Let's start with some Fourth of July political fireworks. They come courtesy of Darren White, the former ABQ public safety chief who was the 2008 GOP nominee for the ABQ congressional seat. Rather than wishing 2012 GOP congressional hopeful Janice Arnold-Jones his best wishes, White comes with some flame throwing via his Twitter account:

"Only hours away to the FEC 2nd quarter fundraising deadline. If Janice Arnold Jones doesn't put up big numbers, her campaign will flatline."

That Federal Election Commission June 30 deadline has come and gone and the amounts candidates raised will be revealed in the next couple of weeks. Janice is not expected to do well, and that is apparently just fine with White.

What's really going on here? Well, the top sources in New Mexican Republican Party politics tell me there appears to be a move afoot to launch an early congressional campaign for ABQ GOP State Rep. Nate Gentry. The move being that top R donors are told to bypass Janice and save their cash for Gentry who they hope to run against Michelle Lujan Grisham in 2014. She is this year's Democratic nominee and is the favorite to take the seat in November.

So what's Janice to do? Well, she could tell GOP US Senate nominee Heather Wilson that it would be to their mutual benefit to work together and try to take the seat this fall and forget about 2014 until 2014.

Arnold-Jones ran against Governor Martinez for the 2010 GOP Guv nomination, but has a reputation as an independent Republican. For example, she parted company with White on the death penalty when she opposed it. Insiders say Janice's campaign is also being starved of cash by Republicans because of that independent streak. Actually, that character trait might make for a pretty good congresswoman, but the wing of the GOP that houses White and company appear determined to stop her from trying it out on Capitol Hill.

NO BEAR HOLIDAY

The bear market in ABQ takes no holiday break. The latest layoff news, coming on the heels of 250 lost jobs at Schott Solar:

Lovelace Health System said it is laying off approximately 80 of its 4,000 employees. The company, which is owned by Ardent Health Services  of Nashville, Tenn., issued a four-sentence statement saying the layoffs were part of a regular review of its operation. As of July 1, the Lovelace system lost 19,000 patients in the four-county Albuquerque area, the result of Connecticut-based Cigna Corp.’s decision to cancel a contract with Lovelace to treat Cigna’s patients at Lovelace facilities. Cigna instead signed a contract with Presbyterian Healthcare Service to treat Cigna members at Presbyterian facilities.

NEW FACES

From the state GOP:

The Republican Party of New Mexico welcomes new Executive Director, Mark Knoop and Communications Director, Jamie Dickerman. Additionally, New Mexico Victory has added Director, Iris Wilbur; Hispanic Outreach Coordinator, Paulo Sibaja; and Communications Director, Clay Sutton. 

BOOK CORNER

New Mexico's Martha Burk comes with some summer reading for the political junkies. It's titled:   

Your Voice Your Vote: The Savvy Woman's Guide to Power, Politics, and the Change We Need 

“Whether you're a young woman worried about your future options, an employed woman fighting to break the glass ceiling, a mom out of the paid workforce, a retired women struggling to make ends meet, or a feminist activist trying to change the world, this book has the information you need.”  - Eleanor Smeal, Publisher, Ms. Magazine

Burk's book can be found at Amazon.com

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