One And Done: Second Guv Term Sees Numerous Cabinet Chiefs Heading For The Exits; "Pretty Normal" Or "Hard To Work With? Plus: GOP House Has Upheaval Of Their Own; Harper Ghosted As Nibert Rises

Talk about understatements. Here they are fresh from the turbulent state capital where cabinet secretaries are falling like well-struck bowling pins. 

It sounds like she’s a little hard to work with.

I know the governor is a tough boss.

Those polite assessments--the first from GOP Senate Whip Craig Brandt and the second from ABQ Dem Rep. Liz Thomson--had Roundhouse wall-leaners, who are unchecked by the need to bite their tongues, chuckling at the sudden discovery that MLG is a volatile chief executive who changes personnel like George Steinbrenner changed Yankee managers.

But the way the departing parade burst forth last week finally let the public in on the inside story. Gone were Human Services Secretary David Scrase, Public Education Secretary Kurt Steinhaus, General Services Secretary John Garcia and the director of the NM Medicaid program. Their resignations came after recent goodbyes from the heads of the DFA and Indian Affairs and Veterans Services. And a resignation we red-flagged last week at the Dept. of  Homeland Security turns out to be Deputy Director Kerry Hamilton.

It was left to Senate President Pro Tem Mimi Stewart to do the clean up, saying of the turnover:

For a second term of a governor, it’s pretty normal.

Well, not quite but unless the departures are accompanied by corruption memes or bad behavior they remain on the backburner for most voters. 

So far, MLG has avoided that fate which has kept her approval rating from tumbling faster than a rockslide in the northern mountains where the signs read "Watch for Falling Rocks." The same could be said for the Roundhouse of late as the fallout from the Fourth floor rains down on the Rotunda below.

FEELING IT MOST

It's Public Ed where the rapid turnover in bosses might cause causal observers to take a second glance. Education performance is a key plank of the Dems and they are throwing more money at it than a Vegas craps junkie. 

CYFD is also a sore sport for the Guv. If she is so intent on micromanaging--which her critics call mercurial--where is she when it comes to that high profile and problematic agency? She lost her first cabinet secretary there to a scandal that was taking place right under everyone's noses and the new regime has seemingly been left to its own devices. 

Governors get a lot of rope when it comes to staffing. That's because they are ultimately held accountable for the results or lack thereof. We think Sen. Stewart would agree, however, that it's also "pretty normal" for second terms to accelerate that accountability. 

GOP UPHEAVEL 

Rep. Harper

The Republicans may relish the fleeing from Santa Fe that's grabbing  headlines but they have their own "here today, gone tomorrow" story going on.

First, in the aftermath of the election they unexpectedly dumped House Minority Leader Jim Townsend and Whip Rod Montoya, replacing them with new Minority Leader Ryan Lane and Rep. Jason Harper. But after only two weeks Harper has been ghosted.  

The House GOP Caucus (25 of the 70 member House), perhaps venting frustration over their deeper dive into irrelevancy as a result of the November balloting, gave the boot to Harper.

His mortal sin was apparently being the only member of the caucus to support a $2.5 million study to determine if the Legislature could benefit from full-time staffing and field offices. That violated Commandment #1 of the GOP:

Rep. Nibert

Thou shalt never favor larger government. Never. 

The R's turned to longtime oil and gas attorney Rep. Greg Nibert of Roswell to take the reins from Harper. He should do fine since the Second Commandant of the GOP is: 

The oil and gas industry can do no wrong. Never.

Harper was the only House GOP leader from the ABQ metro. His ouster showed the power of the party still rests in population-diminished rural New Mexico with its pockets of Republican radicalization that continue to restrain the minority party from bolting more to the mainstream. 

In the wee morning hours of Election Night it appeared that Harper had lost his seat to a Democrat. The race turned out to be tight--52-48--but he won. However that erroneous call may turn out to be prophetic. After being stripped of his whip title, Harper is a man without a tribe and the Blue creep looks ready to seep deeper into his backyard in '24. Heck, he might want to apply for a cabinet post. We hear there are a few vacancies. 

THE BOTTOM LINES 

Reader A.K. Anderson has an alternative to naming Election Day a state holiday as some Dems are proposing: 

Instead of a holiday, they should expand the 2 hours of paid leave given to employees to vote to include  early voting instead of limiting it to election day. That would be a benefit. 

Reader Janet Steel writes:

Hey Joe, What is your take on the proposed bill to change the primary system? Is it a good idea to open it up to those not affiliated with a political party? Will it pass? 

We'll take the second part first. No, it will not pass. The majority Dems are skeptical and progressives believe it would hurt their candidates. A good idea? Perhaps. But with their registration now approaching 23 percent of the electorate, the power of independent voters is not going unnoticed in policy or politics. 

Join us at 4:10 p.m. today on KKOB 96.3 FM as we kick the legislative football around with TJ Trout.

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2023