Time for another timely and always highly anticipated edition of Reader Vox Populi. 

We start with that hot as a pistol race for state Senate District 15 in ABQ's NE Heights where Dem Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto faces a primary challenge from progressive Heather Berghmans.

Reader Barbara Gay writes:

I have worked within the Legislature for many years and had always respected Sen. Ortiz y Pino’s demeanor during the sessions. However, I was disappointed to read his post on your April 4 blog, particularly his accusations that potential donors are resorting to fabrication in trying to defeat Daniel Ivey-Soto. 

While it is true that Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto has not been found guilty of the credible claims of sexual harassment, bullying and ethics violations, he also was not found innocent and the independent investigator found probable cause to move forward. Ivey-Soto’s behaviors are the worst-kept secret in the legislature. I witnessed his bullying events in the halls of the Capitol when I was working in another legislator's office, the most offensive of which was when he was striding down the hall toward his office yelling at another legislative staffer. I also remember that during a floor session in March of 2021 he was berating and yelling at Sen. Mimi Stewart to the point that the Speaker at the time had to stop the proceedings and he walked out on the debate. I always considered Sen. Ortiz y Pino a staunch supporter of women, but by taking this stance and not supporting these women, he has now made it more difficult for women who have been attacked to come forward. I was deeply disappointed to see his comment.

Reader Paul Stokes sees it another way:

I have worked with Daniel for over fifteen years on election issues. Daniel is without peer when it comes to legislation that he introduces or needs to vote on. The legislation that he introduces is very well thought out, and from what I have seen, it addresses important issues that only Daniel has recognized and thought important enough to merit legislation. Daniel also considers legislation that has been introduced by others and that he needs to vote on to be similarly investigated and sometimes discussed in hearings. I can see how Daniel irritates his colleagues, because he not only researches and knows the issues and facts addressing them better than most, he also tends to spend more time than my be necessary on the relevant details, and that can sound know-it-all-ish. I know of no one more credible than Jerry Ortiz y Pino regarding Daniel’s tenure in the Legislature. 

SPACEPORT BLUES

Our blogging this week on the dire financial straits of Virgin Galactic and the impact that could soon have on the NM Spaceport brought in the email.  Reader Brent Eastwood in DC writes:

I just went on the Spaceport web site and there hasn't been a news release since February. The next event, a student rocketeering competition, is not until June. That leaves all of May a blank slate. Could someone explain exactly what people at Spaceport do all day? Because it appears there is nothing going on. There needs to be some form of accountability for all the taxpayer money that has been spent on this boondoggle. The people of New Mexico have been ripped off and it's really sad. I have been talking about this abysmal failure for 12 years now and nobody wants to fix it. They have told me to be patient. Well we are all sick of being patient. All the politicians pretend Spaceport is not a problem. Well it is a problem and the people should demand action and solutions because the current situation is unacceptable. 

Reader Alan Schwartz writes: 

Remember when the Spaceport was to be this fantastic tourist attraction? You can file that one with the 400 flights per year from multiple Spaceports world wide. At this point the only real expectation is that they will introduce designer going out of business flight suits. 

Dan Warren near the Spaceport in T or C comes with this:

Factors affecting their continued existence include recently being sued by Boeing for $25 million for money Virgin Galactic failed to pay them. Virgin Galactic responded by counter-suing Boeing, claiming Boeing's work for them was shoddy. 

To make things more difficult, as Virgin Galactic plans their last flight in New Mexico during the second quarter they are under a grounding order from the FAA. This happened after their January flight when an alignment pin broke off and fell to the ground. Most reports about the broken alignment pin never mentioned that the result was being grounded. Virgin Galactic will need to redesign (?) and repair the broken part and get FAA approval before they can fly the last flight of the Unity Spaceship, which is supposed to fly in the next 75 days and they said it would.  Also, I recently learned that the Spaceport is going to spend over $1 million to fix the Spaceport roof which has skylights leaking. The Reception Center is on track to be built at the Spaceport for a cost of $60 million dollars -- taxpayer dollars, not Virgin Galactic dollars.  

ANTI-PROGRESSIVE MOVE

The formation of the anti-progressive group, The NM Project, by ABQ businessman Jeff Apodaca had Arcy Baca writing:

Joe, The moderate Democrats the group is supporting voted against family medical leave! How is that helping the working poor and middle class? Yet they voted to give themselves a 50 % raise on their pensions. They were all at the trough for that bill, Democrats, Republicans, moderates, liberal and right wingers! During elections you hear the terms progressive, moderates, right wingers but once they get to the legislature they all take care themselves!

A CHANGING DISTRICT

Rep. Rehm

Michael Corwin writes of the GOP House District 31 June 4 primary in ABQ's far NE Heights. Rep. Bill Rehm is retiring and three Republicans are running in the GOP primary in what is the only House District in ABQ that has a GOP state rep:

 Hey Joe, In 2004, when I ran in that district as a Democrat in a spirited campaign against my now friend and then-Republican Greg Payne, the Democratic voting performance was only 31%. I still managed to garner 42% of the vote. And I did that despite Greg out raising and outspending me 5-1. The demographics have changed significantly since I ran. The registered Dems have closed the gap quite a bit with the GOP and the independent numbers have exploded. Democrats can win that district. But they have to put in the hard work of door to door canvassing. My campaign focused on GOP crossover votes and meeting them in person helped me to get a fair amount of them. I didn’t run again after 2004, but no Democratic candidate for the district since then ever knocked on my, or my neighbors’ doors. I would urge the Democrats to not just run someone, but run to win, Get the candidate the resources necessary to make the contacts with the voters. 

In that GOP primary the candidates are Nicole Chavez, Sarah Jane Allen and Patrick Huested. The lone Democrat running in the primary is Vicky Estrada-Bustillo.

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