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| Heinrich and Haaland |
In an interview after his remarks (to the state Legislature), Heinrich declined to address speculation about his possible interest in running for governor in 2026. “Right now, I’m focused on my reelection two years from now,” he told the Journal, referring to the 2024 election cycle. He also said Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who won reelection to a second four-year term in November, should be able to focus on her second term as governor without distractions about possible successors.
That's not ruling it out but going for it is no easy decision. Much will depend on Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland, a Dem favorite who would be the first Native American to serve as Governor, if she ran and won.
She is an almost irresistible lure to Democrats, similar to when Republicans made history by nominating Susana Martinez who became the first Hispanic woman Governor in the nation.
Friends of Haaland, 62, have signaled that she is also serious about running.
Based on discussions with veteran Dem operatives Haaland is currently seen as a hands-down favorite in a primary battle against Heinrich, 51, but the race is so far off that firm judgments are not possible.
Meanwhile, in his '24 re-election bid Heinrich appears in good shape. He is still waiting for a major Republican to announce their candidacy while the state continues to act reliably blue.
Heinrich's approval numbers have never been high but he has managed to generate enough enthusiasm to put him over the top in every campaign he has waged for the US House and Senate. Also, his last GOP senate opponent--Mick Rich ---was not first tier and lacked national backing.
Our Alligators continue to report periodically that Heinrich is not very happy with his senate job and that is motivator for him to look at the Guv race. But he is accumulating important seniority on the Hill and will get more if he wins next year. That and the risky bet that he could beat Haaland--should she signal a run--could have him reject a run for the Roundhouse
Sen. Heinrich and Reps Teresa Leger Fernandez and Gabe Vasquez gave speeches to a joint session of the Legislature Monday. Video is here.
TEARS OF THANKS
Sen. Ben Ray Lujan gave a moving speech recently to the International Stroke Conference as he observed the first anniversary of his own stroke on January 27, 2022.
Although he has previously spoke of the perilous night when he was felled, this speech is the first time we have seen and heard him publicly go into deep detail. It is quite a gripping account and had the 50 year old lawmaker moved to tears several times. He noted that in the senate his colleagues John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland have also suffered strokes.
The NYT came with this report on Fetterman's recent hospitalization and Lujan's ongoing support of him.
OVERTIME SOLUTION?
Joe,
The overtime situation has been completely mismanaged for years at AFR. This last Chief just let it get even worse. The problem has been there since at least Fire Chief David Downey was appointed in 2014.
The chiefs bring in their buddies for cushy support division positions. To make matters worse, many of these individuals are paramedics taken from the field positions they were sent to school for perform.
To make matters even worse, they are paid "skill pay" for a skill they are not performing when they are in a support division.
On top of that, when they work overtime from a support division, they will work at about a 40% higher hourly rate than paramedics who are assigned to the field. That's because the support divisions make a higher hourly rate because they work 40 hour work weeks as opposed to the 56 hours that are worked by field personnel.
Both these hourly rates will work out to the same weekly pay. For a 40 hour person to make equal to a field worker, their hourly rate is higher. This part of it is reasonable, it's how it's been manipulated to increase overtime that is not.
Many of these support paramedics claim they are unable to perform their field duties as paramedics in order to get into the scam overtime positions. Once there they are miraculously cured and able to work overtime. It's so unfair because these support positions provide the opportunity for all who work there to get evenings, weekends and holidays off, while the field personnel work all these times regardless: that's their job.
Easy solutions:
1. Send all trained paramedics back to the field to fill open paramedic positions. These positions are where most of the overtime is being worked anyway.
2. Those who can not or will not go back to the field should have their paramedic "skill pay" taken away since they are not utilizing these skills.
3. If support personnel are to work overtime in field, they should be working it at the field rate not the support rate. This has been extremely unfair to field personnel who see this happening.
The services provided by AFD are necessary and the firefighters are truly heroes, just like the police officers. It's the abuses that the Chiefs allow and those willing to take advantage of it that make their respective departments look bad, Joe. Put some pressure on the abusers, but don't hit the rest of the public servants too hard. Overtime is necessary, it's the abuse that needs to stop.
If our informed reader can come up with a reform plan, can't new AFD Chief Emily Jaramillo, Chief Administrative Officer Lawrence Rael and Mayor Keller come up with one? And where are city council critics Dan Lewis and Louie Sanchez? Just asking. . .
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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2023
(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2023