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Tuesday, May 08, 2018

Campaign '18 Goes To The Early Birds Starting Today; More TV Ads Popping As Candidates Vy For Position, And: Mayor Asks For Help Naming Newborn Elephant; We Answer The Call 

Campaign '18 has been more like a dawdle than a dash but it's here. The first votes will be cast today when the state's county clerks welcome the early birds to cast ballots at their locales and also send out the first batch of absentee ballots.

In BernCo you can vote beginning today at the Clerk's Annex downtown at 1500 Lomas NW. Countywide early voting begins May 19 and Primary Election Day is June 5.

You can register to vote online and also request an absentee ballot. The Secretary of State's link to do either is here. Today is the last day to register for the June primary.

The major candidates for office are well aware of these dates and many have been running TV ads to ensure the early voters don't forget them.

In the southern congressional district Monty Newman, who is seeking the GOP nomination, comes with this bio ad. He cites border security and national defense as two key issues. He emphasizes his son's service in Iraq and says that's "why all this matters to me." But supporters of Newman's chief rival, State Rep. Yvette Herrell, say Newman relies too much on the son's service and not his own. Newman is not a military veteran.

Newman's advocates have panned Herrell over her failure to report on her state financial disclosure form all of the income her company earned. She has since amended the form. There are two other candidates in this one but it's going to be Newman and Herrell fighting to the finish line.

OFF THE WALL

What does Trump wanting to build a wall on the US-Mexico border have to do with the office of NM State Auditor? It's not readily apparent but it is the centerpiece of this ad from Dem auditor hopeful Bill McCamley. You might say it's a bit off the wall:

. . . Let’s use every tool in our toolbox to knock down Donald Trump’s hateful and wasteful wall. Speaking of walls, we invest $24 billion of our money on Wall Street. Let’s take some of that money and invest it in education for all of our kids. . . In the Trump era we need a Democratic auditor who’s going to build bridges, not walls.”

McCamley is vying for the nomination with ABQ attorney and former NM Dem Party Chairman Brian Colon. The Republican nominee will be Wayne Johnson who was appointed state auditor by the Governor to fill a vacancy.

VETS VOICE

We reported a while back that ABQ Dem US House candidate and former US Attorney Damon Martinez would be getting some third party support for his bid. That has happened as this Politico report spells out:

VoteVets is going up with a TV ad buy backing Martinez in the open seat. "Donald Trump fired New Mexico's U.S. Attorney Damon Martinez because he prosecuted corporations that pollute our environment," the ad's narrator says. "Because he cracked down on domestic violence and took assault weapons off the streets, because he fought for his fellow veterans." Watch the ad here.

Following 9/11 Martinez enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve and became a Judge Advocate.

Another third party veterans group, With Honor, is also going to weigh in with media for Martinez.

The most recent insider polling has the ABQ Dem congressional race still close between Deb Haaland and Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, with Damon Martinez also in the top tier. Pat Davis is trying to break through with a widespread ground game. One Dem consultant calls the race "a dogfight."

LIGHT GUV DOINGS

It's all about what could have been for Lt. Governor John Sanchez this election cycle but he's still managing to collect a few perks, like this one:

. . . Sanchez will receive an honorary doctorate from Western New Mexico University at the spring 2018 commencement ceremony on Friday, May 11. Sanchez has advocated for the university in countless instances and has been instrumental in seeing that Western New Mexico University’s students have resources that are often more limited in rural communities like Silver City, Western New Mexico. . .

We're still having fun tracking the hot rumors that Sanchez is in line to be appointed an ambassador by President Trump, perhaps to Panama, but we haven't heard anything firm yet.

NAME THE ELEPHANT

Mayor Keller has asked the public to help name the baby elephant born this month at the ABQ BioPark and we’re more than happy to oblige. . .

Considering that the newborn came into the world only yards from the biggest White Elephant in the history of the city, we propose that the bouncing baby boy be named ART. It's a great name and as he prospers in the decades ahead baby ART will forever be a reminder of the city's bus folly and not to repeat it. So there you have it, Mayor. If you go along with us at least one ART will be up and running.

This is the home of New Mexico politics.

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

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2018
 
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