Sandoval County Commissioner Jay Block is certain to run. We know that beacuse last month he became the first candidate to get in the race.
Greg Zanetti, a financial consultant and a Guv hopeful from long ago, is thinking about a bid.
State Rep. Rebecca Dow of T or C has publicly said she is studying the possibility.
ABQ businessman Louis Sanchez, who sought the GOP US senate nomination in '20, is another who may make the leap.
David Chavez, a well-known trial attorney and former state rep from Valencia County, is getting mentioned in some circles but nothing from him yet.
GOP Chairman Steve Pearce and former Lt. Gov. John Sanchez also hear their names circulating for the 2022 nomination run, but neither is expected to make a bid.
Mark Moores, if he gets a strong showing in the ABQ congressional race June 1, could be a Guv contender next year. Of course, if he wins the election, he won't be around to run.
It's no easy matter beating an incumbent Governor and that could be keeping the well-known R's on the bench. That and the need to raise millions of campaign loot.
No incumbent Governor--Dem or R--has been defeated since 1994. That year Democrat Bruce King was defeated by Republican Gary Johnson to become the only Governor to lose reelection since the state allowed two, consecutive four year terms. But ambition will trump the odds for one of the R's who will be the nominee. Just who that will be at this starting stage is far from clear.
ANOTHER REASON
One supposes this is a big reason that Bill McCamley, former cabinet secretary for the state Workforce Solutions Department, abruptly vacated the post and moved to Austin, Texas. It’s a damaging Legislative Finance Committee report:
Due to a mix of fraud and human error, New Mexico may have overpaid unemployment benefits by $250 million amid an unprecedented spike in jobless claims during the pandemic, according to a new legislative report. The report found the reasons for the estimated overpayments included insufficient staffing and training levels at the Department of Workforce Solutions, along with a backlog of investigations into potentially fraudulent claims. Of the estimated $250 million in overpayments, LFC estimated $133 million was the result of fraud.
Due to a mix of fraud and human error, New Mexico may have overpaid unemployment benefits by $250 million amid an unprecedented spike in jobless claims during the pandemic, according to a new legislative report. The report found the reasons for the estimated overpayments included insufficient staffing and training levels at the Department of Workforce Solutions, along with a backlog of investigations into potentially fraudulent claims. Of the estimated $250 million in overpayments, LFC estimated $133 million was the result of fraud.
McCamley took the heat because he was the guy in the kitchen at the time of the explosion but MLG is the head chef and also takes a hit. McCamley’s self-banishment to Texas seems fair punishment. The full LFC report is here.
HERRELL HEAT
We said to expect the heat to continue on southern NM GOP Congresswoman Yvette Herrell as an anticipated December legislative redistricting session nears. The latest is a digital hit ad from CHC Bold, the campaign arm of the congressional Hispanic Caucus, called "Spreading Lies":
The 30-second ad will run in both Spanish and English and will highlight Republican Rep. Yvette Herrell (NM-02) voting against certifying the 2020 election results and spreading lies that led to the January 6th insurrection that killed a police officer and injured many others.
CONGRESS WATCH
Candidates for the Albuquerque congressional special election are filing their latest money reports today. Democrat Melanie Stansbury was quick to publicize her report and with good reason. She’s expected to far surpass the fundraising of Republican rival Mark Moores. Her campaign says:
Stansbury announced a total of $1,189,122 raised from April 1 to May 12, 2021 with $524,714 cash on hand at close of the reporting period . . .Over 11,000 donors. . . made 15,232 contributions. The average grassroots donation during this period was $26.59.
THE BOTTOM LINES
We erred when we blogged in a first draft Tuesday that the ABQ area special Congressional election falls on the Monday after the Memorial Day weekend. The election is Tuesday, June 1. Memorial Day will be observed Monday, May 31. . . And last week we referenced the space exploration company Blue Orion. The name is Blue Origin.
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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2021
(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2021