It's not voter fraud New Mexico has to fret about, it's voter participation. The brouhaha over the mailing of new state voter ID cards, some containing erroneous info, but not required to vote, is overshadowing the real problem in this primary election---getting people out to vote. Never mind reviving paranoia that somehow, someone, somewhere will steal the election. Heck, you couldn't give this one away, and the candidates know it. They're scrambling for every single vote as they crisscross the state in this final weekend before Tuesday's primary election.

The two leading candidates for the most watched race this year, or at least the two who have spent the most money, Gary King and Geno Zamora, headed to areas that may prove pivotal when we count the votes Tuesday night on KANW 89.1 FM. King is preparing to head for the East side Monday to court conservative Dems and Zamora was in Navajo country--the Four Corners and McKinley County to persuade Native Americans.

One Alligator says maybe Geno read Governor Richardson's biography in which he talked about how the Navajo vote proved key to his 1982 congressional primary win which featured three Hispanic candidates and Tom Udall. Interesting. Perhaps Zamora, who fears splitting the Hispanic North with Lemuel Martinez, the third candidate in the race, could make up any deficit with a big win in Indian country.

The latest and final King poll shows him at 36%, says a campaign insider. Geno's polls shows him doubling his support in the last month, but still chasing the frontrunner. Martinez is in third. His last play is for Catholic Hispanics. He put up a TV spot quoting the Bible on how his first name, "Lemuel," originated. He does this while sitting on a log in a pond. It's either very weird or wonderful, depending your taste.

PREZ TO ARTESIA

Since we broke the story on President Bush's NM Primary Day visit we have been working to fill in the details. Several reliable sources Friday reported the Prez will make his NM visit at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center at Artesia, in SE NM. The center trains border security personnel The U.S. Mexico border and how to secure it will be the subject of his talk there. The president will fly into Roswell Tuesday. Sen. Domenici will accompany him. On June 16th Bush will campaign in ABQ for GOP Congresswoman Heather Wilson.

AUDITOR ARMIJO?
Jeff Armijo
Dem state auditor candidate Jeff Armijo is continuing to come under fire from the "progressive" wing of his party. At a forum Thursday night, a member of Armijo's family, say several who were there, more or less defended indicted ex-Treasurer Robert Vigil saying most of the things he allegedly did were motivated by the need to raise campaign cash. Armijo reports a $50 contribution from Vigil and was mentioned on FBI tapes as a Vigil political favorite.

But Armijo may lead the Dem ticket in the opposed races, say the experts. "He is tied to Vigil, but not tainted," explained one Jeff supporter. "He is also known as a standup guy with a lot of charm. He's very likeable. They say he's not a CPA , but wasn't (ex-Treasurer Michael) Montoya a CPA? Maybe voters don't feel that's too important after all," argued Jeff's admirer.

Tom Buckner of Rio Rancho, praised by the newspapers for his extensive bank auditing experience, has an MBA, but not an CPA. He is a relative NM newcomer and his campaign has not spent the kind of money to turn the tide and he has chosen not to aggressively attack Armijo. The Dem primary winner will be heavily favored in November.

DON'T FORGET MONDAY AT 5 P.M.

You are not going to want to miss our KANW 89.1 FM Election Eve Special. We'll have the stuff you can't get anywhere else with Dem State Senator James Taylor and R Senator John Ryan, plus Billy Sparks, who has seen and done it all in La Politica. Top NM Lobbyist Scott Scanland rounds out the panel. These guys even promise to throw in an "upset special" or two, so tune in Monday at 5 p.m for a full hour of primary analysis. Tuesday night on KANW we'll have continuous Election Night coverage starting at 6:30 p.m.

Thanks to Ladera Golf, Enterprise rent-a-car and the Bill Campbell Agency, Real Estate, for sponsoring this year's festivities.

(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2006
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