MLG kept it in the family and named Democrat Shannon Pinto, the granddaughter of the late legendary Senator John Pinto, to fill his Navajo Country state senate seat. But the freshly minted senator isn't just a famous name:

Pinto, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, is an educator, having worked as both a middle school and high school math teacher in Tohatchi, New Mexico. She earned an associate’s degree in business administration from the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute and a bachelor’s in financial management from the University of New Mexico.

The Pinto district is all Dem all the time. No R's need apply. Pinto is expected to run for election to the seat in 2020.

Taos County Dems are getting ready to be energized by political populist and well-known author and commentator Jim Hightower of Texas. He'll speak in Taos Monday, July 23, giving a talk titled: “There's Nothing in the Middle of the Road but Yellow Stripes and Dead Armadillos.” That ought to get them out of their seats. Info on his appearance is here. . .

After recent intense squabbling among factions of the Dem Party ABQ Dem Congresswoman Deb Haaland had this advice:

It’d be nice if everybody would just stop tweeting for a while.

Well, a nice sentiment, but that's like asking a lowrider to buy an SUV.

GUMBO PAC

What's this? New Mexico getting outdone in the political food department? Surely it's time for the "Chile PAC?":

Gumbo PAC reported over $2.74 million cash-on-hand in filings with the Louisiana Board of Ethics. . . . The PAC, which was formed during the 2015 gubernatorial election, is poised to play a significant role supporting the re-election of Governor John Bel Edwards during this year’s campaign. “

We'll probably have to have two food PACS to compete with Louisiana--Green Chile and Red Chile.

AS SEEN ON FACEBOOK

During Arizona Governor Bruce Babbitt's bid for President he was quoted as saying "consultants know 1001 ways to make love but don't know any women."
LIGHTS OF ABQ

How could a song titled "Albuquerque" recorded in 1969 by singer Glen Campbell, who got his start in the Duke City, go unreleased? We don't know but we found this live version of the song on YouTube. It's special stuff:

. . . The lights of ABQ, jewels in the desert night. They watch over all I love, so while they burn my world's all right.

No, PNM, you can't use that in your TV ads.

Thanks for stopping by this week.

Reporting from Albuquerque, I'm Joe Monahan.

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

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2019