Leger Fernandez Hope For Rematch With 2020 Foe Gets Boost But Danger Still Lurks, Plus: MLG Soothes Oil Country But Upsets Progressives

TLF and Martinez Johnson

The prayers of Dem Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez have been half answered--she's drawn the same Republican opponent she easily dispatched in winning election to her first term to the northern congressional district in 2020. 

But the second half of that prayer has yet to be answered. Now she has to wait to see if a well-known and well-financed R is lured into the race by the district's new map that perhaps gives such a foe a better chance at an upset.

Not that Alexis Martinez Johnson, who announced her candidacy Monday, is not an earnest candidate. She is but she has shown no ability to be competitive. She lost to TLF 58.7% to 41.3% in 2020. Then she gave another poor performance when she ran for Santa Fe mayor in 2021 and won just 10 percent of the vote in a three way race. Those are not numbers that will attract the necessary national GOP money to give TLF an early retirement.

On the other hand, a candidate from oil country--parts of which are now included in the 3rd District--could be a legitimate threat. One such possible contender we've mentioned is Claire Chase from the Chase oil clan who ran unsuccessfully for the GOP nomination for the southern congressional seat against Yvette Herrell in 2020.

But Chase had to be wondering over the holidays if this congressional run is the right one. On an exceptionally good night she could take the seat, but two years later--in the 2024 presidential cycle--she'd  be back in a Republican boat facing a higher turnout and a map that still has a decisive partisan lean toward the Dems. 

The filing deadline is February 1. 

MLG'S HYDROGEN BOMBS

Speaking of oil country, MLG has been careful not to awaken that conservative sleeping giant (in terms of fund-raising ability). However, in the process she is drawing the ire of environmentalists who claim her embrace of hydrogen energy is actually a love tap for the oil and gas boys. They don't buy her argument that hydrogen is a "clean fuel" and a climate change remedy. 

This Governor is looking at a base election. The only way she can lose is if she infuriates the state's conservative base and the turnout for the election goes low. That may infuriate the Dem progressives but the prospect of  electing a GOP Governor will keep them in the stable--at least she hopes so. 

GATOR STRIKE

And how about an old fashioned Alligator strike on the oil boys? Here you go, the first of 2022:

Joe, I think it's noteworthy that an industry who constantly claims to do so much for New Mexico is using an Oklahoma firm to find a new CEO. 

That Gator speaks of the NM Oil and Gas Association's search for a new $250,000 a year president and CEO and their use of this Oklahoma-based recruiting firm to fill the job.

Hey, they had to go to the Okie firm. No New Mexico recruiters handle salaries that high.

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2022