Democracy for New Mexico

Latest Poll: Lamont Over Lieberman by Double Digits!

Must See: Lamont's recent appearance on the Colbert Report

Ned Lamont (D) leads Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) 54% to 41% among likely Democratic primary voters, according to a new Quinnipiac poll -- a 13 point edge for the challenger less than a week before the August 8th primary in Connectict. This compares to Lamont's 51-47% lead two weeks ago. When this race began, Lieberman had a 40-point lead. FireDogLake, which has been providing top-notch coverage of the race, cites the poll's key findings:

• In this latest survey, 5 percent of likely Democratic primary voters remain undecided, but 85 percent of voters say their mind is made up.
• Among Lamont supporters, 65 percent say their vote is mainly against Lieberman.
• Lieberman’s support for the war in Iraq is the main reason they are voting for the challenger, 44 percent of Lamont voters say, with 50 percent who say the war is one of the reasons.

Said pollster Douglas Schwartz: "Sen. Lieberman’s campaign bus seems to be stuck in reverse. Despite visits from former President Bill Clinton and other big name Democrats, Lieberman has not been able to stem the tide to Lamont."

For another take on this race, be sure to check out the New Mexico blog m-pyre, where Maggie perfectly describes the importance of this race to so many Democrats everywhere.

(Click image for larger version.)

Of course, it's hard to judge the accuracy of polling in the race because the circumstances of the contest are unique. No-one really knows what kind of turnout to expect in an August primary when so many of Connecticut's voters are away on vacation or caught up in other summer activities. There hasn't been a contentious Democratic primary for Lieberman's Senate seat for decades.

Still, the polling shows a definite trend away from Lieberman and towards Lamont among the state's likely primary voters. With civil war becoming more of a reality every day in Iraq and support for a troop pullout surging, this race may well set the tone for the war debate in races all over the country. It's clear that large numbers of Democratic voters are fed up with candidates who cozy up to Bush and his neocon agenda, and who seem more concerned about appearing "strong on defense" than getting our troops out of harm's way in an increasingly chaotic and violent quagmire. Beware all "centrist" Dems afraid to speak truth to power on this war and so many other core Dem issues.

Lamont is providing clearcut, blunt and honest assessments of the war and the tragic effects that $250,000 million per day of war spending is doing to our hopes for universal healthcare, clean energy development, improved schools and just about anything else that improves the lives of Americans. Enough is enough. Let's hope Lamont supporters turn out in droves on August 8th to send that message in Connecticut and nationally. I'm holding my breath ....

Bush Sez: Vote for Wilson - Pretty Please?

With so much depressing news on the global front, I decided to offer something today with a lighter touch. Someone tipped me off to a afe Press site offering tshirts, hoodies, teddy bears and many other items emblazoned with the message shown above. Strange to see the words Heather Wilson and accountability in the same sentence, isn't it? Be sure to read why the site's owner, Albuquerquean Randall Sobien, decided to offer this merchandise.

Heather Wilson Votes for Multi-Millionaire Heirs to Get 183 Years of Minimum Wage Income

Paris Hilton and other elite heirs must be partying even harder than before. The Republican-run House of Representatives just voted to allow our wealthiest citizens to avoid the estate tax. Heather Wilson was right there as usual, voting in tandem with the Rove-orchestrated Republicans as she does more than 90 percent of the time.

As cover, the legislation also includes a measure to raise the minimum wage. You read that right. Despite voting en masse for years against a raise in the minimum wage, Heather Wilson and other conservatives suddenly found themselves excited about giving the working poor a raise. At a price, of course -- a dramatic cut in the estate tax for many of their big dollar donors. Even worse, the bill would CUT the minimum wage in some areas by over-riding local minimum wage laws that cover hourly workers who get tips. What a deal! Paris Hilton's tax cut would be coming directly out of the lower wages for tipped workers in California and a number of others states.

Think Progress estimates that:

... the minimum wage hike will increase the incomes of full-time, minimum wage workers by $84 a week, or about $4,368 a year. This would bring their income up to just over $15,000 a year (assuming 40 hours per week and 52 weeks per year.)

By contrast, the heirs of multimillionaires would receive substantially more by way of benefits. Consider the heirs who stand to receive a $10 million fortune through married parents. Under the new proposed law they would receive a tax break of as much as $2.76 million (compared with the 2006 estate tax law.)

Put another way, the heirs of the $10 million estate would get a tax break worth as much as 183 years of the income of a full-time minimum wage earner.

The Albuquerque Journal went right along with Rove's spin on the bill, calling it a pairing of a minimum wage raise and "help for small businesses." Oops, I guess they didn't notice the bill's primary aim of cutting the estate tax to provide more money for those already living the luxury life -- something the Republicans haven't been able to get through Congress on its own (non)merits.

Like other Republican election year charades about such pressing issues as flag burning and the pledge of allegiance, this legislation is phony and designed primarily to drive right-wing voters to the polls this November. By all accounts it has little chance of passing in the Senate and is another in a long line of Republican stunts aimed at spinning cotton candy for their base. Too bad Albuquerque's biggest newspaper is entirely willing to play right along with the hype.

Help elect someone who REALLY supports fair wages for working Americans -- Patricia Madrid. We're only a couple months from election day. Donate. Volunteer. Talk to your friends. Let's send a real friend of the people to Congress from CD1, Paris Hilton (and that Monopoly gent) be damned.

Vote for Madrid by August 4th

John Edwards has pledged to headline Fall fundraisers for two Democratic congressional candidates who are chosen by the online community at his One America PAC website. New Mexico's own Patricia Madrid is one of the choices, and we have until August 4th to vote for her in the poll. Click here to make your voice heard.

With Heather Wilson and the Bush money machine joined at the hip, the Madrid campaign will need all the help it can get to compete and win. Wouldn't you like to see John Edwards at a campaign rally in New Mexico this Fall? Wouldn't you like to wake up on election day and know that Heather is gone and Madrid will be going to Washington?

We need to do everything we can to get rid of this mutual admiration society:

Heather Hearts Moneybags

And replace it with this one:

For Madrid: Joe Wilson and John Edwards

Conservation Voters NM Endorses Jim Baca for Land Commissioner

Photo from Baca campaign website. Click on image for larger version.

Editor's Note: Jim Baca will be our featured speaker and special guest at our Albuquerque DFA-DFNM Meetup on August 3rd. He'll be talking about his campaign and what's at stake in the Land Commissioner race, as well as answering our questions. Click here to join our Meetup or RSVP for this event.

From :
Conservation Voters New Mexico (CVNM), the political voice of New Mexico’s conservation community, is pleased to announce our endorsement of Jim Baca as our next State Land Commissioner. The Commissioner of Public Lands manages approximately 9 million acres of state trust lands, and thus wields considerable influence over New Mexico’s natural landscapes and precious resources.

“Jim Baca has a proven record of leadership and a tireless commitment to protecting the natural qualities that we cherish about New Mexico,” stated Sandy Buffett, Executive Director of CVNM.  “Jim Baca will protect our legacy and bring balance back to the State Land Office.”

“We need a Land Commissioner who will bring innovation, a love for the land, and a vision for generating sustainable revenue on state trust lands while protecting our ecological wealth for future generations,” stated Buffett.   

Baca’s plan includes a proactive approach towards clean energy development in New Mexico. The plan will diversify the state’s current revenue dependence on oil and gas towards clean energy. “Clean energy is going to be a major economic growth industry in the American West,” said Baca. “New Mexico has some of the world’s best potential for renewable energy development.”

“I am honored that a conservation group as prominent as CVNM would endorse my campaign based upon conservation principles,” stated Baca upon learning of the endorsement. “This group fights diligently everyday to protect New Mexico’s water, landscapes, and wild places.”

Conservation Voters New Mexico is a nonpartisan, nonprofit 501c4 organization. CVNM’s mission is to make sensible conservation policies a top priority for elected officials, political candidates, and voters across the state. For more information, please visit www.CVNM.org

CVNM can only elect pro-conservation candidates with your valuable support! Please consider updating your membership support by clicking .

Please also visit https://www.jimbaca.com/

Watch the Video: 14 Days to Put Lamont Over the Top

Watch Ned's Message to DFA

From Jim Dean at Democracy for America:
Three months ago, Joe Lieberman led Ned Lamont in the polls by more than forty points. But you took a chance on Ned and thousands of DFA members around the country pitched in to help his insurgent campaign. The result? Two new polls show that Ned Lamont has surged into a narrow lead over Lieberman. 

Now we have the chance to put Ned Lamont over the top. Ned has recorded an exclusive video for DFA members to give you an update on the final 14 days. Click here to watch the video and find out how you can get involved:

The story of an insurgent, people-powered candidate moving to the top of the polls against the Democratic establishment is not new. My brother, Howard, was in a similar position three and a half years ago in the 2004 presidential primary. I don't need to remind you about what happened when the Beltway Democrats placed a giant target on his back and took aim. Let's make sure that history doesn't repeat itself with Ned Lamont.

We have a plan to fight back and win. Over the next few weeks, we'll be working closely with DFA members in Connecticut towards a Lamont victory on August 8. DFA members will be pounding the pavement and knocking on doors in a massive effort to get out the vote. Click here to watch Ned's video and find out how you can get involved:

https://www.democracyforamerica.com/nedlamont

It's going to be close -- now let's close the deal.  Thank you again for everything.

Sincerely,
Jim Dean, Chair
Democracy for America

P.S. After you watch the video from Ned, don't forget to sign-up for tonight's DFA Night School workshop about breaking into the Mainstream Media:

https://www.democracyforamerica.com/nightschool

Editor's Note: Democracy for New Mexico is loosely affiliated with the national group Democracy for America. To subscribe to DFNM's email list, go here and join our Albuquerque Meetup group. To get on the email list for the national group, register at DFA Link.

Check It Out: 2nd Madrid Ad Answers Heather's False Attack

This is Patricia Madrid's new ad -- her second of the election season. It responds to the slo-mo attack against her contained in Heather Wilson's distorted and hokey second ad -- which I wrote about that the other day. Again, I think Madrid's ad is strong, to the point and factually accurate. Can't let Heather Wilson get away with that negative stuff without a pointed response. This is a good one, don't you think? (You can see Madrid's first ad here.)

Wilson Ad = Slo-Mo-Mudslinging, Madrid Ad = Strong & Clever

So have you seen the new ad by Heather Wilson? No, not the first one where she's telling everyone she's "independent," despite grabbing all that dough Bush raised for her on a recent Albuquerque visit with Karl Rove. This one travels to the cliched dark side, with gobs of that slo-mo, grainy, blurry, black and white photography that aims to make the person they're slo-mo-ing look like a nasty villain out to do dastardly deeds.

You know the genre. I call it canned politico noir. Politicians who listen to entrenched strategists and media consultants use it all the time. Can anyone forget the voices of the two or three hired hands who seem to do ALL the poisonous-toned talkovers on those?

Anyway, this one shows Dem challenger Patricia Madrid moving her head back and forth, hair swinging slowly, while snidely (wickedly!) laughing (at a snail's pace) as nasty innuendos about corruption are entoned in the background. Besides being a rather odd topic to bring up, given Wilson's acceptance of "donations" from the likes of Tom DeLay, Abramoff cronies, Duke Cunningham and just about every Big Pharma and oil corp in the world, I think the ad is hokey as hell. If this is going to be the level of artistry we'll be seeing from Heather and company from now until November, it's gonna be a long haul for anyone who watches TV.

Aren't you sick of all the "conventional" political advertising aired these days? Generally, there are two types of equally ineffective and trite approaches. The first kind is all sugary and "warm," with lots of American flags, smiling people, happy dogs and hugs. Oh, ain't this candidate sweet? And so patriotic and American as apple pie! The second kind is like Heather's new one, all dark and dangerous about the opponent, in the way old radio shows stirred up mystery. The Shadow knows! Well, you can excuse a lack of sophistication back in the early media days, but this type of tripe should be long gone from the airwaves by now. No wonder so few people vote. Watching the juvenile and puerile ads of candidates is enough to drive off even political junkies. Take it from me.

New Madrid Ad
Meanwhile, the Madrid campaign has put up its first TV ad, a positive one you can see here. She's looking sharp, emphasizing her accomplishments as Attorney General and explaining her support for the needs of ordinary people versus selfish special interests. I especially like the play with the usual signoff line of all political ads:

I'm Patricia Madrid and I approved this message, but the special interests won't approve of me.

Lets hope the campaign continues to use clarity, cleverness, creativity, humor, sophistication and wit to get its message across. We want more Ned Lamont-type ads and less creepy crawlie Beltway been there done that ads, now don't we? Are you listening out there in Madridland? Chuck the insider DC Dem media consultants and look up Bill Hillsman or somebody like him who understands what works in the media climate of the 21st century. Break out of the box and try something new!

Heather Wilson Votes for Rightwing Gay Marriage Ploy

Standing in the shadows of love...

NM Rep. Heather Wilson has again shown what she's really made of. She voted on the side of right-wingers who believe it's critical to go on the record against gay marriage once again, even though it's a "time of war" and more important issues languish on the sidelines. As expected, the call for a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage was defeated in the House by a margin of 236-187, but provided another opportunity for grandstanding by "conservatives." Talk about priorities. And whatever happened to the core Republican belief in state's rights and their opposition to the federal government pushing its way into people lives?

Wilson has worked hard to create an "independent" facade to fool voters into thinking she's just a polite, cloth coat, 1950s style moderate Republican. However, politically expedient votes like this one demonstrate how phony her independent pose really is.

Wilson apparently had no qualms about participating in a dog and pony show designed to appeal to the lowest common denomenator within the Republican base. We get you Heather. You're on the side of extremist conservatives like Dan Burton (IN), Marilyn Musgrave (CO), Richard Pombo (CA), Dana Rohrabacher (CA), James Sensenbrenner (WI), Jeff Sessions (AL), Tom Tancredo (CO) and our own Steve Pearce (NM). On the other hand, the genuinely moderate and independent members of Congress from your Party voted against this transparent attempt to make political hay and stir up the howlers.

A similar bill was defeated recently in the Senate and there was never any real hope of passage in either House of Congress. Republicans went ahead with the charade anyway, on direct orders from Bush-Rove. With all the horror stories erupting each day related to their failed foreign and domestic policies, I guess they have to offer some sort of red meat to the pond scum at the bottom of their voting bloc. Heather was right there dishing it out along with the others, falling in line to please the president and his political advisor. Independent my ass.

You're Invited: Grand Opening of Madrid Campaign's South Valley Office

Patricia Madrid at local 4th of July parade.
(Click on image for larger version.)

South Valley Office Opening Party
You're cordially invited to the Patricia Madrid campaign's South Valley office opening party! Please, join us for fun, food, friends, music and conversation with Attorney General Patricia Madrid. Event details are as follows:

When? Sunday, July 23, 3 - 5 PM
Where? 1220 Isleta Blvd. SW, Albuquerque

Volunteer Opportunities
The Madrid campaign always needs volunteers! Whenever our offices are open, there are opportunities to volunteer. Please, call us at our main office, 505-242-6000 or our South Valley office, 505-452-2006, and we'll make sure to get you involved! Our offices are open as follows:

Main Office: 200 Oak St. NE #4, Albuquerque, 505-242-6000
South Valley Office: 1220 Isleta Blvd. SW, Albuquerque, 505-452-2006

Office Hours:
Monday-Thursday, 9 AM - 8 PM
Friday, 9 AM - 5 PM
Saturday-Sunday, 12 PM - 8 PM

Saturday Canvasses
Every Saturday, the campaign runs volunteer canvasses from 10 AM to 2 PM out of our main office. Please call 505-242-6000 to sign up and make sure to bring your walking shoes!

Yard Signs / Bumper Stickers
Yard signs and bumper stickers are available at both offices. Please, drop by to pick them up!

Now is the time to kick our campaign into high gear. The best way to win an election is through people talking to people about the importance of voting. Together, we can talk to tens of thousands of voters and win this election for Patricia Madrid!

I look forward to seeing you on the campaign trail. Thank you so much for all your support.

Sincerely,
Cory Medina, Field Director
Patricia Madrid for Congress
www.madridforcongress.com