Wednesday, June 23, 2021It's Herndon In The House; Named To Fill Stansbury Seat In Unanimous BernCo Commission Vote; First Black Dem To Fill The ABQ Heights District, Plus: Once A Lizard, Always A Lizard; No Apologies From MLG For Rally Comments That Went Wrong
The Bernalillo County Commission had seven candidates to choose from to fill the unexpired portion of the state House term of Melanie Stansbury who was elected to the US House this month. They never got past Herndon. Her nomination was approved on a 4 to 0 vote with Dem Commissioner Debbie O'Malley absent. The lone Republican Commissioner, Walt Benson, joined three Dems in voting for Herndon who immediately took the oath of office. Herndon will be the first Black to represent House District 28, a onetime GOP bastion in the ABQ NE Heights. Stansbury captured it for the Dems in 2018 and was re-elected in 2020. In fact Herndon will be the first Black Democrat to represent a House district in any of the once solid GOP Heights but which has since been flipped Blue. She said: I will represent every single person in the district. I will be a strong voice. Herndon will fill out the House term that runs until the end of 2022. She is expected to stand for election for a full two year term next year. Herndon, an attorney, is currently the CEO of the KWH Law Center for Social Justice and Change, "a nonprofit law center focused on strengthening and supporting the well-being of women, families with children and communities in the South and Southwest." She is also the long-serving Secretary of the NM Democratic Party. Dem Chair Jessica Velasquez said: We are so proud to see Pamelya Herndon joining the legislature. . . She is an incredible leader, a proud Democrat, and an invaluable member of our community. We look forward to all that she will accomplish. David Montoya, a Dem Party vice-chair, said he did not believe Herndon would be vulnerable to a Republican challenge next year: She is eminently qualified and will be able to hold that seat without much trouble. The state House is controlled by the Democrats 45 to 24. There is one independent. Some establishment Dems were pushing Michelle Peacock, an Army veteran and leading nurse practitioner, as their choice. She could be a name to watch for in the future. ONCE A LIZARD. . .  Q: You did make the comments about "QAnon lizard people." Do you regret that in any way? MLG : I don't because I didn't say it in a mean way. We know that that's happened in campaigns. The tension in that moment when I came on stage was really ugly. And I wanted to make a light-hearted moment about a conspiracy theorist. I didn't call a person a name. I didn't call the protesters a name. I said, you know, this might have been the same time as a meeting of QAnon conspiracists. A spokesman for the Lizard People was unavailable for comment (but that doesn't mean they don't exist.) THE STANS That decision by new ABQ US Rep. Melanie Stansbury to forego the traditional bible while taking the oath of office and instead placing her hand on a copy of the Treaty of Guadalupe and the US Constitution, continues to draw wisecracks. Attorney Armand Huertaz writes: Or how about placing her hand on The Breathe Act?" . . . Oops, that's no longer operative. This is the home of New Mexico politics. Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here.   (c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2021 |
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