Democracy for New Mexico

Take the Bush Roast Challenge

This is a guest blog by Suzanne Prescott:
You're driving through a nearby precinct and something catches your eye. You do a double take. Embedded in someone's fence is a 'Bush Roast.' A closer look reveals that a rotisserie is embedded in a driveway's fence and Bush is, well ... roasting. Can you find the Bush Roast? It looks like this:

If you're the first person to find the 'Bush Roast' before the election, we will donate $100 to your favorite Democratic candidate. And we think the person most likely to find a roasting Bush will be a die-hard canvasser. Go Canvassers! We’ll announce the winner here. Keep tuned for tips to his location. Email at drhodgepodge@comcast.net

TIP 1: 
“An old Hispanic neighborhood had concerns and fear
That before Bush is done, another war would be near.”

Editor's Note: This is a guest blog by Suzanne Prescott. If you'd like to submit one, contact me by clicking on the Email Me link at the upper left-hand side of this website.

Three More Benefits Set for Madrid Campaign

Three more fundraisers for the Madrid for Congress (NM-01) campaign have been announced. There will be a reception with Ambassador Joe Wilson on Wednesday, October 25th; a brunch with Governor Bill Richardson, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez on Sunday, October 29th; and a Halloween Night fundraiser on Tuesday, October 31st. See below for more information.

Wednesday, October 25th, 2006, 7:00PM - 9:00PM
Reception with Ambassador Joe Wilson

You're cordially invited to join Sharon Bacon, Sue Chappell, Robert Levy & Susan Conway and Karen Mendenhall for a reception with special guest Ambassador Joe Wilson honoring Attorney General Patricia Madrid. The reception will take place at the home of Mel & Mary Ann Eaves, 721 Chavez Rd. NW, Albuquerque. $100 Patron, $250 Sponsor, $500 Friend. Please RSVP with Amanda at 505-242-6000.

Sunday, October 29th, 2006, 10:00AM - 12:00PM
Brunch with Governor Bill Richardson, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa & Mayor Martin Chavez

You are cordially invited to join Governor Bill Richardson, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez for brunch in honor of Attorney General Patricia Madrid. The brunch will take place at the Season's Restaurant, 2031 Mountain Rd. NW, Albquerque. $100 Guest, $250 Host & $500 Sponsor. Please RSVP with Amanda at 505-242-6000.

Tuesday, October 31st, 2006, 7:00PM - 9:00PM
Halloween Night Fundraiser

You're cordially invited to join Caroline Buerkle, Diana Marquez, Jason Libersky & Manuela Mondloch and John & Bianca Wertheim for a reception in honor of Attorney General Patricia Madrid. The event will take place at the home of Glenn Smith & Staphanie Landry, 7628 Rio Grande Blvd. NW, Albuquerque. $50 minimum contribution. Costumes optional! Please RSVP with Amanda at 505-242-6000.

Come On Down: Big GOTV Rally Saturday with Nancy Pelosi

DEMOCRATIC GOTV RALLY!

Join Rep. Nancy Pelosi, who just could be our next Speaker of the House if all goes well, at a big get out the vote rally this Saturday with Attorney General Patricia Madrid. Also appearing will be Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez and other candidates. Get energized with Dem candidates, music, fun, the works:

GOTV Rally
Saturday, October 28, 3:00 PM
Los Duranes Community Center
2898 Leopoldo Road NW, ABQ
Click for map

Getting Busy With Heather Wilson: The Game

(Image courtesy of Terry Riley)

The NM-01 congressional contest between Dem challenger Patricia Madrid and Repub incumbent Rep. Heather Wilson is no game. It's a deadly serious race that will help determine whether Dems win back control of the House and its committees, thus restoring at least some semblance of congressional oversite of the Bush regime. However, it's always good to break the tension with some fun -- especially on the day of the big debate between Madrid and Wilson. Go check out the Getting Busy With Heather Wilson game. (Two different unknown persons emailed me the link.)

Tonight's the Night: Madrid Debates Wilson

Dem challenger Patricia Madrid will face off with Repub incumbent Rep. Heather Wilson (NM-01) tonight in their only televised debate. Tune in to KOB-TV (Channel 4 in Albuquerque) from 7:00 to 8:00 PM. The event will also be streamed lived at KOBTV.com and broadcast live on 770 KKOB-AM radio. You can also listen to the radio broadcast online at 770KOB.com. There will be no commercial breaks, and the candidates will be questioned by Tom Joles and Carla Aragon of KOB-TV news.

You're encouraged to submit questions to KOB-TV that you'd like the candidates to answer during the debate.

You can also check with local blogger New Mexico FBIHOP, who'll be liveblogging the event as it happens and taking your comments and questions. By the way, NM FBIHOP has had some terrific posts recently on how Heather Wilson voted in lockstep with Bush even more in 2006 than she did in 2005, and how the Albuquerque Journal listed an IAFF firefighter endorsement of Wilson that actually went for Madrid.

Another local blogger at Live From Silver City has some interesting comments about what to watch for in tonight's debate in terms of the postion Heather Wilson takes on the Iraq War. Will she join Bush and company in pretending to change her tune about strategy? I mean, the Repubs now have the nerve to claim their non-plan for Iraq was never really about "staying the course." Yeah, that's why that phrase is burned into our brains like a Bushie mantra. 

Fun Fundraiser for Dems Set for Carom Club Tuesday 10/24

From the Democratic Party of NM:
Joanie Griffin of Griffin & Associates, Jon Hendry and IATSE Local 480 invite you to an evening of karaoke and billiards -- and yes some celebrities will be there, too. All to benefit the Democratic candidates in our last push toward a democratic sweep:

Tuesday, October 24, 2006, 5 - 8 PM
Carom Club, 3rd & Central, 2nd floor, Downtown ABQ

RSVP to Griffin and Associates (505) 764-4444, ext. 221. There will be fun prizes, great food and great entertainment. Be on hand at 7 PM to view the Wilson vs. Madrid debate and take part in the post debate victory party.

Join us: $50 per person; $75 for a team of two; $125 for a team of four. Make checks payable to Democratic Party of New Mexico.

Contributions to the Democratic Party of New Mexico are not tax deductible for federal income tax purposes. Your contribution will be used in connection with federal elections and is subject to the limitations and prohibitions of the Federal Election Campaign Act.

Journal Poll: Tight Race for Land Commissioner

Today the Albuquerque Journal released the results of its latest poll in the race for New Mexico Land Commissioner between Dem challenger Jim Baca and Repub incumbent Pat Lyons:

Dem Jim Baca: 42%
Repub Pat Lyons: 40%
Undecided: 18%
800 likely voters,
M.O.E. plus or minus 3.5%
Research and Polling Inc.

According to the Journal article:

Baca, the Democratic challenger, had the support of 62 percent of Democrats and 20 percent of Republicans. Lyons, the incumbent, had the support of 69 percent of his fellow party members and 14 percent of Democrats.

... "It looks like it's just a dead tie and there hasn't been much movement," said F. Chris Garcia, political science professor emeritus at the University of New Mexico.

"This is an opportunity for either one of them to break out of that deadlock with some good campaigns with two-and-a-half weeks to go," Garcia said, citing the relatively large number of undecided voters.

There's a post up on NM State Senator Dede Feldman's blog by Suzanne Prescott that provides a clear picture of what's at stake in this race.

With only 15 days until election day and so many undecided voters, advertising may make a big difference in this race. As I've said before, Lyons has a significant cash advantage, having been the recipient of big cash donations almost exclusively from oil and gas interests. Baca has just gone on the air with his first ad, and the campaign needs all the help we can give to keep the ad running in these critical final campaign days. See the ad. Click to donate to the Baca campaign.

10/22/06 Journal Poll Results: Madrid Up by 3 Points, Upward Trend Continues

The campaign of Dem challenger Patricia Madrid is definitely picking up steam. Although recent polls vary as to the percentage by which Madrid is besting Wilson, all of them show Madrid in the lead. According to the latest Albuquerque Journal poll on the NM-01 congressional race:

Dem challanger Patricia Madrid: 45%
Republican incumbent Heather Wilson: 42%
Undecided: 9%
Neither: 4%
M.O.E. Plus or minus 4.4%
Surveyed October 17-19, 2006
503 likely voters
Brian Sanderoff's Research and Polling

Over the time period of the three Journal polls, Madrid picked up points while Wilson lost support:

Journal Poll conducted August 25-31: Madrid 42%, Wilson 45%
Journal Poll conducted Sept. 25-28: Madrid 44%, Wilson 44%
Journal Poll conducted Oct. 17-19: Madrid 45%, Wilson 42%

According to the Journal article:

The Journal poll also found that the recent U.S. House scandal, involving now-resigned Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla., and his electronic messages to teenage pages, is playing a role in the race.

Although 85 percent of the 1st District voters polled said the scandal won't affect their vote, 12 percent said it has made them more likely to vote for Madrid. Three percent said the scandal made them more likely to vote for Wilson.

"There may be something historic happening here," Sanderoff said of the race overall. He has been polling in 1st Congressional District contests for two decades and can't recall a time when a Democratic challenger has led a general election race. No Democrat has won the district since its establishment in 1968.

Sanderoff and longtime state political watcher F. Chris Garcia, a University of New Mexico political science professor emeritus, said the Iraq war— which is seen by an increasing number of Americans as a big mistake— probably was a big factor in the new poll results.

Perhaps most ominous for Wilson's chances, she got the support of only 11% of Democrats in this poll. She had the same 11% of Dem votes in the Journal's August poll, down from 35% in their August survey. According to most experts, she would need at least 25% of Dem votes to win because there are about 39,000 more registered Dems in the district than Repubs. And her support among Hispanics is falling too, from 35% in the Journal's first poll to only 20% in the latest.

Bottom line: Vote and Volunteer!
The big mo is increasingly on the Madrid side, but the race is still close and anything can happen during the next 16 days. All the more reason to vote early and get all your friends and family to do the same. Getting out the Dem vote in this election is still priority number one. Volunteer to help!

Madrid Campaign Main Office
Call 242-6000
200 Oak St. NE #4
Albuquerque, NM 87106

Madrid Campaign South Valley Office
Call 452-2006
1220 Isleta Blvd. SW
Albuquerque, NM 87105

First TV Ad: Land Commissioner Candidate Jim Baca

The first television ad by Dem Land Commissioner candidate Jim Baca is now on the air (above). I like it, don't you? As we've said many times, Baca's Republican foe in this race has lots of funds to spend from now until election day, almost all of it from big oil and gas interests. You know why. In contrast, Baca will be a Land Commissioner who'll balance making money for education from state lands with preserving our water sources and special places for future generations -- not just serving his oil and gas masters. Click to help his campaign keep this ad on the air. Lots of small donations can add up quickly to pay for the air time Jim needs to win this race. Toss in a few bucks now. Your children and grandchildren will be the real winners.

ACTION ALERT: Volunteer This Weekend!

We phone banked at Madrid HQ this week and the place was crackling with energy, as most Dem candidate offices should be with only 18 days until the November 7th election, and early voting starting at alternate locations around the state this Saturday.

If you consider yourself a grassroots activist, a netroots activist or simply a responsible citizen, NOW's the time to really focus on volunteering for campaigns, the Dem Party or other organizations. If we do, we can win races all up and down the ticket. Want change in America? Then it's time to work for it, to press for it, to put your body where your mouth is. I urge you to sign up for weekend canvassing, phone banking or other tasks THIS WEEKEND and beyond at one or more of the following:

Albuquerque Area Volunteer Opportunities:

2006 Richardson for Governor Campaign
Get Out the Vote (GOTV) for All Dems
111 Lomas Blvd. NW, Suite 120, Albuquerque, NM 87102
First State Bank Building - 1st FL.
Ana Canales, Volunteer Coordinator
828-BiLL (2455)

Lt. Governor Diane Denish Re-election headquarters
111 Lomas NW # 101, Albuquerque
Phone 255-1282 or Toll Free 1-877-336-4740

Bingaman Re-Election Campaign Headquarters
5555 Montgomery Blvd. NE, Suite 8
Albuquerque, New Mexico  87109
Phone 505-881-0042 - Fax 505-881-0463

Patricia Madrid for Congress Campaign
Headquarters: 200 Oak St., NE, Albuquerque, 87107, Phone 242-6000
South Valley Office – Phone 452-2006
1221 Isleta Blvd SW, ABQ, 87105;
across from Westside Community Center
Cory Medina, Field Director: cory@madridforcongress.com

Gary King for Attorney General Campaign
2225 Wyoming Blvd NE #F, Albuquerque, NM 87112
Phone: 237-0103; Fax: 237-0106

Jim Baca for Land Commissioner Campaign
817 Gold Ave SW, Albuquerque, NM 87102
Phone - 404-0556; Fax: 800-668-6320
Email: info@jimbaca.com
Mike Davis, Campaign Manager

James Lewis for State Treasurer Campaign
7424 4th Street NW, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, NM 87107
Email: info@jamesblewis.net
Phone: 890-8422, Toll-free 1-866-50-LEWIS

Mary Herrera for Secretary of State Campaign
832 Truman St NE, Albuquerque NM 87110
Phone: 877-0789, Email: info@maryherrera.com 

Democratic Party of New Mexico
1301 San Pedro NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87110
Phone: 830-3650; Email: mattf@nmdemocrats.org

Bernalillo County Democratic Party
130 Alvarado NE, Suite 400; Albuquerque, NM 87108
Telephone: 256-1855; Cell: 417-3972, Fax: 265-0327
Executive Director, Terri Holland: terri@bernalillodems.org

Shay Rose for State Rep. District 28 Campaign
11024 Montgomery NE, PM Box #339, Albuquerque, NM 87111
Phone: 293-2061, Email: shay.rose@flash.net
www.shayrose.org

League of Conservation Voters Canvassing
Every Saturday Morning
Gold and 4th Street, Simms Office Building
Phone: 244-1077. Contact Marshall Martinez

Equality New Mexico Canvassing
Phone: 224.2766

Election Day Poll Watchers and Poll Workers
ANA CANALES, 620-8140, analcanales@msn.com, about being a Precinct Judge
DORY SHONAGON, 480-1848, dshonagon@earthlink.net, about being a Precinct Watcher/Challenger or Precinct Clerk

Communities United to Strengthen America (non-partisan)
Albuquerque  Resource Center
2111 Wyoming Boulevard NE, Albuquerque, NM 87112
Phone: 237-0120

You can find links to all the candidate websites in the Candidates section on the left-hand side of the main page of the DFNM blog. Or contact your County Dem Party for opportunities in your area. Also, be sure to check our section on Coming Events on the right-hand side for candidate benefits and other political gatherings.

To vote in the November 7th election, you had to be registered by October 10. For information on registering to vote, polling places, etc:
Bernalillo County Clerk: 468-1290
Sandoval County Clerk: 867-7572

Early voting starts tomorrow at alternate locations in most counties. Click for more info, including a listing of early voting sites in Bernalillo County.