Democracy for New Mexico

NM-01: Heinrich Pulling Away in Money Race

Wow. I heard from someone close to Martin Heinrich's campaign for Congress in NM-01 that his end-of-year fundraising total will come close to $500,000. That's almost half a million dollars, folks. The Heinrich campaign ended the third quarter last year having raised more than $318,000 since he entered the race in April. To date, he's raised more than $112,000 of his campaign funding online via ActBlue from 664 supporters -- always a good sign.

The others contending for the NM-01 Dem nomination are Michelle Lujan Grisham, who's a former Secretary of the New Mexico Public Health Department, and Albuquerque attorney Robert L. Pidcock, who entered the race this week as a long shot. I don't know how much Grisham has raised to date overall, but she's received a total of $17,850 online at ActBlue from 58 contributors -- well below Heinrich's totals there.

Two other Dems who were in the running in NM-01 have left the field. Attorney Jon Adams withdrew to run instead in NM-03, while teacher and activist Jason Call withdrew when AFSCME unanimously endorsed Heinrich's candidacy.

Despite Heinrich's prodigious fundraising and widespread support in the first district, former Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil Giron is reportedly now testing the waters and pondering entering the race. According to an item in today's Santa Fe New Mexican:

Former Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron said Tuesday that she is considering running for Congress in Albuquerque's 1st Congressional District. Vigil-Giron, a Democrat who left office last year after serving two terms as secretary of state, said, "It's not official. I'm feeling the waters."

... Vigil-Giron applied last year for the job of executive director of the state Democratic Party. She previously said she'll run for lieutenant governor in 2010.

There was an uproar last year when Gov. Bill Richardson said he would appoint her as director of the state Film Museum. Critics said she had no background in film. Richardson put the nomination on hold, and Vigil-Giron later said she was no longer interested.

Given Heinrich's successes and momentum to date, it seems unlikely that Vigil-Giron could raise adequate support or funding for a serious bid this late in the game, with the Dem pre-primary convention set for March 1st. Unless the current law is changed this Legislative Session, candidates will need to garner the votes of at least 20% of delegates to get on the primary ballot. The deadline for filing as a candidate in the race is February 8th, only weeks away.

To read our previous coverage on the 2008 NM-01 Congressional race, visit our archive.

NM-01: Pueblo of Jemez Endorses Heinrich

From Martin Heinrich for Congress:

Heinrich: "My campaign is about changing the way Washington works, and I am proud to have the support of the Pueblo of Jemez as we move forward"

Former Albuquerque City Councilor and Democratic candidate for Congress Martin Heinrich picked up another endorsement today in his campaign to bring change to Washington. The Pueblo of Jemez has endorsed his bid to represent New Mexico's First Congressional District. The Pueblo of Jemez is Heinrich’s second tribal endorsement as the Pueblo of Zia endorsed Heinrich in November.

"I am honored to have the support of the Pueblo of Jemez. New Mexico has a long history of elected officials who have proven to be effective advocates on tribal issues and I intend to continue that tradition. My door will always be open to New Mexico’s pueblos and tribes as well as the members who reside in CD-1.” Heinrich said. 

While the Pueblo of Jemez is outside the boundaries of District 1, many members of Jemez Pueblo reside in the district, particularly in Albuquerque. In addition, the Pueblo has a long history of working closely with New Mexico's entire congressional delegation on matters important to the Pueblo and all New Mexicans.

Over the course of the campaign to date, Heinrich has amassed an impressive number of endorsements from community leaders and elected officials across the First District.  Heinrich's backers include two state senators, five state representatives, five Albuquerque city councilors, and many other elected officials. For a full list of Martin's endorsements, click here.

To read our previous coverage of the 2008 NM-01 Congressional race, visit our archive.

By Midnight: Last Chance to Support Candidates in 2007

The final campaign fundraising quarter of 2007 ends tonight at Midnight. Good numbers at this point in the election cycle can create buzz, mojo and and edge for candidates, especially those who might not be getting the full-throttle praise routine from the conventional, politics as usual crowd. If you support a candidate who's an underdog of sorts, or who's a particular favorite of yours, now's the time to kick in a few more bucks to top off the year. Donate the cost of a couple of bottles of champagne and you won't have a headache in the morning.

Here are the candidates I'm personally supporting with donations as 2007 edges towards the New Year:

NM-01: Martin Heinrich
Heinrich's environmental credentials are impeccable. He's smart, reasonable, honest and a very hard worker. He fought for working people, ethics reform, and green innovations on the Albuquerque City Council and I know he'll do the same in Washington. He's been working his you know what off since he entered the race, and his common sense, progressive views are top of the line. Added bonus: if you donate between now and Midnight, you get a chance at a free dinner with Martin at Scalo (or a NM goodie package if you live outside the area or can't make it in person). Donate to the Heinrich campaign.

NM-02: Bill McCamley
If you heard Dona Ana County Commissioner McCamley speak at this Fall's Dem Party SCC meeting or at another gathering this year, you know what I mean about his energy, commitment to Democratic principles and enthusiasm. He's been driving the district for months, racking up thousands of miles on his car and gaining coverts wherever he goes. He's running a creative, truly grassroots campaign and has attracted more than $200,000 in donations so far, most of them small. His campaign office in Las Cruces opens next month. According to some of the powers that be, Democrats in the 2nd District are all supposed to fall in line and support old-line oilman Harry Teague now that Rep. Joe Cervantes is out of the race. Does that sound like a wise choice at a time when development issues and a critical transformation to a renewable energy economy are the hot topics?

NM-03: Don Wiviott
I strongly supported Wiviott's courageous jump into the U.S. Senate race when everyone else was afraid to confront incumbent Sen. Pete Domenici. When Rep. Tom Udall decided to run for Senate, Don bowed out and endorsed him because they share so many of the same values. They are a lot alike. Wiviott is now running for Congress in the Third District and I'm still supporting him as a candidate. His progressive positions are on the mark, he's a fighter through and through and he's passionately committed to the big changes we need to meet the unique challenges of this turbulent era. Donate to the Wiviott campaign. 

State Senate District 15: John Blair
I got to know Blair via Dem Party activities and he's definitely one of the good guys. He's going up against an incumbent Republican who pretends to be "moderate" but votes like she's owned by all the wrong campaign donors. We need a real Democrat in this seat and Blair is that in spades. This race is expected to be a long, fierce battle and Blair needs resources now to start things off with an edge. Donate to the Blair campaign.

Of course there are many other excellent Dem candidates who'll need our support in the coming year, but I believe these four will benefit most from a strong fundraising showing this quarter. If you agree with my choices, I hope you'll give a few bucks to each. If not, I hope you'll decide to contribute to your own slate of candidates who need it most right now. And I mean now.

To read our previous coverage on these races, visit our archives:

• NM-01 Race
• NM-02 Race
• NM-03 Race
• NM Legislative Races

Democratic Women of Sandoval County to Host CD1 Candidate Forum

NM-01 Candidate Forum
Meet the Congressional District 1 Candidates
Sponsored by
Democratic Women of Sandoval County

You are invited to a candidate forum featuring the Democratic candidates for House of Representatives District 1

Michelle Grisham
Martin Heinrich
Robert Pidcock Wednesday, January 2nd, 2008, 7:00 PM
Town Council Chambers, Town of Bernalillo City Hall
829 Camino del Pueblo, Bernalillo

The public is invited to attend. Come get acquainted with your candidates. Questions and answers will follow the candidate presentations. Refreshments will be served.
*********************************
DWSC Regular Meeting
Wednesday January 2, 2008, 6:30 PM
Social time at 6 PM

The agenda for this meeting includes the election of officers for this coming year and reports by all our committees. Please attend if you possibly can. Please note the earlier meeting time. Our meetings are always open to the public. Come join our club. Bring your neighbors and friends. We welcome visitors and new members. For more information: Janice Saxton 867-1139 or jnjsaxton@msn.com.

DCCC Will Target at Least 40 Seats Including NM-01 and NM-02

According to a Roll Call interview with Chris Van Hollen, who heads the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), the group plans to target at least 40 seats in 2008 that have been held by Republicans. Swing State Project has the list and it includes New Mexico's First and Second Congressional Districts. Quote:

Overall, the DCCC is targeting 40 Republican-held seats in 2008 — both open seats and those where the incumbent is running for re-election, Van Hollen confirmed. Van Hollen acknowledged that the DCCC’s continuing wide cash advantage over the National Republican Congressional Committee was a key factor in his decision to shift his focus to aiding Democratic challengers.

"We don’t have to spend all of our time worrying about what the Republican committee is going to be able to throw at our incumbents. There’s no doubt that allows us some flexibility," Van Hollen told Roll Call. "It has given us some room to maneuver. Definitely."

Last week, Al Gore sent out a message to Democrats urging them to donate to the DCCC's Year End Challenge, where contributions will be matched and doubled by Dem House members.

First District
In NM-01 in the Albuquerque area, where Repub Rep. Heather Wilson is giving up her seat to run for U.S. Senate, the current contenders are:

• Democrats
  • Martin Heinrich, former Albuquerque City Councilor who's on a leave of absence from his job as Natural Resources Trustee with the State
  • Michelle Lujan Grisham, former Secretary of the New Mexico Public Health Department
• Republicans
  • Darren White, Bernalillo County Sheriff
  • Joe Carraro, State Senator

Second District
In NM-02 in the southern part of the state, here are the current candidates for the vacancy created by Republican Rep. Steve Pearce's entry into the U.S. Senate race:

• Democrats
  • Bill McCamley, Dona Ana County Commissioner
  • Joseph Cervantes, State Representative
  • Al Kissling, retired Presbyterian minister
  • Harry Teague, former Lea County Commissioner
  • , retired teacher, current businessman
• Republicans
  • Ed Tinsely, owner of K-Bob's Steakhouse restaurant-chain, rancher
  • Aubrey L. Dunn, Jr., retired banker, current rancher
  • Bob Cornelius, former Executive Director of the Bernalillo County Republican Party
  • Greg Sowards, owner of Las Cruces daycare centers

In order to get on a Party's June 3, 2008 Congressional primary ballot, a candidate must garner the votes of at least 20% of the delegates to the Party's pre-primary convention to be held this Spring.

NM-01: AFSCME Unanimously Endorses Martin Heinrich

From AFSCME New Mexico's PEOPLE:

Candidate’s Commitment to Working Families Wins Endorsement
Albuquerque, NM – The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, which represents over 12,000 city, county, and state employees, has endorsed Martin Heinrich for New Mexico’s First Congressional District. On Tuesday evening, AFSCME New Mexico’s PEOPLE (political action) Committee voted unanimously to endorse Heinrich because he has consistently stood with the hard working people of New Mexico.

“Politicians always seem to talk the talk, but Martin walks the walk.  He cares about the hard working people of this state and has always fought by our side” said AFSCME President Andrew Padilla.

PEOPLE committee member and water utility employee Maria Gallegos added “When city employees made the transition to the water authority, Martin made sure everyone would be taken care of and not a single employee would fall through the cracks.  This is the type of person we need in Washington.  Someone that will make sure New Mexico doesn’t fall through the cracks.”

Click to visit Heinrich's campaign website. If you make a donation before midnight on December 31, 2007, you'll get a chance to win a lunch with Martin Heinrich at Albuquerque's Scalo restaurant.

To see our previous coverage of this race, visit our archive.

NM-01: Win Lunch with Martin Heinrich at Scalo's

In January, five contributors to Martin Heinrich's campaign for Congress in NM-01 will be treated to lunch with the candidate at Scalo restaurant in Albuquerque. If you make a donation at his website between now and 11:59 PM on December 31, you'll be entered into the drawing to win lunch. If you're a winner and can't make it to lunch, or you're from out of town, you'll get a New Mexico care package complete with green chile and a call from Martin.

Click to make a contribution and enter the drawing. According to Martin,

It's absolutely critical that we have a strong fourth quarter. My finance director told me that we have to raise at least $10,000 through the internet between now and December 31st if we're to make our goal. I told her that I had faith that together, we can raise at least $10,000 online."

To track our progress, there's a balloon on the front page of my website that updates occasionally showing the latest online contributions tally. I need you to help fill the balloon by making a contribution. Together, we can make sure that we have the resources we need to fight back against the Republican noise machine. Please, help us fill the balloon, earn a chance for lunch with me at Scalo and help us make sure we have the resources to beat back the Republican attack machine!"

Click to read more of Martin's message. Visit the campaign website at www.martinheinrich.com, as well as the campaign blog at www.martinheinrich.com/blog.

To read our previous coverage of the Congressional race in NM-01, visit our archive.

Marty Chavez Disses Negative Politics & U.S. House; Ex-Wife May Run for Mayor

Since he released a statement last Friday withdrawing from the U.S. Senate race, Albuquerque Mayor Marty Chavez has essentially been in hiding from the public. He hasn't appeared at a single press conference -- a rarity for the camera-loving Mayor. Although he was present at Friday's lighting of the Old Town Christmas tree, Marty reportedly fled the scene when invited to the podium. He's let his campaign manager, Mark Fleisher, do most of the talking, and Fleisher has been repeating a story that poor internal polling numbers were the reason Marty decided to abruptly withdraw from the race.

That explanation always seemed odd, given that all of the polling numbers from day one of Marty's Senate campaign were poor. Juicy rumors continue to percolate about the real reason Chavez suddenly fled the race. Dark innuendos multiply by the day. Now we have another scenario, directly from Marty via a telephone interview with Albuquerque Journal reporter Jeff Jones:

Chávez on Tuesday contended the poll did not play a role in his decision to get out of the race. He said he became convinced it would take a "particularly hard-hitting" primary race to secure the Democratic nomination, leaving the winner "bloody and weakened" heading into the general election ... He said Washington had "no role in my getting in, or getting out."

In other words, Chavez claims he was just being noble -- and doing so of his own volition -- putting the interests of the NM Dem Party before his own ambitions. Right. That's why his campaign began reciting negative mantras about Rep. Tom Udall even before NM-02's Congressman officially joined the Senate primary race. It's bad enough when fellow Dems fling mud as a close race draws to a close, but Marty went negative from the get-go.

Mayor Marty Too Genteel for U.S. House
Chavez had an even more outrageous explanation for why he won't enter the NM-01 Congressional race:

Chávez, in a telephone interview, blasted the U.S. House of Representatives and said that jumping into the race for the open, Albuquerque-based seat is "not an option." The House is "not a place where I want to be," said Chávez ... He said Tuesday that while the Senate remains a place where "individuals of substance gather," the House— whose members face re-election every two years, compared with six-year terms for senators— is "not a place for ladies and gentlemen any longer. ... They play a type of politics (that) I think is destructive."

Gag me with a spoon. Where do I even begin parsing these statements? Marty aghast at "destructive" politics? If the U.S. House is not a place for "ladies and gentlemen," does that mean that Rep. Tom Udall is just another low-life politico, at home for years in a setting beneath the dignity of Chavez? I guess Marty suddenly sees himself as a man of "substance" who's above the political fray, too unsullied and high minded to consider running for an office as shabby as the U.S. House. Amazing.

After all, this is a man who has been reveling in back-room, backstabbing politics at their most venal during his City Hall years. I guess he considers his underhanded skirmishes with the City Council and his belligerant antics in pushing his my-way-or-the-highway initiatives as a better match for the refined sensibilities of the U.S. Senate than what he sees as the nasty strategery of the U.S. House. My, my.

Margaret Aragon De Chavez Pondering Mayoral Run
In another intriguing development, Marty's ex-wife, Margaret Aragon De Chavez, told KOB-TV news that she'll form an exploratory committee next Spring to study whether she should run for Albuquerque Mayor in 2009. In her on-camera interview (text and video), Aragon De Chavez said:

... [running for Mayor] is something a lot of people have encouraged her to do. Aragon De Chavez said her experiences as a school teacher, principal, real estate agent, and single mother would make her a strong candidate.

"If you want to be an effective leader, you've gotta have the ability not to waffle on issues. I also think you've got to have compassion to listen and if you feel that you've made the wrong choice, you need to admit it and say it needs to be reevaluated," she said.

Aragon De Chavez previously considered running for Mayor in 2005, following her 2004 divorce from Marty. Asked about the possibility that she might be running against Marty in 2009, she said:

"You know I really don't want to talk about the possibility of other candidates, because I think what I need to think about is what would make me the best candidate and that's what I'm going to focus on," she said.

... Aragon De Chavez said her two teenage children plan on working for her campaign if she decides to run for mayor.

Timing is everything, isn't it? Marty told the Journal that "a possible run for a fourth mayoral term, a bid for the governor's job in 2010 or a return to the private sector all remain "on the table," but added that he's currently focused on his mayoral duties."

The current City Charter includes term limits that would preclude another mayoral run by Marty. However, if he wanted to run for a third consecutive term, which would be his fourth term in total, Marty could either try to change the Charter or challenge its constitutionality in court. A similar term limit provision for City Councilors was struck down by the New Mexico Supreme Court in the mid-1990s.

Click for archives of our previous coverage of the 2008 U.S. Senate race in New Mexico and the 2008 NM-01 Congressional race.

NM-01: Heinrich Connects With Local Bloggers

Last Thursday, Democratic Congressional candidate Martin Heinrich hosted a luncheon and discussion with eight local bloggers, including yours truly, at his campaign office at 6th and Gold in downtown Albuquerque. Besides good food and company, the 90-plus-minute meeting featured lots of back and forth discussion that was wide-ranging and inclusive. Here's how Martin opened the session (mp3):

I thought Heinrich was impressive indeed -- smart, open, clear-headed, reasonable, sincere, caring and an excellent listener. He has a thoughtful way of responding to questions on various issues that effectively weaves them into a cohesively damning picture of what Bush and company have been doing to our nation and our planet. And what a real Democrat in Congress can do to help change that and move us in a positive direction to begin solving problems rather than ignoring or making them worse. Heinrich's heart definitely seems to be in the right place, and he clearly sees the big picture.

In my opinion, Heinrich has excellent positions on the major issues, whether it's health care, getting out of Iraq, economic fairness, immigration or the environment, climate change and renewable energy. And these are --  make no mistake about it -- mainstream American positions as well. In poll after poll, it's been shown that the majority of our citizens agree with Democrats on almost every critical issue of the day. The challenge will be to make sure folks register to vote, cast their ballots and have their votes counted accurately.

From a review of my meeting notes:

Background
Martin was born in Nevada and grew up on a small ranch-farm in Missouri. He's got a degree in mechanical engineering, but most of his jobs have been in the areas of youth, the environment and conservation. He's also been very active in grassroots activism in those areas. He served on the Albuquerque City Council for four years, including a term as Council President. He's now on a leave of absence from his position as New Mexico's National Resources Trustee.

Bringing People Together
Heinrich is most proud of his ability to bring together those with differing views to achieve consensus and solve problems. He cited as one example his recent success in uniting the archeological and development communities to achieve a long sought agreement on dealing with ruins discovered at building sites.

Martin believes he can use his people skills to reach out and negotiate with parties like oil and gas interests, the national labs and renewable energy proponents as we switch inevitably from a Cold War strategy to solving the challenges of global warming and energy independence. There are many areas where we need to work together to achieve change.

Gaining Widespread Support
He will draw on the contacts he has made in many walks of life and across the ethnic spectrum during his service on the City Council, and now on the Albuquerque-Bernalillo Water Board, for support. So far, he has more than 1,400 donors to his campaign fund, and about 93% of those are New Mexicans. He's one of the top ten fundraisers among Congressional candidates in open seat races nationwide.

Energy & Global Warming
He believes we're currently within a window of opportunity for taking steps critical to effectively addressing the global warming crisis, but that we must do so much more quickly than we have been. We must return to our core values to achieve sustainability, both environmentally and economically. The price of oil will continue rising, affecting many aspects of life. We must be innovative and flexible in our approach to problem-solving, and this can bring dramatic economic gains in terms of new "green collar" jobs, as well as an improved environment.

Iraq Occupation
He was strongly opposed to the Iraq invasion and occupation from the beginning and believes we must leave as soon as possible to allow the Iraqis to solve the problems that are causing a civil war. The huge sums we are spending in Iraq are stopping us from funding our critical needs at home.

Trade
Trade is never "free" and must be made "fair" if we are to lessen the gap between rich and poor that's been growing wider each year. He opposed CAFTA, for instance, because it doesn't level the playing field and instead causes a "race to the bottom" for labor, along with environmental degradation.

Immigration & Labor
Trade policies directly impact immigration. When worker pay and benefits are driven down or livelihoods are destroyed, as in Mexico, workers naturally want to resettle in places where economic conditions are better, like the U.S. However, because high numbers of immigrants can drive down wages, the middle class experiences insecurities and anxieties. We presently have an uncontrolled immigration system coupled with trade policies that cause a continual search for cheaper and cheaper labor. We need a comprehensive system with a clear path to citizenship, secure borders and penalties for employers that hire undocumented workers. We also need stronger labor organizing and a return of the rights that have been systematically weakened or destroyed by the National Labor Relations Board in recent years.

Note: Heinrich just received the first union endorsement of the campaign, from the United Food & Commercial Workers Local 1563.

Food Security
Heinrich is also concerned about food security and diversifying food production so that we can get much more of our food from local producers. At present, huge conglomerates like Con Agra receive large subsidies that result in too much land being devoted to a single crop like corn or soy, instead of a balanced array of produce. This ties in with improved land use practices, fair trade and adopting better environmental policies.

Health Care
Heinrich strongly supports universal health care from a moral standpoint and as a right. He's open-minded about how to achieve that. The first step should be to build on what we have -- and what people have come to trust -- including expanding Medicare, Medicaid, VA and SCHIP coverage. We need to move away from the current model of employers providing coverage. While on the City Council, Henrich voted for the resolution in support of the Health Security Act.

December Fundraising Challenge
Heinrich's campaign just launched a fundraising challenge at his website, with a goal of raising $10,000 by the end of 2007. If you support his candidacy, now's the time to donate a few bucks to the cause.

Suzanne Prescott, who will soon be resuming her local radio show , provided the photo and sound bite used in this post. Thanks, Suzanne! Bloggers who participated included folks from Duke City Fix, m-pyre, Cocoposts, Albloggerque, NM FBIHOP, High Desert Reports, Insight New Mexico and, of course, DFNM. P.S. The meeting really was a lot more engaging than the expressions on our faces suggest!

To see our previous coverage of the NM-01 Congressional race, visit our archive.

NM-Sen: Why Did Marty Chavez Quit the Race? Door Still Ajar for NM-01 Run?

The abrupt departure of Mayor Martin Chavez from the U.S. Senate race in New Mexico on Friday is naturally spawning many theories about the reasons behind the move. Many have pointed to possible pressure to throw in the towel from heavyweights like Sen. Chuck Schumer, who heads the DSCC, and other powerful Dems who made it known they don't think Marty has what it takes to win a Senate race.

In a Sunday Albuquerque Journal article, Marty's campaign manager, Mark Fleisher, claims the decision to withdraw from the race was based on internal polling results, received Monday, that provided a dismal picture of Chavez's chances:

Disappointing results from an internal poll -- and not closed-door arm twisting from Democratic power brokers in Washington -- came during the run-up to Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez's surprise decision to quit the 2008 U.S. Senate race, his top campaign staffer said Saturday.

... Fleisher said he and Chavez began discussing a possible exit from the race last Monday when the Chavez camp got early results from an internal poll that "wasn't very favorable." He declined to provide specific poll numbers.

Who knows if what Fleisher is saying is true? As late as last Thursday the campaign sent out a fundraising email with another chance for folks to sign their petition to "Save New Mexico's Labs." This despite Fleisher's claim in the Journal article that "Chavez decided to quit the race Thursday and phoned Udall ... on Friday afternoon to inform him."

There are also rumors circulating that Marty's campaign fundraising was in the pits, perhaps because big donors were being discouraged from supporting Chavez by Dem leaders. Or maybe just because support for Chavez among Democrats seems to be at an all-time low, given his habit of backing Repubs and their views on issues important to Party members. And, our course, the support for Tom Udall for Senate inside and outside New Mexico is wide-spread and passionate.

Door Still Open to Chavez Congressional Run?
Although it has repeatedly been reported that Chavez has no interest in switching gears to run for Congress in NM-01, Fleisher seemed to leave the door slightly open to that possibility in his comments to the Journal:

Campaign manager Mark Fleisher added Chavez does not currently plan to jump into the race for the Albuquerque-based 1st Congressional District seat, which is also open. But Fleisher said he has been "surprised" by a large number of calls from backers urging Chavez to switch gears and enter the U.S. House race.

"We had absolutely no discussion about it -- so no, I don't think he's going to do it," Fleisher said in a Journal interview when asked about a possible House run by Chavez. "We'll see what the future brings.... But I don't think that's his intent."

Do You Hear What I Hear?
Remember all the "Run, Tom, Run!" cheers aimed at convincing Udall to enter the Senate race? Now that Udall is in and Marty is out, the calls have changed to "No, Marty, No!" in terms of Chavez entering the NM-01 primary contest. Let's hope that's what Marty keeps hearing above the rumble of his backers to run for Congress.

Former Albuquerque City Councilor Martin Heinrich has been active in the NM-01 race since this past April, and has raised a considerable amount of cash and wide-ranging support. His campaign reports more than 1,400 supporters, 93% of them New Mexicans, have contributed so far. Democrats seem to be coalescing in large numbers around his candidacy. And there's already an active primary contest going on, with firecracker Michelle Lujan Grisham, pro-impeachment candidate Jason Call and attorney Jon Adams in the race in the underdog category. Do we really need another candidate to compete for the 20% of the vote needed to get on the ballot at this Spring's Dem preprimary convention?

Remember, Chavez has never gotten even 50% of the vote in his nonpartisan mayoral runs. With little support from the progressive wing, and recent controversies swirling over issues like his red light camera program and Tax Increment Financing for "green field" developments like those of Sun Cal, the chances of Marty being victorious in a Democratic Congressional race primary in the Albuquerque area seem slim indeed.

I guess we'll have to wait a bit to get a definitive, first-hand answer on what's next for Chavez. Mayoral spokeswoman Deborah James told the Journal that Marty "would discuss his plans in coming weeks." Sounds like that rules out a press conference appearance anytime soon by Chavez to explain in person why he left the race and what he sees as his viable political options.

To read our previous coverage of the 2008 U.S. Senate race in New Mexico, go here. Our post archive for coverage of the NM-01 Congressional race can be accessed here.