Rep. Wilson
It is Heather the Hawk in the ABQ GOP Congresswoman's most recent statement on the problem-ridden Iraq war. She continues to equate the war with the fight against terrorism. "If they weren't blowing them up in Amman, they would be blowing them up in America. We are much better off hunting them down there, and I have no problem at all articulating that whether it's an election year or not."

Contrast that tough talk with her recent statement posted here saying 2006 could be the year troops finally start returning home. "I expect U.S. forces to stay in Iraq through December's elections at roughly the current level. But...if political and security progress continues...American forces should be able to start being drawn down in significant numbers during the course of the next year."

Heather Hawk appeals to the conservative GOP base and Heather Dove appeals to swing voters who have had enough of the war and are looking for a way out. The life span of Heather Hawk could be limited to the time leading up to the June primary. After that, a larger pool of voters becomes engaged who have the potential to go either way.

The Iraq war is a dilemma on all fronts. In the year ahead it will continue to test the patience of the American nation and the formidable political skills of New Mexico's Heather Wilson.

HEATHER BY THE NUMBERS

It's been assumed here and elsewhere that Heather wracked up a ten point win over Dem Richard Romero in 04', but the numbers can change with the final canvass and the change in this one is worth mentioning.

While fiddling around on the secretary of state's Web site, I ran the final numbers and found that Wilson actually beat Romero by 8.9%, not ten percent. Her 2002 victory was a ten point win, but 04' was not quite the landslide that it was made out to be Election Night.

HEATHER'S LUNCH BUNCH

Heather recently had her first Capitol Hill fundraiser since learning that she would get a challenge from Dem Attorney General Patricia Madrid next year.

She hosted a lunch at La Colline, asking individuals for $500 and political action committees for $1,000. She was also one of the beneficiaries of a fundraiser that the Republican Main Street Partnership hosted in Washington. Wilson's campaign kitty contained $732,000 as of Sept. 30.

Still on the 1st CD, Dem Chris Berkheimer will not run for the Dem nomination to take on Heather, yielding to party heavy Madrid. Says Chris: "Joe, I am no longer considering a run. Instead, I will support AG Madrid. I am going to be her co-chair for veterans outreach and will informally advise her on national security and homeland security."

Berkheimer worked Homeland Security for Big Bill and is a veteran of the first Gulf war.

BIG BILL: ULTIMATE EDITOR

Big Bill continues his quest to lift the New Mexico journalistic fraternity out of poverty and into his army of spin doctors. Radio news reporter Tom Trowbridge is the latest to head for the secure embrace of state employment, setting up shop at the NM Transportation department. Tom is known statewide for anchoring the "Dateline New Mexico" broadcasts for a time and for his work at ABQ'S KUNM-89.9 FM.

Big Bill said he would work to raise the per capita income of all New Mexicans. When it comes to ex-reporters, it is a campaign promise that has been fulfilled over and over again.

E-mail me your latest political news, gossip and juicy tidbits and help keep the politics coming.

(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2005
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