careful what you say about us. Did you forget that our Governor is packing heat?

THE BOTTOM LINES

Jay Leno:

"Well, Mitt Romney's campaign will start getting Secret Service protection this week. That's just to protect him from Newt Gingrich."

This is the home of New Mexico politics. Thanks for stopping by this week.

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2012

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