Democracy for New Mexico

New NM Dem Voter Registrations More Than Double Those of GOP

The Democratic Party of New Mexico has announced that 51,938 New Mexicans have registered to vote since January of this year, according to the New Mexico Secretary of State. Of those, 27,207 registered as Democrats, while only 12,926 registered as Republicans. So far this year, new Dem voters outnumber new GOP voters by more than two to one. In addition, 11,805 registered as Independents.

In a statement, the DPNM expressed excitement about welcome more and more registered Democrats to the party. They said that the impact of an Obama candidacy, the Udall for Senate campaign's work to mobilize Democrats early on and the excitement around the Teague, Heinrich and Lujan campaigns have energized activism among life-long Democrats, Independents, new voters and even disheartened Republicans looking to this election as an opportunity to bring change to Washington. 

"With more and more Democrats registering to vote, we are confident that this year New Mexico will turn Blue," said Brian S. Colón, DPNM Chair. "Democrats are on the right side of the issues and represent the values of New Mexicans. Not only are we registering more and more voters, but record interest in volunteering has energized all the Democratic campaigns here in the state."

The high voter registration number is just one way to measure the amount of enthusiasm that these campaigns are fostering, and we're not even close to Labor Day. With the Obama campaign continuing to register voters across New Mexico and competitive Congressional races reaching out to new voters all over the state, Dems hope to leave an important mark on New Mexico's political landscape for elections to come.

Technorati Tags:

NM-02: Gov. Richardson to Host Fundraiser for Teague

According to a campaign email, Gov. Richardson will be campaigning for NM-02 Congressional candidate Harry Teague. He'll host a fundraiser on Tuesday, July 15 from 5:30-7:00 PM. For more information on the event, or to RSVP, call Vivek Gopalan at (575) 649-4180, or send him an e-mail at vivek@harryteagueforcongress08.com.

New Headquarters: Teague's campaign headquarters in Las Cruces has moved and is now centrally located in the old "Poplar" building in Downtown Las Cruces, at 139 N. Main. Their phone number remains (575) 993-5197.

Please consider helping turn New Mexico's Second Congressional District Blue, either by volunteering a few hours of your time. Or Visit our True Blue New Mexico page and contribute any amount you can afford.

NM-Sen: Udall Reports $2.1M in Fundraising for Quarter

Rep. Tom Udall's campaign for U.S. Senate in New Mexico announced today that he raised more than $2.1 million this fundraising quarter. Udall has consistently been the top fundraiser in New Mexico’s Senate campaign. In each of the finance reporting periods during the primary election, Udall outraised both of his potential GOP opponents combined.

Udall's fundraising success is reflected in his alternating series of four TV ads that are currently on the air. Steve Pearce, his GOP opponent, has yet to air a TV ad. You can see Udall's latest ad, "Tragedy," at his campaign website -- another in a series stressing that Udall is dedicated to "doing what's right for New Mexico."

Udall's website also has photos from his travels around New Mexico during the 4th of July weekend. Tom talks about what he learned from constituents during his holiday trip home during an interview (audio) today on NPR. The portion with Udall starts at about 4:22.

In campaign release, Udall Campaign Manager Amanda Cooper said, “We are so grateful to Tom’s strong, statewide base of committed supporters for making this our best fundraising quarter so far. Because of their generous support our campaign is able to knock on thousands of doors, have a strong statewide presence, and dominate the airwaves with hard-hitting TV ads. Together, we’re making sure that Tom Udall’s stong record of accomplishment and doing what’s right for the people of New Mexico resonates throughout the state.”

Technorati Tags:

Join Sen. Ortiz y Pino at Working Families Win Timeraiser

Join State Senator Jerry Ortiz y Pino, who'll give the keynote speech, and Working Families Win New Mexico for a Timeraiser on Tuesday, July 15th, from 6:00-8:00 PM at O'Niell's Irish Pub, 4310 Central SE in Albuquerque. Help Working Families' kick-off their nonprofit, nonpartisan economic issue campaign by donating your time. Appetizers and a cash bar will be available. Democrats, Republicans, Independents, Libertarians and Greens are welcome. Click for flyer (doc).

Technorati Tags:

(Updated) McCain Town Hall Meeting Set for ABQ 7/15

Update: It didn't take much time for the event to fill up, most likely with GOP insiders who won't upset McCain's applecart. It should be like watching paint dry. Let's hope there are lots of people outside raising a peaceful ruckus though ...
***********
According to this morning's scuttlebutt, McCain will be at a town hall meeting in Albuquerque on July 15th, at the Hotel Albuquerque in Old Town. Doors will open at 8:45 AM. No word yet on whether attendees will be forced to sign a loyalty oath to the GOP ....

Later ... The event is now on McCain's campaign website, where it appears that anyone can RSVP and it says you don't have to receive a reply back to attend. Oh, too bad we'll be heading to Netroots Nation in Austin that day, but I'm sure other progressives will be standing by to greet McSame.

I guess I could go to the $1000 per person fundraiser the night before or dig deep (very deep) for the $2300 it'll cost to have a photo taken with Go Johnny Go, but I think I have to watch the grass growing that evening.

Technorati Tags:

Catching Up After the Fourth

Dem float in Capitan NM 4th of July parade*

The long Independence Day weekend has been a welcome respite from blogging and politics, but now it's time to jump back into the fray. Here are a few items to help you do just that:

Following on rumors bubbling up over the holiday weekend, the DNCC announced that Obama will give his nomination acceptance speech on the final day of the Dem Convention in Denver at Mile High stadium (er, Invesco Field), where the Broncos play. Pepsi Center, site of the Convention, holds 20,000. Mile High 75,000. All of Thursday evening's Convention events will take place at the stadium and the public will included in the festivities.

Iraqi prime minister al-Maliki is signaling he just might want to set a timetable for the withdrawal of American troops. Imagine that.

Nathan P. Small's post on Heath Haussamen responds very effectively to Jim Scarantino's claim that Rep. Steve Pearce's phony Dona Ana County public lands bill is a widely supported and effective way to protect the Organ Mountains and other natural jewels down south. But then, passing off an anti-public lands bill as being pro-public lands is something of a GOP habit.

The New York Times profiles Mark and Tom Udall and examines the pluses and minuses of their family's history of environmental activism.

Another photo from the Capitan NM 4th of July parade*

Contrary to the talking heads, Obama has Hispanic voters solidly behind him according to polling by Gallup. In June, Obama had the support of 59% compared to McCain's 29% nationally. And in data collected by Pacific Market Research and combined for the Southwestern battleground states, which include New Mexico, Obama is leading McCain 57 percent to 26 percent. Read the New Mexico Independent by Marjorie Childress for more.

An anti-worker business PAC is backing Darren White for Congress in NM-01.

U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi will appear at Netroots Nation in Austin on Saturday morning, July 19th to take questions. (You can submit your question at the link.) Our state should be well-represented at the blogger convention. Mary Ellen and I will be there, as will Matt of New Mexico FBIHOP and a number of other New Mexicans who participate at Daily Kos. Dem Congressional candidates Martin Heinrich (NM-01) and Ben Ray Luján (NM-03) will be panelists for a discussion on New Mexico: Case Study for the Interior West.

*Note: Photos sent along from Dem Ellen Wedum, who's running for the NM House in HD 59. She had this to say about the celebration in Capitan: "I was in the 4th of July parade in Capitan (which is actually 2 miles west of the border of House District 59 in Lincoln County) and both NM-02 Congressional candidate Ed Tinsley and his wife were there. Lots of Tinsley stickers around. Both HD 57 candidates, Democrat Mary Barron and Republican Dennis Kintigh, were there -- Capitan is in HD 57. My HD 59 opponent, Nora Espinoza, was not. She missed a fun parade. The Capitan main street is lined with trees and friendly people."

Meanwhile, NM-02 Dem Congressional candidate Harry Teague visited five communities during the holiday weekend.

Technorati Tags:

Sunshine is Free, Unless Exxon Buys the Sun

Hear what Vermont Senator Bernard Sanders (I) says about concentrated solar power's potential to reverse global climate warming. He told Correspondent Mark Bralley, after a Senate Hearing in Albuquerque, he believes solar power will help America break its dependence on fossil fuels and foreign oil.  Listen to Bralley's interview with Sen. Sanders and Senate Energy Chairman Jeff Bingaman on "What's the Word?" blog here. Hear some hopeful news ...

More Freedom Weekend Reading: Frank Rich on Wall-E for Prez

Frank Rich of the New York Times decides to take in a summer movie to escape the political tit for tatting, only to discover how Wall-E resonates with his mood and where we are in the scheme of things. Read it. A couple of excerpts:

For all the hyperventilation on the left about Mr. Obama's rush to the center - some warranted, some not - what's more alarming is how small-bore and defensive his campaign has become. Whether he's reaffirming his long-held belief in faith-based programs or fudging his core convictions about government snooping, he is drifting away from the leadership he promised and into the focus-group-tested calculation patented by Mark Penn in his disastrous campaign for Hillary Clinton. Mr. Obama's Wednesday address calling for renewed public service is unassailable in principle but inadequate to the daunting size of the serious American crisis at hand. The speech could have been - and has been - delivered by any candidate of either party in any election year since 1960.

... Mr. McCain should be required to see 'Wall-E' to learn just how far adrift he is from an America whose economic fears cannot be remedied by his flip-flop embrace of the Bush tax cuts (for the wealthy) and his sham gas-tax holiday (for everyone else). Mr. Obama should see it to be reminded of just how bold his vision of change had been before he settled into a front-runner's complacency. Americans should see it to appreciate just how much things are out of joint on an Independence Day when a cartoon robot evokes America's patriotic ideals with more conviction than either of the men who would be president.

More Freedom and Justice Reading for the Fourth Weekend

Former constitutional law and civil rights attorney Glenn Greenwald goes into detail on a recent court ruling that undermines the Congressional excuses for granting telecom immunity, and responds to Obama's latest statement defending his position to the more than 19,000 who have signed on at his website to urge him to vote no on FISA. Excerpt, but do read the entire Greenwald post (and his links):

A Bush-41-appointed Federal District Judge yesterday became the third judge -- out of three who have ruled on the issue -- to reject the Bush administration's claim that Article II entitles the President to override or ignore the provisions of FISA. Yesterday's decision by Judge Vaughn Walker of the Northern District of California also guts the central claims for telecom immunity and gives the lie to the excuses coming from Congress as to why the new FISA bill is some sort of important "concession." More than anything else, this decision is but the most recent demonstration that, with this new FISA bill, our political establishment is doing what it now habitually does: namely, ensuring that the political and corporate elite who break our laws on purpose are immune from consequences.

Also check out the story by Marjorie Childress at the NM Independent on FISA, Obama and the anger in the netroots-Dem base.

Pondering Democracy on Independence Day

Early 20th century 4th of July postcard. .

Happy Fourth of July weekend!

There's much I'm itching to write about, like Obama's latest statement about FISA. Or the distorted and fact-challenged posts that are showing up in certain places claiming that drilling in ANWR and our coastal waters will lower the price of gas at the pump. Or the fantasy that Steve Pearce introduced a fair consensus bill on Dona Ana wilderness preservation. Etc. But I want to get away from the computer this weekend so I'll hold off. For now.

Instead, here's some excellent reading -- on topics like the history of Independence Day, what genuine democracy entails and the value and meaning of voting -- that you may want to sample if you find yourself craving some content relevant to celebrating freedom and independence from tyranny:

• One Man, Many Voices: Native Americans’ Struggle with the First Freedom, Jes Abeita for the alibi.
• Just Democracy by Katrina Vanden Heuvel of The Nation
• by James R. Heintze, author of the Fourth of July Encyclopedia.