Uh Oh

Just my personal opinion:
I wonder if the state Democratic Party will ever get it on progressive candidates and politics. Although many in the top echelons of the Party are claiming to be a "progressives" now that Howard Dean is running the DNC, the same old same olds seem to be their choices when push comes to shove.

We are now hearing that the powers that be are pushing Attorney General Patricia Madrid and/or Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron as possible candidates to run against Rep. Heather Wilson in CD1 in 2006.

I guess we'll be very busy working to get a candidate from the Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party to run against one or both of these insiders in the primary for this race.

Over at Joe Monahan's site:

I interviewed with the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call (subscription) recently about the 2006 race and they threw out the names of Attorney General Patsy Madrid and Secretary of Sate Rebecca Vigil-Giron as potential Heather challengers. Both high-profile women would not rule it out, but Madrid sounded more interested, if not giddy, than Vigil. Freshman State Senator Jerry Ortiz y Pino also had his name bandied about as a possible, but political junkie Brian Sanderoff said he doubts Pino will get in.

From the website of the State Party:

Democrats urge AG to consider running in 2006
By James W. Brosnan, Scripps Howard News Service

WASHINGTON - Top Democrats, still angling to oust Rep. Heather Wilson in 2006, are talking to New Mexico Attorney General Patricia Madrid about launching a campaign.

State Democratic Chairman John Wertheim said Thursday he is urging Madrid to run against the Albuquerque Republican and that Madrid was in Washington, D.C., for a meeting Wednesday with the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Rep. Rahm Emmanuel, an Illinois Democrat.

Madrid, who by law must leave office next year, is reviewing her options, including a race against Wilson, and will make a decision in a few months, said Caroline Buerkle, special projects director for the attorney general.

Buerkle said Madrid's primary reason for being in Washington was the annual meeting of the National Association of Attorneys General.

Sarah Feinberg, spokeswoman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said Wilson is one of the group's top targets and "we expect a lot of Democrats to be very interested in the seat."

Wilson first won her seat in a 1998 special election, followed by a general election. Both times, she beat Democrat Phil Maloof. In 2000, she beat Democrat John Kelly. In 2002 and 2004, she beat Democrat Richard Romero.

That record has convinced Wertheim his party needs to nominate a woman.

Wertheim said Madrid would be an "extremely formidable" challenger, because she has impressive credentials and an established record.

Greg Graves, executive director of the New Mexico Republican Party, said Madrid would probably be a tougher challenger to Wilson than Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron, who also is barred from seeking re-election. But, Graves added, he's not sure Madrid can win a Democratic primary.