Our Blog DA Scoop: Bregman Confirms He Will Run Despite Pledge Not To; Plus: Black Hat Is Back As DA Gets Tough In Announcement Video, Also: Backstory On MLG And Sam Smoothing Things Over

DA Bregman

Our exclusive report posted Wednesday at 12:30 a.m. revealing that Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman would seek election next year, contrary to his earlier statements, appeared to quickly smoke out the DA. After not responding to our inquiry for comment, he called a news conference and confirmed that he was indeed running for election to a four year term as DA in 2024. (Full statement here.)

Bregman's not wasting time hitting the campaign trail now that he's in. He released a website and 90 second digital ad touting his service thus far and asking voters to join him because his fight against crime is "just getting started." 

He is also back with his black cowboy hat, filmed strolling thru the city like a sheriff from rural New Mexico, ensuring the DA campaign will be nothing if not entertaining. 

As for that pledge made when MLG appointed him in January that he would not run and only fill out the remainder of the term of DA Raul Torrez who was elected attorney general, he cited progress he is making in the office as the reason for the change of heart. He added that he had informed the Governor of his decision. 

When she appointed Bregman, 60, in January, MLG affirmed that he would not seek election to the job.

Bregman's decision is a mild embarrassment for the Governor. Whether she endorses Bregman in the Democratic primary is another story. However, so far he has no announced opposition. Her office said in reaction to his reversal:

Gov. Lujan Grisham wanted to. . . appoint a Bernalillo County DA (who) would be squarely focused on the work of the office and not a re-election bid.

KOAT reported Bregman registered his candidate website May 25 and registered his candidacy with the secretary of state on June 1.

BREGMAN HISTORY

It is not a given but highly likely that the winner of the June '24 Dem primary will go on to be elected in the November general election. No Republican has held the post since the last century. 

Bregman, however, does not have a winning record as a political candidate. 

In 1994 he unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for state land commissioner, losing to Ray Powell in a three way race, 60 to 25 percent. 

In 1995 he was elected to the ABQ City Council from NE Heights District 4 but lost his 1999 re-election bid to Republican Brad Winter.

In 1997 Bregman sought the ABQ mayor's office, placing fourth in a seven way initial election which was won by Jim Baca who went on to win the run-off election. 

In 2000 he ran for the Dem nomination for the ABQ congressional seat. He was defeated in a three way race with John Kelly getting 43 percent to his 34 percent. 

Bregman served as NM Democratic Party chairman in the 2014 election cycle but did not seek re-election. That year the GOP took over the state House for the first time in 60 years and Republican Gov. Susana Martinez was re-elected in a landslide.

A CHALLENGER?

Will that losing electoral history lure any challenges into the race for the Dem DA nomination? Former DA Raul Torrez did have a primary challenger when he ran in 2016 and handily defeated him but drew no primary opponent in 2020. No Republican ran in the general election. 

Alligators opine that Bregman is expected to be well-financed and note his high name ID. They think he would be most vulnerable to a Hispanic challenger who appeals to the party's progressive base. 

Progressives were quick to criticize Bregman's maiden campaign video as being over the top in presenting him as what they saw as a very conservative crime fighter. 

That Bregman may have smoothed things over with MLG was evident when Assistant District Attorney Diana Garcia, who also applied to replace Torrez and whose sister has served in MLG's cabinet, told us that she would not be running for DA next year. She even heaped praise on Bregman, saying he is doing "a very good job."

At that news conference Bregman, a trial attorney who was born in Washington, DC and is a UNM School of Law grad, cited statistics that he says show the success he has had in fighting crime in his first six months on the job. He confidently opined that when it comes to crime Bernalillo County is "headed in the right direction." 

That statement was eerily reminiscent of then DA Torrez who after his first year in office called reporters together to announce that crime was on the decline. It was not to be.

MLG AND BREGMAN

A veteran Santa Fe politico adds to our blog exclusive on Bregman running again and how it may have come down with MLG:

Joe, Sam was at the May 15 memorial service for former Governor Jerry Apodaca at the Roundhouse where MLG gave a eulogy. The DA race came up in conversations among Sam and their politically active mutual friends. What I heard is that Sam checked with MLG and his wife Jackie before discussing it with potential supporters and that MLG (and Jackie) are not only agreeable, but strongly supportive of his running next year. 

We don't doubt it but next time the Guv might be more careful in publicly announcing someone else's election plans.

Meanwhile, a pat on the scaly backs of our Alligators for assisting with the DA scoop as well as their help in breaking the news out of Lea County on the scramble set off over Sen. Gay Kernan's resignation.

Happy Fourth! 

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2023