Democracy for New Mexico

Lt. Gov Candidate Joe Campos Endorsed by NM EMS and Trauma Viability Committee

Democratic Lt. Governor candidate Joe Campos has been endorsed by the NM EMS and Trauma Viability Committee. The Committee cited Rep. Campos' help with trying to get sustained, adequate funding for EMS and trauma services statewide, and his sponsorship of a bill to do just that:

Representative Joe Campos stepped forward and agreed to be that advocate and sponsor. He worked with us to develop House Bill 99 and carried it through several committees and finally to the House Floor, not Once but Twice where it failed by Three votes.

You can read the letter from the Committee endorsing Rep. Campos, as well as his response, below the break.

To: New Mexico EMS and Trauma Communities From: NM EMS and Trauma Viability Committee

Last year after the tremendous response at the Region 3 conference in mailing letters to our legislators, the EMS and Trauma Viability Committee was developed to take our message to Santa Fe to obtain additional funding for the Emergency Medical Services and Trauma facilities which serve our friends, families and citizens. Our Fund Act had not increased since 1998 and remained at about $3.85 million dollars for the past 12 years. In 1998 those funds were distributed to 316 services but our EMS community has grown to over 450 without an increase in the general fund dollars and operating costs have significantly increased in those 12 years. In addition, the Trauma Authority funds were being cut at a time when our Trauma designated hospitals were expanding which was threatening the progress that was being made across the State.

We knew we had many obstacles to overcome including the State being hundreds of millions of dollars in the Red, State revenues shrinking, the Democrats and Republicans split on tax increases versus major cuts to the existing budgets, but we came together with the three Regions, the Statewide Advisory Committee, our partners in EMS for many years, the Trauma Authority members and the support of the Secretary of Health to try and accomplish this huge task.

We attended legislative committee meetings across the State and educated them about our need. We developed a plan to add a less than 1% fee on property and vehicle insurance to raise approximately $16 million dollars to double and replace the current General Funds that were coming from the State and return those dollars to the State treasury. This new designated and sustained funding would then support the EMS agencies and Trauma hospitals caring for our citizens into the future.

However, the pivotal point in the plan was to have a dedicated legislator to sponsor a bill to carry our plan forward. At the Region 3 Conference in Ruidoso in 2009, Representative Joe Campos stepped forward and agreed to be that advocate and sponsor. He worked with us to develop House Bill 99 and carried it through several committees and finally to the House Floor, not Once but Twice where it failed by Three votes. It was a huge effort by countless Emergency Medical Technicians, Physicians, Friends, Family and you to help us get that far. Joe worked with his legislators, behind the scenes and spent countless hours during the short session to carry this message.

We have regrouped and our planning to move forward again to obtain this essential funding but recognize a key factor is the support and endorsement of the Executive office. To accomplish this critical step the EMS and Trauma Viability Committee members listed below request your support to Elect Joe Campos as Lt Governor of New Mexico so he can again lead this effort. He spent the last year supporting us during these very tough times and now is the time for the EMS and Trauma Communities to Support Joe Campos.

We will be back in Santa Fe this winter and need Joe Campos there as Lt. Governor with us. We need your support for Joe along with your friends and family to vote for him to help secure our EMS/Trauma funding.

The EMS and Trauma Viability Committee support Joe Campos for Lt. Governor.

James S. Stover, Chairman Dr. Dale Kester, Vice Chairman Donald McNutt, Member Jan Elliott, Member Dr. Craig Rhyne, Member Tim Zaqorski, Member Jerome Haskie, Member Dr. Philip Froman, Member Carl Gilmore, Member

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact Chairman Jim Stover or Vice-Chairman Dale Kester, MD, via phone or email. All NM and EMS Trauma Viability Committee

Vote JOE CAMPOS June 1st for a Better EMS and Trauma System in NM!

Joe Campos responded to the endorsement,

"I am very pleased by the endorsement of the New Mexico Emergency Medical Services and Trauma Viability Committee which represents over 8,000 emergency medical workers here in New Mexico.

In this environment of concern about rising healthcare costs, it is self-evident that early intervention and early response to an emergency can prevent catastrophic health consequences that can incur staggering costs. An efficient cost effective healthcare system must include early emergency intervention and response.

In November of 2007, the Governor's Task Force on Emergency Medical Services (EMS) published the results of their study. The study found that 'New Mexico's EMS Regions are underfunded, unable to adequately provide their vital regional EMS infrastructure support.' A striking fact is that 55% of the EMS organizations are operated and staffed by volunteers and yet the volunteers are not getting the support they need to enable their volunteer services. And when these EMS organizations do not get support, that impacts their ability to respond.

I sponsored House Bill 99 to support EMS in order to ensure that emergency services are available when New Mexican families are in need. As lieutenant governor, I will again take up the cause of adequately funding emergency medical services and I will use my influence to rally support within the legislature to do the right thing for New Mexico families."

Guest Blog: One Progressive Texan's Perspective on the Lt. Governor Race

This is a guest blog and video animation by Stuart Heady, who is a freelance writer and a long time participant in progressive politics, going back to 1980 in Austin, Tx. He recently moved to Albuquerque.

From political experience in Texas, California, Arizona and Washington State (I organized a campaign for Howard Dean and then a DFA chapter in Snohomish County) before moving here recently, my sense is that there is a future bearing down on New Mexico that many folks may not be ready for.

The times we are in are calling us to quickened response, to get it, to drop conventionalism, complacency and mediocrity.

What we are going to see in the fall is more of the regressive politics we have been seeing in Texas. W. beat Ann Richards for governor fifteen years ago because Texas Democrats were bound up in conventional thinking and voters saw a lack of vibrancy and fight at a critical moment. What we have seen since, as a result, is proof that elections can have profound, paradigmatic consequences.

As the world’s problems manifest themselves more intensely, the contrast will increasingly become a choice between pragmatic progressive solutions that address the need for building the foundations of the future, and regressive instincts to find comfort in the familiarity of the past. Problem is, it won’t always be clear which is which.

There will be clarifying events that we might miss the significance of. For instance, last January, the international investment group CERES announced that they have amassed a total of about 13 Trillion (with a T) dollars from a worldwide pool of investors in order to influence governments to move on the policy ground rules that are needed for entrepreneurs to act in ways that foster “green” economics. This is because there is nothing more important for the long run than creating a solid economic basis for the future in alternative energy and conservation, with an infrastructure that distributes economic opportunity along with broadband access and energy. Educational reform, health care and everything else are inseparable from the totality of what is needed to establish an economy for the 21st century.

This investment pool is an example of pragmatic progressivism that means it.

New Mexico stands to gain a share of this worldwide participation in new paradigm building – which could be maximized or minimized depending on leadership chosen in this upcoming election. Do we continue to promote an old style pay to play culture? If we do, the worldwide smart money might decide the future is in places like India.

That is why, when I look at the Lt. Governor’s race, I conclude that Joe Campos ought to be the Democratic Lt. Gov. nominee. As a mayor in a more conservative locale, nearer to Texas, he seems to me to be the only candidate who “gets it” about the Republican challenge we face and the green economy future central to all our other progressive policy interests.

I think Brian Colon is an up and comer with a future and a talent for media campaigning. But, after the recent Supreme Court decision that gave corporate donors freer reign, I feel even more uneasy and leery about campaigns that attract large donors and speak through high gloss TV. Does he get it? I can’t tell. To me, being one with advertising is not a good sign.

I think Lawrence Rael ought to be hired under the Denish Administration as a budget master, but it seems to me that administration is very often confused with leadership. Carrying out defined ways of doing things works in a normal time, but we need leaders who dare to think with real clarity and who can act to create foundational, structural changes to the system.

America is like a party barge and everyone is having such a good time, that no one wants to connect the fact that the river bank is moving - with the roar in the distance. This is real.

Note: The linked animation was created as an experimental commentary, not as a "commercial," and was made entirely by use of the free software available on the xtranormal.com website. Everyone ought to try it!

https://www.xtranormal.com/watch/6539441

This is a guest blog by Stuart Heady. 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.

(Updates x 2) Robo-Call From "Democrats for Better Government" Bashes Brian Colón

Update Early Monday morning 1:20 AM: I finally spoke with Joe Campos earlier tonight, after we returned from a day in the mountains. He flatly denied that he was behind the robo-call, and said he had never done negative campaigning and never would. We spoke for about an hour about a variety of topics. There is, of course, no way to know who is telling the truth and who isn't in the current situation. In my post, I relayed what I knew and tried to reason who might gain from conducting such a robo-call, and who wouldn't. I believe that was a valid approach. I also think that every politician is capable of negative campaigning depending on the circumstance, especially in a hotly contest race. Politicos aren't saints.

I am still very angry and hurt about the use of my civil rights as a wedge issue in the LG race. As most Democrats are aware, there is a segment of our party that believes LGBT people don't deserve equal rights under civil law, so there is always an opportunity for candidates to pander to that segment to try and gain votes. This must stop. Wherever and whenever I come across evidence of the use of that tactic, I will do the same thing I did in this instance -- try to discover and logically consider who might be doing it. I stand by how I went about it this time, and I will do it again.

One more thing. Joe Campos told me that he is not for full marriage rights for same-sex couples. He said he supports civil unions for all and believes only hetero couples should be "married" because that is a church sacrament. I asked him what it says on the license or certificate when a couple gets married at a drive-thru quickie marriage place in Las Vegas, or before a justice of the peace, for example, and he said he didn't know. I know: it says marriage license or marriage certificate, and no church sacrament is required.
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Update 10:24 AM Sunday: FYI, still no response to our message left on the personal cell phone of Joe Campos yesterday afternoon. No other communication has been received from his campaign about this matter.
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About 2:15 PM today, Mary Ellen and I got a robo-call from an outfit identifying itself as "Democrats for Better Government." We have since heard that many other Dems are getting the same call, all over the state.

The call was clearly aimed at destroying the reputation of Brian Colón, a Democratic primary candidate for lieutenant governor in New Mexico. Saying Brian was "bad for Democrats and bad for New Mexico," the female voice went on to provide exaggerated, distorted and incorrect information about Colón. It touched on his tenure as DPNM Chair, the presidential caucus and other aspects of Colón's career. It was very nasty.

At one point it strongly suggested that Brian may have stolen money from Moving America Forward, the foundation that was set up to register minority voters for which Colón served as Treasurer. The voice rambled on using charged language, trying to paint Colón as a bumbler, a crook and a crony -- all of this most likely coming from the campaign of one of the other Democratic candidates for lt. governor.

Then, horror of horrors, it accused Colón of supporting marriage equality. In fact, Brian Colón has been on the record for some time as being supportive of marriage equality. Shocker.

Candidate Contact
I want everyone to know that I received a personal phone call this afternoon from Lawrence Rael, who had heard about the call. Mr. Rael convincingly explained that he would never conduct such a call or allow such a call to be conducted on his behalf as part of his campaign. He said he considered what was said in the call as being "clearly out of bounds." He also said he had talked to Brian Colón via phone and told him the same thing. I believe Mr. Rael. From observing Lawrence and his campaign for many months now, I don't believe it's his style, and I don't believe he needs to stoop that low to get significant support from Democrats. He took the initiative to call both Colón and I when he heard about the call. 

I have also left a message on the cell phone of Joe Campos explaining the situation and requesting a call back because I wanted to get his reaction before I posted on this. So far, no response. It's been a couple hours.

I left a message at Jerry Ortiz y Pino's campaign office too, but have gotten no reply yet. I find it hard to believe that Sen. Ortiz y Pino would use the marriage equality issue to attack Brian Colón because Jerry has long supported marriage equality. Of course you never know, and it would be helpful to hear from Jerry. I didn't call Sen. Linda Lopez because she has long been a champion for LGBT rights and I don't think her campaign has the money to do this anyway. She is so far behind in the race that it wouldn't help, regardless.

Using LGBT Rights as a Wedge
Despite the fact that marriage equality is supported by an official, approved resolution of the Democratic Party of New Mexico, some Dems still like to use the issue as a wedge -- a political football -- as bait to attract the votes of conservatives of both parties. You know, give a nudge and wink and use language that suggests that you, too, think that LGBT New Mexicans, like Mary Ellen and I, should SFU, accept second class citizenship and abide by the rules of the Catholic Bishops. You know, because civil law should match the dictums of the Church. Oh, hardee har har, those sicko gays!

That there's a strong possibility that a Dem LG candidate used a robo-call to stir up more bigotry against LGBT folks and those who support us makes my stomach turn -- especially since we know all the candidates on a personal basis, at least to some extent. At the very least, we know what they all tell us about LGBT rights when we ask about them. However, given the robo-call contents, we have some idea what at least one of them is saying behind our backs, for expedient political gains.

The Target Demographic
Clearly, the message was crafted to try and define Colón as a puppet under the control of Governor Bill Richardson and to emphasize the point on LGBT equality. Who do you think is the main target audience for these talking points in a Dem primary? I hate to say it, but it's obviously a certain segment of conservative Democrats, many of whom just happen to be Hispanic and/or rural. 

We don't know definitively who is behind today's robo-calls, but I think we need to consider which candidate is most heavily targeting the demographic within the Democratic Party that is most displeased with Governor Richardson and most against any sort of equal rights at all for LGBT New Mexicans. I think there are strong hints in the tenor and content of press releases that emerged this week, including those announcing personal endorsements.

Coincidences?
I'll also note that we received another robo-call about 15 minutes after the call from "Democrats for Good Government." This one featured the voice of former Mayor Martin Chavez praising Jose (not Joe) Campos and urging people to vote for him. Coincidence or a pattern? You decide. Also remember that Mark Fleisher, who was Mayor Chavez's right-hand man, has been running the campaign of Joe Campos for some months. 

The Campos campaign was initially run by Carlos Trujillo, assisted by Santiago Juarez and Michelle Mares. When they left the Campos campaign, Juarez and Mares went to work for the campaign of Dennis W. Montoya, who is challenging Judge Linda Vanzi for New Mexico Court of Appeals. Dennis W. Montoya has been running scandalous public and whisper campaigns against Judge Vanzi using code language that appeals to bigots. All of this doesn't prove anything, of course, but I think it definitely raises suspicions, don't you?

Finally, some are saying the call bashing Colón may have come from Republican interests. This makes no sense to me. Wouldn't they want Colon in the general election so they could use this kind of distorted information against him when it matters most? 

Democrats for Better Government
In the meantime, Tom Solomon, an active Albuquerque Democrat, was so disgusted by the robo-call that he sought to find out who the "Democrats for Good Government" might be. He Googled and found an Indiana organization with that name and sent an email to the designated contact person, named Krista Lockyear. I also have a call into Krista Lockyear. We don't know if the outfit that conducted the robo-calls is hers, or just shares a generic name. 

I'm sure whoever purchased the services of a robo-caller to attack Colon has managed to cover their tracks by passing money off to pay for it to someone hard to connect to the campaign or the candidate. Campaigns don't have to reveal their spending in this period until after the election anyway. The payment to a robo-caller may or may not show up on one of their reports. My guess is that it won't because some innocuous entity or person made the payment.

It pains me to have to write about this call and to contemplate that a Democratic candidate I know and respect may be behind this robo-call attack. It's no fun, but I do intend to get to the bottom of it and let everyone know what I find.

5/16: Charity Motorcycle Ride For UNM Children's Hospital with Joe Campos

From Joe Campos for Lt. Governor:
A charity motorcycle ride to benefit the is scheduled for Sunday, May 16, 2010. Riders will begin gathering at 10:00 AM at Thunderbird Harley-Davidson, located at 5000 Alameda Boulevard NE in Albuquerque, for a departure time at 12:00 noon. All riders and all motorcycle makes are welcome. The ride will follow historic Route 66 through Tijeras Canyon and turn north on Highway 14, the Turquoise Trail, to the Mineshaft Tavern in Madrid.

State Rep. Joe Campos, an avid motorcyclist and candidate for Lieutenant Governor, will be leading the ride. Rep. Campos states, "The UNM Children's Hospital serves a vital role within the healthcare system here in New Mexico. Early preventative care, diagnosis, and treatment can intercept problems at their onset where the response can be most effective. A healthy adult life begins with a healthy childhood. Please support the UNM Children's Hospital and join us in this benefit ride."

Registration for the ride will be $20 with all of the proceeds donated to the UNM Children's Hospital. All registrants will be eligible for door prizes that will be awarded at the Mineshaft Tavern. For participants in the charity run, a specially priced lunch of brisket, baked beans and potato salad will be served at the Mineshaft Tavern for $8.00. For more info call 575-799-0764.

UNM Children's Hospital, a Children's Miracle Network hospital, cares for nearly 60,000 children statewide. UNM Children's Hospital features a newly equipped maternity center, pediatric emergency center, newborn intensive care unit, pediatric oncology infusion center and Child Life Center.

Video: Joe Campos TV Ad for Lt. Governor Race

Democratic Lt. Governor candidate Joe Campos just announced on Twitter that he uploaded his first TV ad onto YouTube (see above). It's a 30-second spot that features a variety of folks saying positive things about Joe and mentioning the elected positions he's held. The ad calls attention to Campos' experience as a county commissioner, mayor, legislator and small business owner, and stresses his man-of-the-people qualities. "He's one of us." At the end, Campos talks to the camera, saying "it's always been about people," adding that "working together we can make a difference," in both Spanish and English. I like it.

5/13 in ABQ: OLÉ to Host Dem Lt. Governor Candidate Forum on Early Childhood Education

Organizers in the Land of Enchantment (OLÉ) Announces:

Lt. Governor Candidates Forum
Early Childhood Education in New Mexico
Sponsored by OLÉ Working Parents Association

Thursday May 13, 2010 – 6:30 PM
Alamosa Community Center
6900 Gonzales Rd. SW (Coors / Bridge)
Albuquerque, NM 87121

New Mexico Democratic Lt. Governor Candidates
Brian Colon
Lawrence Rael
Jose Campos
Jerry Ortiz Y Pino
Linda Lopez
AND
New Mexico Community Members

Candidates will weigh in on New Mexico early childhood education and answer VOTERS' questions. For more information, call the OLÉ office at (505) 796-6544. Check out our new website at www.olenm.org/.

Former Albuquerque Mayor Marty Chavez Endorses Joe Campos for Lt. Governor

Former state senator and three-term Mayor of Albuquerque, Marty Chavez, has announced what he calls his "enthusiastic endorsement" of Joe Campos for Lieutenant Governor in the Democratic primary.

"As Mayor of Albuquerque, I worked with a lot of elected officials over the years. Jose Campos, running for Lieutenant Governor, has always impressed me -- he’s smart -- even tempered and knowledgeable on the issues," Chavez said in a statement released by the campaign. "Jose Campos is clearly the best choice for Lt. Governor. As Lt. Governor, Jose Campos will bring jobs to New Mexico and he will help the Democratic Ticket win in November. I am calling to encourage you to support Jose Campos for Lt. Gov. He is right for New Mexico and will make an excellent Lt. Governor," Chavez continued.

"I am proud to have Mayor Marty Chavez's endorsement," said Rep. Campos. "We have much in common, both serving as Mayors, both dedicated to growing business and creating jobs, and both being responsible stewards of our environment. Mayor Chavez led the initiative to transform Albuquerque into a green city and I have been a strong advocate for a green economy here in New Mexico. Mayor Chavez is a nationally recognized leader and to have the endorsement of a leader of his stature is a great honor," Campos stated.

A statement released by the Campos campaign said that Mayor Chavez's leadership positioned Albuquerque as a business friendly city, which was acknowledged by Forbes Magazine, naming Albuquerque as the number one city in America to do business. During Mayor Chavez's administration, Albuquerque was named the "Greenest City in America" by the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Mayor Chavez has received national recognition for his accomplishments and his principles. Howard Dean, former Chair of the National Democratic Committee, states, "I have witnessed the best of America and I have also seen how rare it is to meet a public servant who delivers on his word. Mayor Martin Chavez is one of those rare public servants." Mayor Chavez served as the Vice President of the National Conference of Democratic Mayors and served as the Vice-Chair of the 1996 Democratic National Convention.

Mayor Chavez recently accepted the position as Executive Director of the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, a membership organization of more than 1,000 cities, towns and counties in the world, committed to climate protection and sustainable development.

Op-Ed by Lt. Governor Candidate Joe Campos: National Equal Pay Day

This is an op-ed by Democratic Lt. Governor candidate Joe Campos:

April 20 is recognized as National Equal Pay Day, the day in 2010 which signifies how far into 2010 a woman must work to equal the pay earned by a man in 2009. A woman must work almost 16 months to earn what a man can earn in 12 months. It is an inconvenient truth that in 2010, women are still subject to pay inequity.

Early this year while I was campaigning for Lieutenant Governor, during a question and answer session in Espanola, a woman asked me as a state legislator and a candidate for Lieutenant Governor, "What can you do to ensure equal pay for women?" This is an issue that has personal relevance in that I am a small business owner and my wife Christina works as an administrator at the Guadalupe County Hospital.

I accepted the challenge to educate myself with regard to the issue of equal pay and to identify what we can do in New Mexico to make progress towards pay equity.

According to the Institute for Women's Policy Research, in 2009 women earned only 80% of what men earned while Hispanic women earned only 60% of what men earned. What makes this fact especially meaningful is to consider that in this economy, many households require two incomes in order to make ends meet resulting in more women in the work force. If women are inequitably compensated, the whole family is disadvantaged.

What I learned is that according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, New Mexico is one of eleven states that do not have explicit equal pay laws for women. The current language of Chapter 28, Article 1, Section 7 of the New Mexico state statutes states that employers are prohibited to "....discriminate in matters of compensation, terms, conditions or privileges of employment against any person otherwise qualified because of race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, physical or mental handicap or serious medical condition..."

The statute falls far short of clearly protecting women and other groups in that to "discriminate in matters of compensationation" is undefined. To correct this, I introduced HB 288 in the 2010 regular session that explicitly prohibits "...providing a rate of compensation to employees of a group within one of these categories that is different than the rate of compensation provided to a different or opposite group within the same category for equal work that requires equal skill, effort and responsibility..." This bill was passed unanimously in the House. Unfortunately, time ran out in the legislative session before the Senate could act on the bill. This legislation should be on the legislative agenda for 2011.

At the federal level, the Equal Pay Act of 1963, Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and the recently enacted Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act establish criteria for equal pay. Although these laws address pay equity, obviously wage discrimination still exists.

The question remains, what can be done if a woman or any other member of a group subject to discrimination believes that they are being inequitably compensated? First, one should determine if there are employer policies and procedures that provides a process for complaint . Addressing the problem directly with your employer may be the best solution. If the employer is not cooperative, the employee can contact the Department of Workforce Solutions at (800) 566-9471 for assistance in filing a complaint under the New Mexico Human Rights statutes. The initial call will be treated as confidential. With regard to protection under federal law, filing with the state automatically triggers a dual filing with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. There is no charge for filing a complaint or for a complaint investigation, if an investigation is warranted. If the commission rules in your favor, the commission has the authority to award actual damages, e.g., back pay, front pay, and compensatory damages.

The quest for equal pay can be fought one case at a time, but what is really needed is a cultural shift. Employers have in the past made the case that according to research, customers value interactions with white male employees higher than with other employee groups and therefore white male employees should be higher valued and compensated. Women, and other groups, are challenging this misperception and proving in the workplace that they can perform at the highest levels.

Equal pay is not just an issue for employers to address. Each and every one of us, acting as consumers of goods and services must acknowledge that performance counts independent of race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, physical or mental handicap or medical condition. Whenever you experience good service or good performance, acknowledge it, whether it is a slip of paper in a comment box at a local restaurant or a positive phone call to management regarding one of their employees. Employers will have the feedback that performance is what counts with the customer and the employer would be motivated to reward performance. The cumulative effect of positive performance feedback will help shrink the wage gap.

Pay equity is a human rights issue that should concern every citizen. We as a society must embrace equality and equity for as Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

This is an op-ed guest blog by Democratic Lt. Governor candidate Joe Campos. 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. To see a collection of previous guest blogs, visit our archive.

Lt. Gov. Candidate Joe Campos Reports $90,381 Raised, Cash on Hand of $108,868

Democratic lieutenant governor candidate Rep. Joe Campos reported his campaign raised $90,381 this period and spent $111,267. He also received in-kind services worth $17,282.21. He had an opening balance of $129,753 and now has a total of $108,867.58 in cash on hand.

Campos' campaign also has $50,000 in unpaid debt. A total of $50,000 in debt was forgiven. His campaign had received two $50,000 loans last period for a total of $100,000.

The Campos campaign report has not yet been entered into the Secretary of State's official system, but you can see his entire report as submitted here.

Tonight: Fundraiser at Scalo in Albuquerque for Joe Campos for Lt. Governor

From Joe Campos for Lt. Governor Campaign:
Please join me at Scalo Northern Italian Grill, in the Nob Hill area of Albuquerque, on Tuesday, April 6th, from 5:30 to 7:00 PM for a fundraiser to benefit my candidacy for New Mexico Lt. Governor. Scalo is located at 3500 Central SE (map).

Thank you to Steve Paternoster and Dr. Randy Brown for hosting the event. A special thanks to "Mayor Marty" Chavez, who will be attending tonight. I am honored to have your support. I look forward to seeing you all there. Adelante Nuevo Mexico!!

Photos and Video from Saturday's César Chávez Day Festival in Albuquerque

Click for larger version or photo album

The Recuerda a César Chávez Committee held a series of events this Friday and Saturday in Albuquerque, including a march to the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque and a festival there on Saturday with food, music, booths and more. The featured speaker was Liz Chávez Villarino, the daughter of César.

Liz Chávez Villarino comments on César Chávez Day at the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque

More videos:

Liz Chávez Villarino discusses health insurance reform bill that passed last week

Lt. Gov. candidate Joe Campos talks about what César Chávez Day means to him

Videos: Lt. Gov. Candidate Speeches at 2010 DPNM Pre-Primary Convention

This another in a series of posts about last weekend's Democratic Pre-Primary Convention. We've only got a few more posts to go. Phew! Click to see the whole series of posts or my earlier report with a photo slide show of the Lt. Governor candidates at the Convention.

Here's a collection of videos covering the appearances of the five Democratic candidates for Lieutenant Governor during their nominations at the Democratic Party of New Mexico's 2010 Pre-Primary Convention last Saturday, March 13, at Buffalo Thunder Resort in Pojoaque. They're in the order that was followed at the event.

Sen. Jerry Ortiz y Pino arrival and speech

Cheering for Joe Campos and nominating speeches

Joe Campos gives acceptance speech

Brian Colon arrival and acceptance speech

Sen. Linda Lopez accepts nomination

Nominating speeches for Lawrence Rael and arrival onstage

Lawrence Rael's speech accepting nomination

All videos by M.E. Broderick. More usable video was obtained of some candidates than others due to a variety of factors beyond our control.