Sen. Baca

He doesn't look like a giant killer but GOP state Senator Greg Baca can rightfully claim that title. Here he is being sworn in after defeating a true legislative giant--state Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez of Belen.

 It was a whirlwind campaign for Baca who was handled by the Governor's political machine which had worked for years to oust Sanchez, the Governor's longtime arch-enemy.

When Sanchez lost it was noted by this corner and others that the new majority leader would be even more liberal than Sanchez and the Governor might have cut off her nose to spite her face. Far from it. The new leader has shown himself to be much less of a thorn in the Martinez side.

When it comes to putting Greg Baca in place and putting Michael Sanchez in his place, the word from the Fourth Floor is "no regrets."

BUILDING SOMETHING

Ye gads! We're building something for the future in New Mexico:

Construction of the new McKinnon Center for Management at the University of New Mexico’s Robert O. Anderson School of Management officially got underway. The school is constructing a new 61,000-square-foot building for 21st Century classrooms, community spaces and career planning and placement services. The $25 million building is scheduled to open in mid-2018. The project was made possible, in part, by a $5 million donation from the McKinnon family. . . Ian McKinnon, and his wife, Sonnet, an alumna of UNM Anderson, are long-time supporters of the school.

Ian McKinnon is a graduate of the ABQ Academy and made a ton of money in the investment business back east where he and his wife live. Maybe he should run for governor here and campaign on a pledge to keep building up the state even if we stay broke.

DEFENDING DAVIS

Our email has contained a number of swipes at Dem ABQ City Councilor Pat Davis who is eyeing a bid for the ABQ congressional seat. A Dem ward chair said that Davis has failed to take on Republican Mayor Berry as expected and that his support of the controversial ART project on Central Avenue makes his hopes of landing the Dem nomination for the congressional seat "delusional." A member of the Davis political team responds:

The Dem ward chair comments about Davis are off the mark. When Berry proposed privatizing law enforcement, Davis refused to let the bill go forward. And on ART, the mayor and council had already approved ART spending before Davis was elected. Until he showed up, Nob Hill businesses weren't being heard. He forced the mayor to add a new stop in the International District for working people. Also, when the mayor announced plans to ask the legislature to pre-empt local minimum wage laws, Davis launched a campaign to oppose it causing the Mayor to back off.  It says a lot that insider Dems are already taking pot shots at Pat. They know he'll be a strong candidate.

THE BOTTOM LINES

In a first draft Thursday we said Deb Haaland is the "former chair" of the state Dem Party. That won't officially happen until the new chair is elected at the end of April. And we omitted the first name of Dem BernCo Commissioner Maggie Hart Stebbins. Both women are likely candidates for the Dem US House seat being vacated by Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham who is seeking the Dem Guv nod in '18.

Thanks for stopping by this week.

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2017