Democracy for New Mexico

Tonight: Join Brian Colón and Family for a Gratitude Reception and Annual Toy Drive

Click image for larger version

REMINDER

Dear Friends, Happy Holidays! I hope this message finds you well.

I am back at work practicing law with Robles, Rael, & Anaya, PC. Thank you for your support this past year. As a token of gratitude, I hope you can join us for this holiday reception at 5:30 PM on Tuesday, December 14th, at Casa Esencia.

Please RSVP at brian@roblesrael.com and let me know if you can join us. I look forward to seeing you again soon.

With gratitude, Brian Colón

Reception Menu

• Rosemary and Sage Rubbed Turkey served with a Cranberry and Pecan Relish
• Pear and Brie Wrapped in Phyllo
• Imported and Domestic Cheese Display
• Assorted Holiday Cookies
• Hot Apple Cider

12/14: Join Brian Colon and Family for a Gratitude Reception and Annual Toy Drive

From Brian Colon:

Click image for larger version

Dear Friends, Happy Holidays! I hope this message finds you well.

I am back at work practicing law with Robles, Rael, & Anaya, PC. Thank you for your support this past year. As a token of gratitude, I hope you can join us for this holiday reception at 5:30 PM on Tuesday, December 14th at Casa Esencia.

Please RSVP at brian@roblesrael.com and let me know if you can join us. I look forward to seeing you again soon.

With gratitude, Brian

Reception Menu

• Rosemary and Sage Rubbed Turkey served with a Cranberry and Pecan Relish
• Pear and Brie Wrapped in Phyllo
• Imported and Domestic Cheese Display
• Assorted Holiday Cookies
• Hot Apple Cider

Congressman Harry Teague Rallies Student Support at NMSU

NMSU students, Teague and student reporter

Contributing writer Stephen Jones checks in with more on-the-ground coverage from Southern New Mexico.

Congressman Harry Teague rallied student support outside the Corbett Student Center at New Mexico State University on Wednesday prior to the KRWG-TV debate between Teague and his Republican challenger Steve Pearce.

“It’s important that we put Democrats back into public office,” Teague told the students who came out to meet the candidate prior to the debate. Teague outlined his Congressional record on obtaining funding to support college and university students, and his backing for education funding targeted at returning veterans. “We’ve gotten more money for higher education in this Congress than at any time since the Montgomery GI Bill in the 1950’s,” Teague said.

Teague speaks to students

“You’re going to hear from our opponent tonight that he thinks we’re putting too much money into education," Teague continued. "We think it’s important for our future that everyone who wants an education has an opportunity to go to college.” Teague did not limit his remarks to college students. “You’re also going to hear us debate tonight, not only about college education, but the importance of public education,” Teague said. “I want everyone to have a chance to get here, no matter where you’re from.”

Teague touched on a range of issues for the students, including immigration issues and the economy. “It’s very important that we don’t step back to the sort of de-regulation that got us into the mess we’re in today,” Teague said. “It’s very important that we don’t go back to the way things were, the ways which are making it so tough for so many of you to get to school, and for you and your parents to keep you here in school.”

Teague, Brian Colón, Andy Segovia; Joel Cano and Teague

“We need to keep enough Democrats in Congress to keep even tougher times from happening,” Teague said. “It looks to me like Wall Street is gearing up to run all over Main Street, and pick our pockets again. Please go vote,” Teague told the students. “It’s not just important to keep Congress. It’s going to take all of us, from the Magistrate Judge to the Governor here in New Mexico.”

Teague was joined at the NMSU event by , Democratic Candidate for Lt. Governor, Andy Segovia, Democratic candidate for Doña Ana County Assessor, and Jose “Joel” Cano, candidate for Magistrate Judge.

Aggie Brian Colón, NMSU students

“I have been all over southern New Mexico today,” said Colón, “I’ve knocked on doors all over this county, talking about how important it is to re-elect Congressman Teague and to elect Diane Denish our next Governor,” he said. “Let me tell you that there are some stark differences between us and our opponents."

"We believe that we need to continue to invest in education, because an investment in education is an investment in economic development in our state of New Mexico, Colón continued. "We have to maintain our investment, whether it is early childhood development, or post-secondary education, and to put money into first-class research and development institutions like New Mexico State University,” Colón said, adding, “and I’m proud to say there is only one ‘Aggie’ in this race for Lt. Governor, and that’s Brian Colón.”

Segovia and Cano outlined the functions of their offices and pointed out the importance of NMSU students turning out to elect Democratic candidates in less visible “down-ballot” elections, such as themselves. Segovia told the students that he would continue to count on interns from the University if elected in November. Cano told the students, “One thing you need to consider is that if any of you, or those you know should ever be involved in some sort of infractions, you will be sent to the Magistrate Court. You want somebody who is fair and knowledgeable in the office. I urge you all to get out and vote.”

Photos by Stephen Jones. Click on photos for larger versions. To see more posts by Stephen, visit our archive.

10/24: Join Brian Colón at Belen Matanza-Fundraiser-Get Together

You are cordially invited to attend a
Mantanza - Fundraiser - Get Together
for

Democratic Candidate for Lt. Governor
Sunday, October 24, 2010, 11:00 AM
53 Edmundo Road - Belen, NM 87002
Featuring Chicharrone Burritos!
Hosted by:
Jerry & Loretta Gabaldon-Sanchez, Corine Pacheco-Johnston, Steve & T. Eileen Torrez and Friends of Brian from Valencia and Bernalillo County
Click for Flyer with directions.

Tonight: Join Brian Colón at Monte's Club La Gloria Cubana for Fundraiser Soirée

, your candidate of choice for Lieutenant Governor of the Great State of New Mexico, requests your presence to share hors d’oeuvres, 3 top-shelf cigars, and some very good conversation on Friday, October 15, 2010, from 5:30 PM until 7:30 PM.

This little soirée will be held at Monte’s Club La Gloria Cubana, located in the fair city of Albuquerque, 3636 San Mateo Boulevard NE. While chatting and imbibing with your affable neighbor, forget not to remit a mere pittance of One Hundred Dollars as a Cordial Guest, or Two Hundred Fifty Dollars as an Honored Sponsor.

Fore more information, please see the invitation or visit https://www.electcolon.com/node/708

10/16: Join Brian Colón and Gary King at Early Vote Breakfast and Rally in Albuquerque

Please Join Lieutenant Governor Candidate , Attorney General Gary King and other candidates for an early vote rally and breakfast on Saturday, October 16, from 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM at the coordinated campaign office. The Coordinated Campaign Headquarters is located at 4565 San Mateo NE, Suite F34, in Albuquerque NM.

Don’t miss this opportunity to meet Lieutenant Governor Candidate Brian Colón and Attorney General Gary King. Food and refreshments will be served. If you have questions or to RSVP, call (505) 830-2811.

Brian Colón and Gary King will also be joining Senator Tom Udall and Rep. Martin Heinrich at an early vote rally on Albuquerque's Westside on October 16, at 2:00 to 4:00 PM at Twisters, located at 3240 Coors Blvd. in Albuquerque.

Early voting in expanded locations all over the state begins this Saturday. Click to find out where and when you can vote early on an or on the Secretary of State's listing.

Follow the Money: Susana 'La Tejana' Martinez Bought and Paid for By Texas Billionaire

Follow the money. Follow the money. Follow the money.

Today, the campaign released a new, hard-hitting ad featuring Lt. Governor candidate  (video above, transcript below). According to the campaign, "The ad highlights Diane Denish’s commitment to protecting New Mexico’s land and water and questions Susana Martinez's support from wealthy Texas donors."

According to me, the ad shows the Denish-Colón campaign finally beginning to take it to the streets and into Susana La Tejana's face about her often muffled Texas origins, the blobs of cash she has taken from Swiftboat liar Bob Perry and other out-of-state right-wing moneybags -- and what it would mean to New Mexico's land, water and people to have a governor "bought and paid for by a Texas billionaire," as Colón so aptly puts it.

Perry and his wife have donated $450,000 to Martinez's campaign, AS FAR AS WE KNOW. (Perry has been known to hide his cash donations during campaigns.) Texan Bob Perry also gave more than $2.5 million to the Republican Governor's Association. In turn, the RGA gave $500,000 to Susana Martinez's campaign in early September. So, one could look at this and contend that Rob Perry may well have given Susana La Tejana up to $950,000, right?

What's Under That Mask, Susana?
Yes, it's time to peel away Susana's mask of just little ol' me (with the Hispanic surname) fightin' crime in New Mexico and striving to serve la gente. It's time to uncover the real face of Susana Martinez so the people can see who she really serves -- and who backs her, and why. 

Martinez isn't getting the majority of her support from fellow New Mexicans, but from big players on the ultra-right-wing national circuit and fringe-element manipulators in Texas and elsewhere. They're giving her the majority of her cash, telling her how to talk and what to say. They're instructing her to stay out of view as much as possible so people can be misled to vote for her, not knowing the truth of who she is and who owns her.

In other words, Susana Martinez is nothing more than a puppet for the moneyed interests who got us into this mess in the first place -- the same corrupt Texans and others who brought George W. Bush and the filthy Tom DeLay to power, and helped out disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff -- for the same reasons. And it wasn't to serve ordinary people.

Another Aspect to Ponder: Redistricting
New Mexico and all the other states are up for redistricting in 2012, based on the 2010 U.S. Census. This is one big reason Republican operatives are fighting so hard to gain gubernatorial, legislative and secretary of state positions here and everywhere. They want to be in a position to manipulate the process and make sure the new districts are cut to favor right wingers, regardless of what the census figures show. Susana Martinez and SOS candidate Dianna Duran are no doubt part of this plan.

And guess who was involved in a disreputable and cut-throat plan to redistrict Texas back in 2003, which was NOT a year for regular redistricting? None other than Tom DeLay.

And who gave Tom DeLay a huge amount of money back then? Susana Martinez backer Bob Perry.

Get the picture? I wonder if most New Mexicans like the idea of a cabal from Texas buying its way into controlling the redistricting process right here in the Land of Enchantment. We've got to let people know that's exactly what will happen if Susana La Tejana squeaks in.

“In November, voters have a clear choice. Diane Denish and Brian Colón are committed to fighting to protect our precious land and water resources,” said Denish’s spokesman Chris Cervini in a statement released today. “On the other hand, Susana Martinez is on the side of powerful, out-of-state corporations who will take advantage of New Mexico families and pollute our land and water.”

Make no mistake about it -- they'll take advantage of a lot more, too.

Transcript: It's About Our Future:

This election is not just about our history and our culture, but it’s also about the future of our state.

It’s going to be about who protects our water, and our land.

We know that Susana Martinez is from Texas. We know she’s bought and paid for by a Texas billionaire.

Susana es una Tejana.

We also know Diane Denish, she’s from New Mexico and she’s of New Mexico.

With a Denish/ Colón ticket, you have a team that cares about our state, our history, our culture and our families.

Politico: Denish Within Striking Distance Only 3 Points Down With Martinez's Negatives on the Rise in New Poll

Great news for the Denish-Colón campaign -- and every New Mexican who wants to see us continue to move forward, not back. New polling shows the more voters learn about Republican Susana Martinez, the less they like her. A new Greenberg Quinlan Rosner poll, released today, shows Martinez’s lead over has dwindled to a mere 3 points, down from 5 points in mid-September. Meanwhile, Martinez has seen her favorable ratings tank from 42 percent positive to 42 percent NEGATIVE.

According to Politico's Morning Score:

In the New Mexico governor’s race, Lt. Gov. Diane Denish is now within striking distance of Republican Susana Martinez, as Martinez’s negatives have crept into the red. Denish is now three points back from Martinez in her campaign tracking, whereas she was five points behind in mid-September. The Greenberg Quinlan Rosner poll shows that Martinez’s favorability numbers have gone from 42 percent positive, 31 percent negative in August to 39 percent positive, 42 percent negative now. The pollster noted: “In this political environment where the normal Democratic advantage is muted, we will need extra firepower in paid communications and turnout to push ourselves over the top.”

The polling memo has this to say:

In the race for Governor, Democrat Diane Denish has moved within the margin error of Republican Susana Martinez, with Martinez leading 49 – 46 percent. The survey of 602 likely voters conducted September 30th – October 4th contains a margin of error of +/- 4.0 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level ... Denish has gained momentum and is now in striking distance of Martinez. [emphasis added]

... Denish’s gains come amid rising concerns about Martinez. The percentage of voters viewing Martinez unfavorably has increased 6 points since mid-September and 11 points since mid- August.

... After months of blistering attacks, Denish and Martinez now have almost identical standing (Denish 39-43 favorable-unfavorable, Martinez 39-42 favorable-unfavorable). But while Denish’s standing is static, Martinez’ negatives are on the rise.

You know what this means? The candidates in this race are now neck and neck -- it's Denish who's picking up steam.

And that's before President Clinton's rally on the Espanola Plaza on October 14th, and the televised debates on October 17th and 21st, when more of the public can finally see Susana La Tejana in action and coming across like an uninformed, mean-spirited, poorly prepared prosecuting attorney badgering a witness without cause. Remember, as the latest polling shows, them more people see Susana, the more they come to a negative opinion about her suitability for running the great state of New Mexico.

And that's before the campaign's all-out GOTV effort is fully underway. If Democrats vote, Democrats win, so NOW is the time to become a part of the vital, on-the-ground action to make sure our next Governor and Lt. Governor will be Diane Denish and Brian Colón. All Democrat are urged to volunteer as many hours as possible between now and election day to phone bank, knock on doors and help with other campaign tasks. Early voting has now begun at County Clerk offices around the state, so time is of the essence.

and sign up for some shifts. Diane has offices in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Las Cruces, Rio Rancho, Los Lunas and Las Vegas. As we move into the final stretch of this election, the Denish-Colón ticket is the one with the big mo -- make sure that momentum just keeps growing.

Photo by Stephen Jones.

10/10: Join Brian Colón and Family for 7th Annual Balloon Fiesta Brunch

From Brian Colón:
Please join us for our 7th Annual Balloon Fiesta Brunch -- this Sunday from 6:00 AM to Noon. We will have great views, lots of hot coffee, hot cocoa, mimosas and breakfast burritos, but most especially and by popular demand -- Aleli’s homemade GREEN CHILE STEW. Families are most welcome! Rafael will host a jumper for the children!

At Casa Colón, 1101 Diamondback Dr. NE in Albuquerque. For more information, please check out the invitation or visit https://www.electcolon.com/node/706.

Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter Endorses Denish-Colón for New Mexico Governor and Lt. Governor

The Rio Grande Chapter of the Sierra Club has announced that it has endorsed Lt. Governor for New Mexico Governor and for New Mexico Lieutenant Governor in the general election. The organization released the following statement about its endorsement:

Lt. Governor Diane Denish believes that protecting our environment is crucial to the health and well being of the state’s citizens, and she has supported environmental protection policies throughout her eight years at Lieutenant Governor, such as support of the Bad Actor Bill, support for the protection of the Otero Mesa, and creation of a Green Mortgage Program to help finance affordable and energy efficient housing.

The contrast between her stand on global warming and that of her opponent could not be greater. Denish believes “there is no question that global warming is occurring.” Susana Martinez, on the other hand, is in denial about the grave threat facing our children: She contradicted every major scientific organization by falsely claiming "there is disagreement in the science community concerning the causes of global warming.” [emphasis added]

The Lt. Governor supports “incentives to encourage more use of energy-efficient technologies in building and manufacturing as well as a commitment to increasing the generation of renewable power. New Mexico has a strong role to play in reducing carbon emissions, by investing in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and in new technologies."

"The urgency of addressing climate change touches many areas of our lives, including transportation, proper weatherization of our homes and how we plan our cities," Denish continued. "New Mexico can create bold incentives to encourage renewable power generation and transmission, green-building retrofits and other programs to attract sustainable high-wage and low-emission industries. The Gulf drilling disaster should be a wake-up call to the Congress that we must develop cleaner energy sources as quickly as we are able to do so – not only for environmental reasons, but also for our nation’s economic security.”

Denish is a strong supporter of programs and incentives that encourage the development and deployment of clean energy such as public building retrofits. She has worked the school superintendents association to get the Energy Smart program started for retrofitting public schools to save both energy and money.

Denish believes we must recommit ourselves to preserving our state's wild places. ”New Mexico has vast and wild spaces that deserve strong protections so they can be enjoyed now and for generations to follow. I am committed to preserving our state's rare gems. One such place is the Gila River flowing through Southwestern New Mexico. It is one of the last wild and un-dammed rivers in the nation and as governor I pledge to keep it that way.”

Reduce, reuse, recycle is a good guide for state policy, she believes. “I would like to see recycling in more municipalities and would welcome assistance in devising state policies to bring this about. I also would like to see the state support recycling through its purchasing policies and to assist schools and universities in also moving to use of recycled materials.”

On green building practices, Denish said, “I support updating building codes to consider more use of energy-efficient technologies while also creating a menu of incentives to encourage builders to use more efficient building techniques and materials over time.”

On the biggest emitters of carbon emissions, Denish opposes construction of Desert Rock and would support conversion of existing coal-fired power plants to run on natural gas.

Denish connects growth and water as few officials do. “New Mexicans demand that water is being used wisely, especially as our population grows and we encounter periods of drought," Denish said. "Too often we have allowed growth to occur without adequate water, then bailed out developers after the fact. Our population and development will continue to grow, but our water supply is constant and limited by natural forces.”

"The agricultural sector needs state and federal support to transition to conservation of agricultural water. Water banks can provide incentives for conservation," Denish continued.

She supports the banning of leg hold traps and other unsportsmanlike hunting and trapping on public lands. And she will continue her support for protection of Otero Mesa.

The Sierra Club is the nation's oldest and largest environmental volunteer organization, established in 1892, and with over 7,500 politically active members in New Mexico, the endorsement of the Rio Grande Chapter is widely sought by candidates for elected positions across the state. As the Chapter finalizes its endorsements for the general election they are posted on its new web site.

Photo by Stephen Jones.

9/22: Meet and Greet with Brian Colón, Alex Russell in Albuquerque

Please Join Lieutenant Governor Candidate and District 29 State House Candidate Alex Russell, along with other Albuquerque residents for a candidate meet and greet at:

The Home of
Andrew, Ashley & Aiden Ortega & Theresa Watson
4531 Agate Hills Rd NW, Albuquerque NM, 87114 (map)
From 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM
on Wednesday, September 22nd
Click for Flyer (pdf)

Don’t miss this opportunity to meet Lieutenant Governor Candidate Brian Colón and State House Candidate Alex Russell and talk to them about the upcoming November elections. If you have questions or to RSVP (505) 830-2811.

Guest Blog: Response to Hateful Letter About Brian Colón Published in Valencia County News-Bulletin

This is a guest blog by Victor Raigoza, a life-long Democratic activist who serves as Vice Chair of the Democratic Party of Bernalillo County.

Victor offers a message to Democrats in response to a to the editor published this week in the Valencia County News-Bulletin with the headline, "Lt. Governor candidate needs to act like a man." The letter is a hateful and highly personal ad hominem attack on Democratic Lt. Governor candidate and his family. The letter has prompted numerous complaints to the newspaper questioning why such a venal, insulting and slanderous message was published at all.

There has also been a huge outpouring of heartfelt support for Brian and his family, who lived for many years in Valencia County as highly respected and much-loved members of the community. His father suffered from muscular dystrophy and was lovingly cared for by his mother, who also suffered from health problems. The family built and operated a local flea market to help make ends meet, and Brian worked there and at other jobs from a young age. Both of his parents are now deceased, with his dad passing away at much too early age due to MD.

On the campaign trail, Brian often talks about his experiences growing up, how Democratic programs like surplus cheese from the federal government helped the family survive and how educational assistance helped him become the first in his family to earn a college degree, and then a law degree. He believes in helping and trying to inspire others to do the same, and is a strong supporter of public education and the compassionate values that have long been the core of Democratic Party principles. Brian Colón not only talks the talk, he walks the walk. -- Barbara Wold

My fellow Democrats,

This past Wednesday, the Valencia News-Bulletin published what I consider to be the most hateful, mean-spirited to the editor I have ever seen in my life.

The sad part about the letter is that it represents the views of so many right-wing Republicans who are vehemently against so much of what we as Democrats hold near and dear to our hearts. I believe that the author expresses the true feelings of compassion -- or I should say the lack of compassion -- of the current New Mexican Republican Party.

My immediate response to the letter was one of anger in that I truly feel, "you can mess with me but don't mess with my family." Brian Colón is not only a dear friend to me and many of you, but he also is an example of the success of so many of the programs we as Democrats have fought to implement over the years. If the letter does not stir you to the importance of the upcoming election, nothing will.

After reading this letter, I hope you are moved to do whatever you can to assure a Denish-Colón victory in November. Over the next 60 days, when you are so tired or so busy that you feel that you simply cannot do more to help the cause, please reread this letter. I guarantee that it will motivate you to go the extra mile in support of our candidates and our cause.

Are you going to stand by and let this bully talk this way to one of our own, or are you going to be moved to action? I have never tolerated bullies and I am not about to start now. I am here to fight to the end to defend my candidates and my Democratic family -- and I hope I can count on you to do the same.

Your Bernalillo County Vice Chair and your brother in arms,

Victor P. Raigoza

This is a guest blog by Victor Raigoza. If you'd like to submit a piece for consideration as a guest blog, contact me by clicking on the Email Me link at the upper left-hand corner of the page.

Note: Research via Google shows that the author of the vile letter to the editor is, among other things, a tea party activist, a self-described Lifelong Conservative Republican and a collector of Ann Coulter dolls.

He on the Coulter doll site, "I'm buying my oldest daughter this doll. I would much rather she grow up to be like Ann than some liberal, tree-hugging, no brain Barbie. Ann speaks the truth, that's why the left hates her so. If I were elected President, Ann Coulter would be my press secretary."

He is listed as the official New Mexico organizer for Draft Palin 2012. He’s also a "Tea Party Patriot and a member of the Los Lunas Tea Party group as well as the right wing group “New Mexico Liberty.”

The guy also tried to infiltrate a private fundraiser for the ticket in Los Lunas last month, where he had to be escorted out after causing a ruckus. At that time he claimed he was not a conservative political activist at all.

If you'd like to express your opinion to the News-Bulletin about their publication of this slanderous, personal attack on Brian Colon, .