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Tuesday, March 27, 2012
NM-1: Leading Hispanic Strategist Endorses Eric Griego for Congress
Today, Democrat Eric Griego (NM-1) announced his endorsement by Cuauhtémoc “Temo” Figueroa, a leading national Hispanic political strategist who served as the National Latino Vote Director for Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign. Figueroa’s endorsement follows Griego’s announcement on Monday of his endorsement by the American Postal Workers Union Local 380.
The latest endorsements add to Griego’s political momentum following his victory at the Democratic Pre-Primary Convention on March 10th. There, Griego defeated his two primary opponents, Marty Chavez and Michelle Lujan Grisham, by 8 and 15 points, respectively.
“Eric Griego’s strong commitment to the working people of New Mexico and his passion to fight for issues that matter, like bringing good jobs to the state, improving our schools and protecting our environment, is exactly the kind of leadership we need in Washington, D.C.,” Figueroa said. “President Obama needs a fighter like Eric Griego on his team, to ensure a successful re-election and second term.”
“My mother worked two minimum wage jobs to support me and my siblings before retiring with Social Security and Medicare,” Griego said. “That’s why I will never shy away from taking on tough fights against powerful corporate interests to create jobs for working families and protect Social Security and Medicare for our seniors.”
March 27, 2012 at 01:06 PM in Candidates & Races, Eric Griego, NM-01 Congressional Race 2012 | Permalink
Comments
It surprises me that Temo would endorse Griego. Temo fights to increase the number of progressive Latinos and Latinas in Congress. This is why Temo endorsed Balderas.
Griego will talk about fighting for progressive Hispanics gaining access to elected office, but he won't actually fight for anyone but himself.
Hey Eric,
WHERE IS THE BALDERAS ENDORSEMENT?
Your selfishness is disappointing.
Posted by: | Mar 27, 2012 2:48:08 PM
I just went through the list of the Balderas endorsements, and Acalan is correct. I assumed Eric had endorsed Balderas.
There are 17 women, 13 Jews, one Hispanic, one Japanese American, and one Native Hawaiian in the US Senate.
Where is the Balderas endorsement Griego?
I will pass this information to the Hispano Round Table, LULAC, El Centro....
Posted by: Voz de Atzlan | Mar 27, 2012 3:52:04 PM
Ask City Councilman Rey Garduno, State Senator Jerry Ortiz Y Pino, Representative Miguel Garcia, former Pro-Tem Richard Romero, Representative Eleanor Chavez, Representative Moe Maestas and the many others Eric has doorknocked for, made calls and supported over the years. Temo watched first hand how Eric took on Marty Chavez to fight for the many (mostly Hispanic) city employees the latter tried to scapegoat and layoff.
Posted by: Terry | Mar 27, 2012 4:22:13 PM
It was essential for President Obama to be a member of the US Senate to be a viable candidate for president.
The only way we will increase the number of people of color in elected office is if we support them.
It is important to have diversity in government, because people from different backgrounds bring different perspectives. This results in better decisions.
Where is the endorsement Eric?
Posted by: Voz de Atzlan | Mar 27, 2012 5:00:42 PM
"The only way we will increase the number of people of color in elected office is if we support them."
Being brown is hardly a sufficient qualification to be a US Senator.
Besides, we're still waiting for a candidate who supports ME!! Unless you will support a short fat hairy old guy with a poodle to represent ME, I don't see why I should support a brown guy to represent you.
Besides, Mr, Ms or Mrs "Voz de Atzlan", the intertubes tell me that Aztlán was the mythic homeland of a bunch of mesoamerican people - while New Mexico was settled by folks from the north and from the east. Are you any less of a newcomer than the white folks? I mean, at least the Navajo and Apache got here mebbe 800 years ago, the Spanish got here 500 years ago. Of course, there do seem to be mesoamerican influences at Chaco, perhaps tied to the disputed evidence of cannibalism, but that's another story.
Posted by: Michael H Schneider | Mar 27, 2012 7:36:51 PM
Michael, you sound like an old white guy who does not understand race, gender, sexual identity, national origin, and religious beliefs will be used to discriminate against a class of people. The color of a person's skin does not qualify a person for office, but the color of a person's skin can make it more difficult to get elected.
If you do not believe this, then you must believe white men dominate positions of power because they are superior, diversity of thought is not important and Trayvon's race had nothing to do with his death.
Posted by: Voz de Atzlan | Mar 27, 2012 11:57:44 PM
Excuse me, Acalan and Voz de Aztlan, but candidates for office almost never endorse candidates in other primary races. Party officials at the county and state levels are prohibited from doing so by rule. Whoever wins the primary will be running with whoever wins the other primaries. If candidates endorsed each other there would inevitably be hard feelings once the primary was over. It's better if candidates remain neutral with respect to other races.
Posted by: Proud Democrat | Mar 28, 2012 12:58:33 AM
"Michael, you sound like an old white guy who does not understand race, gender, sexual identity, national origin, and religious beliefs will be used to discriminate against a class of people."
I understand that, but I don't know why you're going on about gender, sexual identity and religion.
Is Hector Balderas really a female gay Muslim? I thought he was a male straight Catholic - which puts him rather in a dominant group here in NM.
"... but the color of a person's skin can make it more difficult to get elected"
Absolutely true. But you gotta come up with something besides "but he's Brown!!11!!!" to make him worth supporting.
Otherwise it'd be just as good an argument to support Heather Wilson, because she's a woman.
In fact, I'm really tired of hearing folks like Balderas and Lujan-Grisham telling us how we should support them because of where their great-grandparents lived. I can't see that as a qualification, either; doesn't it just show a family's lack of gumption, that they never went anywhere?
And calling me a "old white guy" suggests that you're not only a racist, but an ageist too.
Posted by: Michael H Schneider | Mar 28, 2012 7:16:21 AM
Voz de Atzlan.
Your argument is of basing your vote on the color of the person's skin is one of the reasons why Martinez is gov. A lot of hispanics voted for Suzana due to their own anti anglo racism. Now they are complaining about Suzana. Did you vote for Suzana because of her last name?
Posted by: NM 11th corrupted state | Mar 28, 2012 10:37:29 AM
I referred to you as old white guy, because that is how you referred to yourself. Had you called yourself a young multiracial gal, that is what I would have called you. It is the label you claimed.
I also do not believe skin color, sexual orientation, or gender are the primary consideration when selecting a candidate. Why would you make that assumption? Was it the Spanish last name?
It is offensive that you would call my family lazy and assume, because we have a Spanish surname, we have little or no ambition. It sounds like you are saying anyone who is from a family that has been in NM for generations is not fit to serve in DC. I guess everyone living in Europe is lazy and lacks ambition. I am tired of Heinrich supporters claiming Hispanic voters make decisions based only on ethnicity. It makes it appear as though they do not embrace diversity.
Also, did it ever cross your mind that my family might have recently immigrated to the US?
The first thing I look for in a candidate is ideology. Then I look at the experience if the candidate. Then I look to see if a candidate will improve the diversity of the body. I don't know when diversity became a negative in the Democratic Party. I strongly believe diversity results in better decisions.
Hector's supporters are not the only candidates bringing ethnicity into the discussion. Griego said, "a leading national HISPANIC political strategist." Griego's camp wrote this to appeal to Hispanic voters. He also says he is the only Spanish speaker in the race when speaking to Hispanic organizations. He says this to gain support. He is using ethnicity in his campaign, and he should not be insulated from criticism from community if he talks out of both sides of his mouth.
Posted by: Voz de Atzlan | Mar 28, 2012 3:11:45 PM
