Polling is going to be skimpy for this primary election.

We'll have a boatload of insider numbers floating around and we'll bring those to you but as far as public polling the ABQ Journal, according to one of the campaigns, won't come with its survey of the top races until May 27th. By then some of those will already have been defined and decided by the early voting which will make up well over half the total vote cast.

We'll see if PPP or another outfit comes with public numbers. If not we may be flying dark in the weeks ahead but that makes it all the more fun.

Gabe Gallegos is a self-described "Democratic PR guy" and writes to us of the gubernatorial contest:

Republican Steve Pearce's two TV spots thus far show one thing: he is immediately setting the main question of this race as jobs and economic development. Since the Democratic Party primary is so heated right now, there has been no central question that has been defined yet. Voters must take this question to the polls on June 5 as we nominate our candidate for Governor to take on Steve Pearce: Who will be able to face Steve Pearce's common-sense, no frills message on job growth?

Agreed, Gabe, except the statement that the Dem Guv primary has "been heated." It has not.

Dems Michelle Lujan Grisham, Joe Cervantes and Jeff Apodaca have mentioned jobs and economic growth but there's little question Pearce has had the field mostly to himself on these critical issues. If he can keep the conversation there and not on Trump and his own often hard right ideology, it will make the race for Governor more than interesting.

SUSANA'S FUTURE

All the talk of Gov. Martinez somehow snagging a top government position somewhere has come to a crashing halt as her administration sputters into its final stretch. The Governor seems quite aware of it. She told an ABQ business group this week of her plans when her governorship ends:

I will continue to be in New Mexico because this is the place I love most.

Martinez will be 59 when she leaves office at year end. She is finishing in the low 30's in popularity, similar to where her predecessor Bill Richardson ended his two terms. But with an international profile Richardson has been in demand by the media and policy makers outside of New Mexico.

BEAN COUNTER SPECIAL

Because we admire all you bean counters we present for your reading enjoyment ABQ Mayor Keller's proposed budget--line by line--for the fiscal year that begins July 1. Now don't stay up too late reading it. . .

And if you are of a mind to chime in on what attributes the new permanent ABQ police chief should have you can add your two cents worth here. However, be warned that the City Hall Alligators are saying the job has already been wired for "interim" Chief Mike Geier. Well, maybe you can tell downtown what you think about what he should be doing.

AUDITOR ACTION

Las Cruces area State Rep. Bill McCamley left the door wide open for Brian Colón when it comes to the major task facing the state auditor and Colon walks right through in his debut TV ad for the Dem nomination.

McCamley's first ad, catchy as it was with him using a sledge hammer to tear down Trump's "hateful wall" and also calling for more investment in education, never does get around to really addressing the auditor's job.

Colón spends the first half of the spot explaining how he grew up poor then pivots to the money lines:

I am running for auditor because I understand when there is waste fraud and abuse in New Mexico it has an impact on the families. . . I understand the value of money because I understand the value of investing in people .

McCamley wins the creativity contest but Colón directly states to voters what the office is and what he would do if elected. No gimmicks. The first round goes to the ABQ attorney.

JEFF'S MUNCHIES

Attention all you marijuana smokers. Here's how Dem Guv candidate and cancer survivor Jeff Apodaca satisfied his munchies back in the day. You might want to give it a try:

Apodaca ended up as one of the first medical marijuana patients in New Mexico. His own father, Gov. Jerry Apodaca, he said, had signed a law that allowed, for a limited time, research into medical uses of marijuana. Apodaca said he still remembers his first meal after smoking marijuana: corned beef hash with green chile. His grandmother had made his favorite dinner.

If Apodaca is elected he says he will propose legalizing marijuana in New Mexico. If that happens maybe they could pass out his grandma's recipe with the pot. You know, kill two birds with one stoned. Get it? Alright. . . We're outta here, kids. . . .

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2018