Democracy for New Mexico

Guest Blog: State Senate Candidate Victor Raigoza

This is a guest blog by Victor Raigoza, the Democratic candidate for State Senate in District 10. This race is ranked as one of the most important legislative pick-up opportunities this cycle for New Mexico Democrats, and Victor is a formidable candidate who deserves our strong support. We can win this one!

Brother and Sister Democrats,

I am ecstatic and honored to be the Democratic nominee for New Mexico's 10th State Senate district. I am especially excited at the prospect of being a part of this historic election cycle. Recently, stories which would indicate that we are not a united party have been reported in the press and blogs.  We have always been a party that prides ourselves on the size and inclusiveness of our tent and team. I believe we are Democrats because we all share a core set of values.

I am a Democrat because with every fiber of my being, I believe we have a responsibility to take care of each other. We have a responsibility to make sure that children are never hungry or denied access to quality education. We have a responsibility to protect our workers and our environment, our elders and our veterans. We have a responsibility to protect a woman's right to decide what happens to her own body. And, we have a responsibility to ensure that every human has access to quality and affordable healthcare. But I, as a Democrat, do not see these responsibilities as a burden. Rather, I embrace them and the opportunity they give us to make our community a better place.

If you agree, I am asking you to support my bid to become a New Mexico State Senate by clicking here to make an online donation now. Your contribution of $75, or whatever you're comfortable giving, will go a long way toward helping me bring our voice to the Legislature.

Now is the time to stand up and be loud, to be proud of our values and our beliefs.  We can no longer sit silently and allow the media or people who think we are wrong to dictate the agenda. We must be vocal and persuasive about how important this election is from the top of the ticket to the bottom. Now is the time for our Democratic family to come together! As a united front, we will be victorious! We are on the verge of history; but it can only happen if we all work together to achieve it.

Please help me, and my fellow Democrats, with contributions of time and money. With your support, I know we can make New Mexico the blue state it truly longs to be!

To find out more about how you can help, please email me at Victor4Senate@gmail.com or call my campaign at (505) 332-4128.

Thank you for your help and support,

This is a guest blog by Victor Raigoza, the Democratic candidate for State Senate in District 10. To learn more about his candidacy, click for Victor's Bio or visit his campaign website at https://victor4senate.com/.

Guest blogs provide an opportunity to express your opinion on pertinent political issues or to communicate directly with readers of the blog. If you'd like to submit a piece for consideration as a guest blog, contact me by clicking on the Email Me link on the upper left-hand corner of the page.

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Thursday: Rahm Emanuel in NM to Raise Funds for Congressional Candidates

Illinois Congressman Rahm Emanuel will be in New Mexico tomorrow, Thursday, August 7th, to help all three of our Dem Congressional candidates raise funds. Rep. Emanuel formerly chaired the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and is the current Chair of the House Democratic Caucus. He'll be at fundraisers on Thursday for NM-01 candidate Martin Heinrich, NM-02 candidate Harry Teague and NM-03 candidate Ben Ray Luján.

In addition, Martin Heinrich will host a press conference in Albuquerque with Emanuel -- the fourth-highest ranking member of the House Democratic Leadership -- as well as members of New Mexico's law enforcement and first responders. Sheriff Greg Solano will be attending as well as representatives of Sheriffs John Paul Trujillo and Rene Rivera. The event will be held at 3:30 PM at Highland Park, located at Silver SE and Elm SE. Emanual and law enforcement will stand side-bys-side to support Heinrich.

In Santa Fe, Emanuel will host a fundraiser for Ben Ray Lujan at Gabriel's Restaurant on U.S. 84/285 north of town. Emanuel will also appear with Harry Teague on Thursday. Details are still pending on these.

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Bernalillo County Dems to Host Fundraiser for Convention Delegates

The Democratic Party of Bernalillo County is hosting a
Unity Lasagna Dinner for all Bernalillo County Delegates
To help with their expenses for the upcoming
Democratic Convention in Denver
Door Prizes-Raffle-Music-Fun-Food!!

Saturday, August 9, 5:00-7:00 PM
Plumbers and Steamfitters Hall-510 San Pedro SE
Tickets are $20.00 each
Call Terri Holland at 604-3589 or Richard Cooley at 268-2439

Dems to Spend $20 Million to Mobilize Hispanic Voters

The Washington Post reports that the DNC and Obama are set to unveil a $20 million effort to register and mobilize Hispanic voters in a number of states, including New Mexico:

DNC Chairman Howard Dean said the sum is unprecedented for a presidential campaign and represents a show of Democratic confidence that Latino voters could prove pivotal in states including New Mexico and Michigan. [...]

Targets will include Florida; Western states such as Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico; and Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan, industrial battlegrounds with sizable Hispanic populations. The money will be spent on niche advertising and other outreach, along with mobilization efforts aimed at identifying, registering and turning out new Democratic voters.

Over the weekend, the campaign held a training session in Las Vegas to teach local organizers how to canvass Hispanic communities. A similar forum will be held soon in Florida, Dean said, and sessions in other states are in the planning stages.

... The investment is intended to benefit other Democratic candidates as well, including high-profile House and Senate races in Colorado, New Mexico and Florida.

Meanwhile, McCain isn't doing so hot with Latino voters despite his campaign's claim that, "We've been doing all that," McCain spokeswoman Hessy Fernandez said of Obama's efforts.

Although Republican rival John McCain represents Arizona, a state with a strong Hispanic presence, Dean cited a poll last week by the Pew Hispanic Center showing Obama's approval rating with registered Latino voters at 66 percent nationwide, compared with 23 percent for McCain.

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Sunday: Sandoval County Dem Wine Tasting Reception

From Democratic Women of Sandoval County: A wine tasting reception for federal, state and local Sandoval County and surrounding area candidates will be held on Sunday, July 27, from 4:30 to 6:30 PM, at Anasazi Fields Winery, 26 Camino de los Pueblitos, Placitas. The guest speaker will be Martha Burk, author of "Your Money and Your Life: The High Stakes for Women Voters in '08 and Beyond." Taste the wines, munch on cheese and snacks, enjoy live music, greet your neighbors, make new friends, volunteer for your favorite candidates. Sponsored by Democratic Women of Sandoval County. $10 donation requested. Candidates and one guest admitted free.

Janice Saxton, President, Democratic Women of Sandoval County, 867-1139

Get Involved: DPNM Committee Hosts National Platform Hearing Friday in ABQ

This invitation is from the always active Alex Flores, a Young Democrat who's a member of the Democratic Party of New Mexico's Platform and Resolutions Committee:

This Friday, July 25th, the Democratic Party of New Mexico's Platform and Resolutions Committee will host one of Senator Barack Obama's national platform hearings here in Albuquerque. You've been invited to attend the DPNM National Democratic Platform Meeting. Go to here to RSVP.

DPNM National Platform Hearing
Friday, July 25, 2008, 6:00 PM
Plumber's and Pipefitter's Hall
510 San Pedro Drive SE
Albuquerque, NM 87108

Every four years, the Democratic Party assembles a platform that outlines the party's position on a variety of issues. Traditionally, the platform is written by paid professionals and then presented to the American people.

This year, that's going to change. From July 19 to July 27, everyday people all across America will hold Platform Meetings in their own communities. From Atlanta, Georgia to Muncie, Indiana, from Bangor, Maine to Eugene, Oregon, Americans will meet to talk about what issues are most important to them and what should be at the heart of the Democratic platform for change.

The State Platform and Resolutions Committee of the Democratic Party of New Mexico is happy to host one of these events here in the Land of Enchantment.

The results of these Platform Meetings will be incorporated into the formal process that culminates in the adoption of the platform at the Democratic Convention in August. A few participants may even be invited to appear and testify at the National Hearing and at the Convention!

You can write the next chapter in the history of the Democratic Party.

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Netroots Nation Thursday

What's in the (Netroots Nation) bag? Lots of chum.

New Mexico FBIHOP has some of Howard Dean arriving at Netroots today with the DNC's Register for Change tour that's traveling around the nation registering voters -- it'll finish in Denver at the Convention. We missed its arrival today, though, because we were elsewhere and there are a lot of elsewheres to be at this conference! Dean will be speaking tonight along with Wesley Clark. The C-SPAN bus was parked outside the Hilton when we arrived last night, but I don't know how much they'll be airing from Netroots this year.

Message from Mary Ellen: What are the two best pieces of chum in the Netroots bag? The pocket-size copy of the Constitution from the ACLU and the smashed fortune cookie that said, "If you want your children to inherit your wealth, best to die now." Hmmm.... The free mags are great too....Mother Jones, The Nation, and others. Off to have some fun!

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Meet Campaign Staff at DPBC Third Thursday Meeting

From the Democratic Party of Bernalillo County:

DPBC THIRD THURSDAY MEETING
Thursday, July 17th, 6:00 PM
UNM LAW SCHOOL, ROOM 2401
1117 Stanford NE, Albuquerque, Map

Come meet campaign staff: Josh Geise from the Coordinated Campaign, Adrian Saenz from the Obama Campaign, and staffers from the Heinrich and Udall campaigns. They will be available to answer questions and discuss the coordination of the different campaigns. All are welcome.

Alsok mark your calendar for the DPBC Labor Day picnic  on September 1st honoring our labor partners. Location and time to be determined.

Tuesday: DPNM Day of Action While McCain's in ABQ

From the Democratic Party of New Mexico:

A DAY OF ACTION

While John McCain campaigns at a closed event at Hotel Albuquerque

Join us to wave signs, cheer on our Democratic candidates and send John McCain the message that New Mexicans are Ready for Change

GUEST SPEAKERS: Chairman Brian S. Colón and Elected Officials and Candidates

WHEN: Tuesday, July 15 at 10:30 AM

WHERE: Old Town Gateway Park at Mountain and Rio Grande in Albuquerque

QUESTIONS: Call Buck at 505-830-3650

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DCCC to Spend Million on Ads in NM-01 and NM-02

Talking Points Memo obtained a obtained a list of races the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) intends to target in September and October, when they'll run more than $34 million worth of TV ads in 31 districts. It's clear that the DCCC will be casting a wide net and spending money in a number of traditionally Republican districts.

The contest in NM-01 between Dem Martin Heinrich and Repub Darren White will get $1.3 million in ad support from the DCCC an an effort to take the seat held by Heather Wilson for the Dems. Last time out, Dem and former AG Patricia Madrid was defeated by fewer than 900 votes. And in NM-02, long considered a safe seat for the Repubs, the DCCC will kick in $1.2 for ads promoting Harry Teague over his GOP rival, Ed Tinsley -- Steve Pearce's current seat. That's a signficant amount of cash. Imagine what the airwaves will look like this Fall. Well, maybe you shouldn't!

The DCCC list includes races in GOP strongholds challenging Repub members of Congress in places like Alaska (Young), Arizona (Renzi), Colorado (Musgrave), Florida (Feeney) and North Carolina (Hayes). About two thirds of the DCCC's funds will be spent in districts currently held by Repubs.

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