Republican candidates who want to take on ABQ Dem US Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham continue to line up. Now there are three.

Richard Priem, 65, is in the race. He's a former project manager for Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) who was awarded $1.88 million for blowing the whistle on the company’s billing for training first responders under grants administered by the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. Priem is a retired US Army officer. He currently works on installation security for government buildings.

Mike Frese of Corrales, who ran for the Sandoval County Commission in 2012, says is also running for the GOP nod. He's a small business owner.

Earlier, former ABQ GOP city councilor Mike McEntee announced his candidacy for the Lujan Grisham seat. She is seeking a second term and is unopposed for the Dem nomination.

Republican Vickie Perea, just appointed by the Governor to the state House to fill the vacancy left by the death of Dem Rep. Stephen Easley, says she's ready to try to keep the seat in the R column. She has announced an election bid for 2014.

For our Thursday morning readers we did not have the correct polling memo and demographics posted for the District 7 city council poll that we conducted Wednesday night. It is now correctly posted and here it is.

REPLACING KIKI

We wrote this week that G. Andres Romero, the 26 year old nephew of Ed Romero, the former US Ambassador to Spain, will seek the Dem nomination for the ABQ state House seat held by retiring Dem Rep. Kiki Saavedera. Romero will have some company. Erik Watson in the ABQ South Valley writes:

I am an implant dentist and Dental Director at Community Dental Services. I am an Army Officer and recent graduate of the Executive MBA Program at UNM. I am also a candidate for State Representative District 10 and I would very much like to speak with you about my candidacy.

Rep. Saavedra has held the seat since the 1970's. The district is heavy Dem.

DUELING WITH DURAN

Republicans this week signaled their intention to fight to keep the Secretary of State's office under the control of Dianna Duran, citing corruption in the office when the Dems controlled it. A supporter of Dem Bernalillo County Clerk Maggie Toulouse Oliver--who is seeking the Dem nomination for SOS-- comes with this response:

What mess has Duran cleaned up? Secretary Mary Herrera self imploded and Duran has used the opportunity to wage an expensive and false witch hunt against Hispanics for voter fraud that doesn't exist and attempted to purge the rolls of valid voters. Maggie's work in Bernalillo County is a model for transparent, modern and accessible elections and that's why they're afraid... 

PROBE WIDENS

The latest on the investment hanky-panky at the Bernalillo County Treasurer's office takes us to Texas:

A KRQE investigation has uncovered troubling details about a broker who has a longstanding business relationship with Padilla and Padilla’s wife. Through the years, Padilla has funneled hundreds of millions of dollars in investments to the broker, Royce O. Simpson of Houston, Tex., for dozens of trades...

The question now is if Royce drives a Rolls courtesy of Mr. and Mrs. New Mexico?

Thanks for stopping by this week. Reporting from Albuquerque, I'm Joe Monahan

This is the home of New Mexico politics.

E-mail your news and comments. (jmonahan@ix.netcom.com)

Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here.      

(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2013. Not for reproduction without permission of the author