Haaland and Heinrich

Some say if it walks, Martin Heinrich endorses. In fact, the state's senior senator has endorsed so many candidates up and down the ballot in recent years--in defiance of previous tradition--that we nicknamed him "The First Endorser" and it has stuck. 

No wonder then that when Sen. Heinrich refused to endorse his congressional colleague Rep. Melanie Stansbury for a top leadership post on the House Natural Resources Committee jaws hit the floor. 

It prompted speculation that Heinrich is starting to weigh his congressional actions with an eye on his possible run for the Democratic nomination for Governor in 2026 as well as that year’s general election where he would want to stake out centrist positions away from the progressive path Stansbury follows. Still, his caution seems sheepish.

While the rest of the delegation--Sen. Ben Ray Lujan and Reps. Gabe Vasquez and Teresa Leger Fernandez--heartily endorsed their colleague for the ranking member position on the committee, Heinrich begged off, saying:

That brought this Alligator retort: "Wish her the best? With a dagger in her back?"

So what's going on? 

Stansbury is closely aligned with the progressive camp of Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland who, according to our reliable Alligators, is "all in" on her own run for the '26 Democratic Guv nomination. 

If that primary turns into a Heinrich-Haaland match-up, female progressives like Stansbury are expected to flock to Haaland while Heinrich would plant his flag with the rest of the party. 

Stansbury appears to be taking Heinrich's rejection personally with a source close to her saying of Heinrich's snub:

What a sad response by our Senior Senator.

Stansbury & Haaland

Heinrich's refusal to endorse Stansbury is a blow to unity for our small congressional delegation that needs to deliver for a state dominated by federal spending. 

Heinrich has readily broken with tradition to endorse Dem candidates in contested primaries in legislative and many other contests and thumbed his nose at those who disagreed. 

His refusal to endorse Stansbury has critics accusing him of hypocrisy and putting his ego and ambitions above the needs of New Mexico.

If Heinrich had already ruled out a Guv run, his decision on Stansbury would have caused only a ripple but with Haaland watching from the sidelines, he gets no rope to burn. And if neither Heinrich or Haaland blinks and gets out of the race, the prospect of a bloody and damaging Democratic primary could loom.

Haaland, who started off her term in Biden's cabinet like a deer in the headlights as she withered while facing congressional committees, has shown growth in the last year.

That was evident when she appeared for a 15 minute friendly interview on The Daily Show this month. She was much more sure-footed and informed than in the past which has to be making Heinrich's team more anxious about making the unprecedented choice to try to leave the Senate to become Governor.

The House Democratic Caucus is scheduled to vote on their ranking committee members today. Stansbury has strong opposition for the position and may or may not prevail. The Heinrich-Stansbury relationship may stay on the rocks no matter the outcome.

Then there's the possibility of Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman seeking the Dem Guv nod and splitting up votes with Heinrich. But we'll save that for another time.

This is the Home of New Mexico Politics.