Like the weather, the political news got overheated Monday and your go to source has you covered. The temps hit over a hundred and we nearly hit 1,000 words. Off we go. . .
The freshman lawmaker posted selfies on social media enjoying the ex-president's company, apparently at his Mar-a-Largo Florida outpost.
Herrell said of her Thursday visit with Trump, who carried her district by ten points in the 2020 election:
A truly special day spending time with President Trump! He loves the people of New Mexico and isn’t done fighting for our country and the principles we believe in!
The pics are sure to make northern and ABQ Dems more determined than ever to redraw the boundaries of Republican Herrell's district at the legislative redistricting session later this year. But Herrell isn't without cause to embrace Trump, who while winning the southern district, was getting aced by Biden elsewhere and lost NM 54 to 44.
First, Herrell doesn't need a primary challenge from the Trumpistas next year. Her meeting with him puts that potential problem to rest.
Second, Trump means campaign donations and Herrell will need plenty of those in the often competitive district.
Third, Herrell can't control what the legislature does to her district. She has to play what is her strongest hand and right now that means plenty of handshaking with the Donald.
THE NEWEST
Meanwhile, the newest member of the state's five member congressional delegation, Dem Rep. Melanie Stansbury, gave her maiden speech to the US House Monday after taking the oath of office from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Her 90 second speech and the text is here.
Video of the ceremonial swearing-in is here.
Stansbury, 42, was elected in a landslide at a June 1 special election to fill out the term of Rep. Deb Haaland who was appointed Sec. of Interior. Stansbury now represents the ABQ area First Congressional District.
In taking the ceremonial oath, Stansbury placed her hand on the US Constitution and also a copy of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, the 1848 peace treaty between the US and Mexico that put half of New Mexico under US control. Her father, James Stansbury, held them in place.
US Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Lujan, both of whom served the House, were on hand for the ceremony.
Stansbury's assigned office space is room 1421 in the Longworth House Office building (202) 225-6316. Her district office is in downtown ABQ at 100 Gold Ave. (505-346-6781).
PAC WATCH
Manny Gonzales isn't the only mayoral candidate getting some wind in his sails from the big players in the ABQ real estate biz. The PAC supporting Mayor Tim Keller also tapped into the sector in their initial round of fund-raising for the November election.
Build Back 'Burque reports raising $22,500, the lion's share of which came from the Garcia automative famous but who also are major stakeholders in downtown ABQ real estate. All told the family gave the PAC $15,000 or about two thirds of the total raised from May 4 thru June 7. Full report here.
By law the these PAC's for the candidates must operate separately from the mayoral campaigns of Sheriff Gonzales and Keller.
The city recently inked a deal with the Garcia family to lease a downtown building they own for a police substation.
We reported Monday on how the Gonzales PAC--Save Our City--raised $69,000 in their initial fundraising. We wouldn't read too much into that big beat of Keller's committee but it does show that Gonzales, while the underdog in the race, is not going to get completely rolled over in the money race.
Each candidate is expected to quality for $661,000 in public financing for their campaigns. (Keller already has).
MAKE IT THREE
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| Greg Zanetti |
That won't change with this week's entry into the race of financial consultant and retired NM National Guard Brigadier General Greg Zanetti who says:
Our economic development plan consists of casinos, weed, and personal injury attorneys. New Mexicans don’t feel safe. Crime is out of control and the potential for social unrest rises every day. Our education system is focused on politicians, bureaucrats, and administrators instead of students, parents, and teachers. We can do better and under real leadership, we will. . . We are not growing and thriving like neighboring states and that’s because. .. Michelle Lujan Grisham, has failed all of New Mexico.
As would be expected, the state Dems did not have a very warm welcome for Zanetti's campaign launch:
Zanetti would enable armed extremists and conspiracy theorists: Zanetti publicly sympathized with armed, far-right militia groups in New Mexico, like those that led the January 6 Capitol Insurrection, calling them “really nice guys.”
Zanetti would endanger religious freedom: During his unsuccessful run for Lieutenant Governor, Zanetti supported a Christian Theocracy, publicly endorsing the idea of turning New Mexico into “a theocracy with Christ at the head.”
Zanetti is smart, photogenic and more than lucid, but his name ID is limited to party insiders and his fundraising ability is an open question as it is for the two other announced GOP hopefuls--Sandoval County Commissioner Jay Block and Karen Bedonie.
Nominating Zanetti could consolidate the GOP base. He has the ability to speak to both the Trump and non-Trump wings of the party but his very conservative profile (he says neither he or his wife will be vaccinated for Covid) would not pose a threat to MLG in the Rio Grande corridor where the votes of ABQ, Santa Fe and Las Cruces are such that even a well-known and well-financed Republican nominee would have their hands full.
Still, there are now three contenders for the nomination with more likely to follow. That's something for the beleaguered GOP to be hopeful about.
Now that's monster blogging, kids. Don't try it without adult supervision.
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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2021
(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2021