Democracy for New Mexico

NM-Sen: Rep. Tom Udall Finishes 2nd in ActBlue Fundraising This Cycle

Rep. Tom Udall (r) at NM Dem Preprimary Convention last month

Congrats to Rep. Tom Udall and all who donated via ActBlue. As reported in CQ Politics:

Part political committee, part fundraiser, part social networking site, the pro-Democrat fundraising Web site ActBlue announced today that it collected $24 million from 199,000 donors for candidates so far this election cycle — more than 10 times what the political action committee raised at the same point in the 2006 election. 

... Daniel Seals leads the way this cycle, raising $245,000 on ActBlue for his rematch against Rep. Mark Steven Kirk , R-Ill. He is followed by Senate candidates Tom Udall of New Mexico and Texan Rick Noriega, who raised $195,000 and $171,000 respectively. Donna Edwards, who upset fellow Democrat Rep. Albert R. Wynn in a Maryland primary, raised $151,000 via ActBlue.

Udall has raised a total of $333,722 at ActBlue.

And here's the rundown on donations raised at ActBlue on behalf of the Dem Congressional candidates in New Mexico, led by NM-01 candidate Martin Heinrich at $159,601. Hooray Martin and all who gave! I'm not sure, though, whether these totals include everything given at the site through midnight yesterday, the deadline for donations to count towards the candidates' first quarter FEC report.

Regardless, Dem fundraising is on track to break records this cycle, up and down the ticket, all over the country. Official campaign fundraising reports for the first quarter are due to the FEC by April 15, but I'm sure many of the campaigns will be releasing their totals before that date. Keep an eye out.

New Poll, Teague vs. McCamley: Money Can't Buy Me Love?

McCamley rocks the Dem Preprimary Convention crowd

The primary competition between Dems Bill McCamley and Harry Teague in New Mexico's Second Congressional District has been characterized as a contest between grassroots campaigning and big oil money. I don't think that's far from the truth and, at least for now, the grassroots candidate is winning -- big. McCamley beat Teague at the recent Dem Preprimary Convention by a margin of 48.71% of the delegate votes to Teague's 36.47%, followed by Al Kissling (13.41%) and Frank McKinnon (1.41%). Kissling and McKinnon have since dropped out of the race, and the odds are that most of Kissling's supporters will probably switch to McCamley.

Now, McCamley's campaign has released initial polling results that show McCamley leading Teague by a huge margin:

Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research 3/17-19 (likely Democratic primary voters):

Bill McCamley (D): 43%
Harry Teague (D): 22%
Undecided: 35%
(MoE: ±4.9%)

Click for polling results and memo. Quote:

McCamley leads Teague in every demographic group, including Hispanics and Anglos, men and women, and across most of the district. He leads Teague by more than 50 points in Doña Ana County and is tied with him in the eastern part of the district, where Teague lives.

Granted, about 35% of those polled in NM-02 are still undecided, but McCamley's taking a 21 point lead over a deep pocket candidate with support from the lieutenant governor and the entrenched interests of New Mexico's wealthy oil patch denizens is quite an achievement any way you look at it.

Remember, Teague backed his own campaign with a personal loan to the tune of $200,00. Yet, at the end of 2007, Teague had only $362,735 on hand and carried the $200,000 debt from the loan -- even with the backing of his fellow oil business pals. Meanwhile, McCamley had more than $212,00 on hand and not a cent of debt. Even better, much of that total consists of small donations from ordinary people. McCamley's running a lean and mean campaign. That fact, and his impressive poll numbers, should significantly bolster his fundraising clout.

What Does It All Mean?
First off, that Dona Ana County Commissioner McCamley is a very impressive and tireless campaigner. He gives a highly entertaining and passionate campaign speech. He's willing to travel the huge District and win over voters one by one, face to face, by listening to their problems and responding with common sense solutions. In addition, his positions are in line with voter concerns in what's clearly a change election cycle. And he's obviously being viewed as a straight shooter who can bring fresh ideas to the status-quo-filled halls of Congress. In race after race across the country, voters are rejecting candidates who draw their support from vested interests and supporting candidates who appeal directly to the people and pledge to bring the fight to Washington on behalf of their needs.

To Help
McCamley is trying to raise an additional $30,000 before his 30th birthday on April 1st. Click to before the March 31st campaign filing deadline for the first quarter of 2008.

Click to see the rest of McCamley's campaign videos. Too read our previous coverage of the NM-02 Congressional race, visit our archive.

NM Dem Preprimary Convention Congressional Races

Click for Official Results (pdf) of voting at Saturday's Dem Preprimary Convention.

NM-01 (Albuquerque area):
Martin Heinrich was the only Congressional candidate in any of New Mexico's three Districts to get more than 50% of the delegate votes -- a very strong showing in a field of four. Also, his 28% margin of victory over the First District's second-place finisher Michelle Lujan Grisham -- at 56.41% to 28.29% -- was the largest of any winning candidate. Heinrich and Grisham were the only two candidates to reach the 20% level in NM-01, giving them automatic placement on the primary ballot in the number one and two slots, respectively.

Diego Arencón, Debbie O'Malley, Martin Heinrich

Heinrich was nominated and seconded by Albuquerque City Councilor Debbie O'Malley, who touted his leadership and hard work on issues like raising the minimum wage, water conservation and smart growth planning, and International Association of Fire Fighters' Local 224 President Diego Arencón, representing one of the many unions that have endorsed Heinrich's candidacy. Heinrich emphasized he has the skills necessary to lead in Washington and take on the special interests. He pushed ethics, renewable energy, ending the war, creating green-collar jobs, solving the health care dilemma and regaining and protecting our constitutional rights and civil liberties.

Rebecca Vigil-Giron (at 11.15%) and Robert Pidcock (at 4.16%) will have to submit more petition signatures if they want to get on the ballot. They both gave spirited speeches. Jessica Lynn Wolfe withdrew from the race before the voting began, and will run instead for State Senate in District 21 against conservative Repub incumbent Kent Cravens.

Unfortunately, I had to leave the event before Michelle Lujan Grisham gave her speech. I believe she had the tough role of being the last speaker of the day-long Convention. I've heard she was rousing nonetheless. Anyone out there hear her?

NM-02 (Southern NM):
Despite the deep pockets of wealthy oil business honcho Harry Teague and his friends in the Hobbs area oil patch funding Teague's candidacy, Dona Ana Commissioner Bill McCamley scored an impressive victory in the Second District with 48.71% of the delegate vote in the four-person race. Teague came in second with 36.47%, followed by Al Kissling (13.41%) and Frank McKinnon (1.41%).

Teague supporters fill the stage

McCamley's live-wire (and sometimes humorous) speech at the convention seemed to wow the delegates in all three Districts. He recounted how he had beaten big odds in his first campaign for Dona Ana County Commissioner, and trashed conventional wisdom in his fundraising and grassroots organizing in this campaign. Change is in the air and McCamley is working hard to bring fresh air and new ideas to Washington.

Former Lea County Commission Teague, however, won the unofficial wardrobe award in NM-02 with dozens of his supporters wearing blue campaign t-shirts and white hardhats as they marched to the stage in unison. He stressed his hard scrabble roots and his up by his bootstraps business successes as evidence of his hardworking nature and knowledge of the concerns of ordinary people.

McCamley (right) entered the contest back in April when incumbent Repub. Steve Pearce had yet to vacate the race to run for U.S. Senate, and by all accounts has waged a highly successful person-to-person grassroots campaign, traveling more than 45,000 miles to visit every county in the massive District -- some several times.

“We are so grateful for this overwhelming support for our campaign and the momentum it has given us,” McCamley said in a statement. “The message today was loud and clear: The people are hungry for someone who has the commitment to fight for change in Washington and results for southern New Mexico. Today was a victory for the people. Many political insiders said that we wouldn’t win today, because there is another candidate who has a lot of his own money to spend. We proved them wrong. We showed that hard work, commitment, and a compelling message are what really matters.”

McCamley has already raised about $300,000 for the race and his victory at the pre-primary has sparked a new campaign initiative to raise $30,000 more between now and Bill's 30th birthday on April 1st. The campaign is asking supporters to give Bill a "birthday gift" by March 31, which you can do right here at Act Blue.

NM-03 (Northern NM):
Public Regulation Commissioner Ben Ray Lujan was the top vote-getter at 40.21% of the delegate votes, with political newcomer and green developer Don Wiviott making a strong showing at 29.67%. The two will be on the primary ballot in the one and two slots, respectively.

Jason Marks at podium nominating Lujan (left)

Lujan's supporters, clad in bright yellow and red t-shirts, marched through the crowd and onto the stage tooting kazoos and raising a ruckus to music. Lujan was nominated by fellow PRC Commissioner Jason Marks, who cited Ben Ray's environmental achievements, work ethic and fairness. Lujan gave a powerhouse speech amidst much cheering from supporters, and stressed his New Mexican roots and dedication to environmental and energy issues.

Jason Marks (left), Ben Ray Lujan (right)

Commenting on his first-place finish in a six-candidate race, Luján said in a statement, "I am grateful and honored by the support delegates have shown for our campaign. Saturday's victory and Friday's endorsement by the League of Conservation Voters puts momentum on our side, and we will work 1 percent at a time to secure victory in June."

"This is a great showing, and along with the LCV endorsement, we clearly have the momentum going forward," said campaign manager Carlos Trujillo. "We will keep working to let voters know about Commissioner Luján's record of leadership on renewable energy, of holding insurance companies and big corporations accountable and of standing up for New Mexico consumers."

Don Wiviott was escorted toward the stage by a large contingent of supporters while the Beatles song "Revolution" filled the hall. In a surprise move, Wiviott was nominated by former Ambassador Joe Wilson (right), who relocated to Santa Fe last year with his family after Scooter Libby was found guilty in the scandal involving the outing of Valerie Plame-Wilson's CIA status by the Bush administration. He remarked that traditional political experience is highly overrated given the current state of affairs in DC and beyond, and that we need more citizen members of Congress like Wiviott to set things right.

Wiviott stressed that he's dedicated to bringing change to Washington and won't take a cent from special interest lobbyists or PACs in this campaign. He hopes to bring real-life experience at problem-solving and a strong dedication to greening the economy and ending the war to Washington.

In response to Don Wiviott's capturing almost 30% of the delegates, campaign spokesperson Caroline Buerkle said in a statement, “It is remarkable how far this campaign has come. Don started out with no name ID, no political network and none of the advantages of a political insider. Just a few months later, he shocked the establishment by not only getting on the ballot, but by running neck-and-neck with those who started with far more in their favor. Don’s strong showing is a testament to his progressive vision and voters’ desire for change.” 

Buerkle said Saturday that Don is looking forward to a spirited primary campaign. “Now that he’s on the ballot, Don’s going to keep on doing what got him here today -- working hard, meeting with voters and talking about his commitment to fight for change in Washington, DC. Today’s showing made clear that Don’s message is resonating with voters. They are tired of politics and politicians. They want leaders who will focus on their issues and fight for them.”

Jemez Pueblo member and former NM Secretary of Indian Affairs Benny Shendo Jr., garnered a somewhat surprising 16.47%. That didn't earn an automatic slot on the ballot for the electoral politics newcomer, but it did show he has substantial support in the District. Shendo is expected to seek a place on the ballot via the petition route, and he reportedly already has enough signatures to qualify. Many in the crowd were impressed by Shendo's heartfelt and progressive speech, and many commented on how refreshing it was to have a Native American candidate in the running. Here, here.

Trailing the field in NM-03 were Harry Montoya (10.98%), Jon Adams (2.37%) and Rudy Martin (0.30%).

Also see my previous posts on the Dem Nominating Convention here and here. You can check out our entire set of Convention photos at Flickr. All photos by M.E. Broderick except where noted.

2008 NM Dem Pre-Primary Winners: Martin Heinrich, Bill McCamley, Ben Ray Lujan (with Photos)

Campaign signs line the way to Santa Ana Star Center

UPDATE: Also see my later post for a link to more photos from the event.
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Click for Official Results (pdf) of the pre-primary delegate voting for Congressional races, U.S. Senate and NM Supreme Court Justice.

Amanda Cooper, Jill Cooper-Udall, our next Senator: Rep. Tom Udall, former Ambassador Joe Wilson

I'm beat from spending most of the day at the Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho at the Dem Pre-Primary Convention but I wanted to post the Congressional results and some photos.

Rep. Tom Udall and wife Jill Cooper-Udall, who gave his nomination speech

Dems were out in force, campaign supporters were enthusiastic and vocal, the speeches were rousing (well, mostly) and competition for delegates was fierce.

2000+ Dems at Santa Ana Star Center

We had everything from a mariachi band strumming up support for Michelle Lujan Grisham to a Native American invocation, to former Ambassador Joe Wilson, now a Santa Fe resident, giving the nominating speech for Don Wiviott. I admit it -- I love waving campaign signs, being plastered with candidate stickers and schmoozing in an arena packed with Democrats. I can't help myself.

NM-02 candidate Bill McCamley with his mom


NM-01 candidate Martin Heinrich at podium with Albuquerque City Councilor Debbie O'Malley to his left, who gave his nomination speech
Martin Heinrich booth

Check in tomorrow for more on the Convention, additional photos and some videos too.

NM-03 candidate Don Wiviott


NM-03 candidate Ben Ray Lujan

P.S. Kate Nash of the Santa Fe New Mexican live blogged the entire Convention. Now THAT's dedication!

Click on photos for larger images. All photos by M.E. Broderick.

Also see my later posts on the Convention here and here.

NM-02: McCamley vs. Teague

Democrat Bill McCamley, running for Congress in New Mexico's Second District, today announced more endorsements from key elected officials in NM-02. Here's a PDF of the McCamley campaign's statement on the new endorsements from former State Rep. J. Paul Taylor (Doña Ana County), former Capitan Mayor Benny Coker, Socorro County Commission Chairman Jay Santillanes and Sierra County Commissioner Walter Armijo.

Personally, I'm a big fan of McCamley, who's been running a textbook grassroots campaign down South against Dem rivals Harry Teague, Al Kissling and Frank McKinnon. A candidate willing to work hard for every volunteer, every small campaign donation and every primary vote, McCamley has raised more than $280,000 the hard way, opened a live and kickin' campaign office in Las Cruces and continues to talk passionately about new ways to approach and solve the serious problems we face.

His campaign isn't funded by large donations from oil business tycoons, good ol' boys and personal wealth like McTeague's. It isn't based on more of the same old same old, but focuses on taking a fresh and creative look at how we can make the changes we need to get back on the right track, moving towards a positive future. It's evident that the voters in this election cycle want change, fresh ideas and challenges to business as usual. I think McCamley is a good example of the kind of candidate who can flourish is this atmosphere and tap into the voters' hunger for a new way of doing things that's responsive to the people, not the lobbyists and vested special interests.

Harry Teague and Oil Interests
McCamley's main rival, Lea County Commissioner Harry Teague, made millions in businesses related to oil and didn't enter the race until November. He stepped up to the plate with $200,000 of his own money and the backing of wealthy friends in Lea County, many of them former supporters of Steve Pearce and the Republican Party. Teague is running as a Democrat, but shares many of the conservative views of politicos on the other side of the aisle. It shows in who's donating funds to his campaign.

Recently, Harry Teague announced his year-end fundraising numbers. Between November 8th, when Harry announced his candidacy, and December 31st of last year Harry's campaign raised a total of $408,610.00 and reported $362,735.51 cash-on hand. Harry has loaned $200,000 of his own money to the campaign, so that means he raised about 208,000 from outside sources during the quarter.

Let's take a closer look at Teague's donations. A colleague who's much better with numbers than I am examined Teague's year-end FEC report and shed some light on the kinds of donations he's getting:

• the average donation was $1,300 per individual
• Teague is backed by the same people who have donated to Pearce
  • 28 (or 18%) of Teague donors have given a total of $94,635 to Pearce
  • $45,250 (or 22%) of Teague's contributions came from Pearce donors
• Teague gets his money from those who give to Republicans:
  • 34 of his donors (or 22%) have given a total of $143,385 to Republicans
  • $51,800 of Teague’s contributions (or 26%) came from Republican donors
• Teague gets his money from the oil industry:
  • 61 of his donors (or 39%) are linked to the oil industry
  • $103,470 (or 51%) of his contributions are from people linked to the oil industry
• Teague’s money comes almost entirely from Lea County:
  • 135 (or 87%) of his donors were from Lea County
  • $172,110 (or 85%) of his contributions were from Lea County
  • Just 5 (or 3%) of Teague’s contributors were from the district outside of Lea County

Teague is trying to convince folks that his oil-related businesses and close ties to oil-related wealth won't stop him from strongly supporting the development of new energy sources and technologies. But you have to wonder how independent a politico can be if so much of his campaign cash comes from interests that would benefit from keeping the creators of the energy status quo in the driver's seat.

You can get learn more and get involved in Bill McCamley's campaign at www.billmccamley.com/.

Also see New Mexico FBIHOP's on the Second District race and the recent profile of the contest by CQ Politics.

To see our previous coverage of the NM-02 Congressional race, check our archive.

Guest Blog by Bill McCamley: All You Need is Rove?

This is a guest blog by Bill McCamley, who's a Democrat running for Congress in NM-02. Bill is one of the candidates the NM netroots is supporting in our True Blue New Mexico effort. Please donate if you can.

What Martin Heinrich wrote yesterday about Karl Rove and George Bush is absolutely true.  Rove is “the epitome of everything that’s wrong with Washington,” and I encourage you to read Martin's comments about how Rove and company have poisoned the political atmosphere in Washington.  However, I want to focus on one particular reason why Rove, President Bush, and the Bush Administration have been so destructive: They put politics and greed over competent governance.

From the string of unqualified and incompetent officials they chose to put in Bush’s Cabinet—for example, Michael Brown and Alberto Gonzalez, to name just two—to the billions of dollars lost in unmonitored no-bid contracts in Iraq, to letting industries completely decide their own regulatory policies, this Administration has been one long nightmare of incompetence.

As 2008 kicks off, the evidence of this incompetence just gets stronger.  The economic divide between “haves” and “have-nots” continues to grow wider.  With a recession either looming or already underway, families throughout New Mexico—and especially the many poor counties in the 2nd Congressional District— will find it harder to make ends meet.  The Bush Administration still has no plan to end the War in Iraq.  And almost fifty million Americans—including one in five New Mexicans—still have no health insurance.  These facts will be the legacy of Bush and Rove.

Instead of this failure and the politics of fear, there is another way. 

We Can Work It Out
Since I got into this race last April against Steve Pearce, I have been talking about the need for change in Washington—and not just change as some broad, generic concept.  I have been talking about a very specific kind of change: A change to focus on results. 

In Doña Ana County, we have shown what results we can achieve when we work together to get things done for the people we represent.  As County Commissioner, I worked to reform the County’s healthcare system, to establish the first paid County Fire Department, to strengthen the County’s ethics policies, and to bring new jobs and opportunity through negotiating policies that assist border development and high-tech job creation. It’s this record and this focus on results that I want to take to Washington.

What will it take to achieve this in DC?  It’s going to take commitment.  It will take a commitment to stand up a fight for what is right, not what is politically easy.  It will take a commitment to work extremely hard from the moment the election is decided.  And it will take a commitment to work together with people from all parties who are fed up with partisan bickering (and that includes many Republicans and independents).  I promise you that those are all commitments I will keep when I get to Washington. 

Of course, we’re going to have to ask for some commitments from you, if we want to make this a reality.

With A Little Help from Our Friends
This True Blue New Mexico effort is a great step toward uniting New Mexico Democrats and the netroots to bring real change to Washington.  Both FBIHOP and Democracy for New Mexico deserve credit and thanks for organizing this drive.  Now we need your help.  Can you support our campaign and the TrueBlue effort?  We thank you for your support.

For more information on our campaign, please check out our website: www.billmccamley.com.

This is a guest blog by Bill McCamley of Las Cruces, a Democrat who's running Congress our Second Distict in Southern New Mexico.

To donate online to one or more of the True Blue New Mexico candidates, click here. If we want excellent candidates to be successful in their campaigns, we need to support them now with donations and volunteer time. Please give what you can afford to support these Democrats -- no donation is too small, no number of hours of volunteering is too few.

To read our previous posts on this effort, visit our archive.

(Updated) Support True Blue New Mexico: Diss Rove and Cheney

UPDATE: We've posted a guest blog by Martin Heinrich about moving beyond the politics of Karl Rove, and in support of our True Blue New Mexico effort. Check it out.
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This is an effort organized by the New Mexico netroots including and this blog.

Have you heard? The Bush-Cheney-Rove machine is still going strong, working to maintain the far right's obstructive stranglehold on Congress and beyond. Turns out Karl Rove will appear at a fundraiser for the New Mexico GOP today in Artesia, NM. And in D.C. today, Dick Cheney will host a campaign fundraiser for Steve Pearce's Senate run. He's already done a similar event for Heather Wilson, the other Repub candidate for Senate here, with the same $5000/PAC and $2000/person price tag. Given how much Republican elites have gained financially during Bush's two terms, they have a lot of money to burn for the cause, don't they?

As usual, these Repub affairs will bring in big dinero for New Mexico's Bush cronies. What can we do about it? Fight back with True Blue New Mexico! We might not be able to match the big donations of BushCo, but we can certainly blunt some of their clout with hundreds of small donations from ordinary people.

We've set up a special fundraising page at Act Blue to support the campaigns of Senate candidate Tom Udall, Martin Heinrich (NM-01), Bill McCamley (NM-02) and whichever Dem wins the primary in NM-03. Every dollar you donate from now until next Wednesday will go towards helping turn New Mexico's Congressional Delegation True Blue -- and fight back on behalf of Democrats against the relentless BushCo money machine. How can you resist?

The True Blue New Mexico Candidates
True Blue New Mexico is supporting current NM-03 Rep Tom Udall for U.S. Senate. Having voted against such travesties as the invasion of Iraq and the Patriot Act, Rep. Udall is a True Blue New Mexico progressive. His environmental credentials are impeccable and New Mexicans from every corner of the state respect Tom for his integrity, honesty and passion for Democratic principles like fairness and working for the common good. Think about what it would mean to New Mexicans from all walks of life to replace the pinched perspective of Pete Domenici with the forward-looking vision of Tom Udall -- while keeping right-wing Bush rubberstamps like Steve Pearce and Heather Wilson out of the Senate chamber altogether.

In NM-01, True Blue New Mexico is backing former Albuquerque City Councilor Martin Heinrich, who's been working hard within the local conservation and environmental communities for many moons. He's been instrumental in raising the minimum wage for Albuquerque, promoting smart growth over sprawl. He's won award after award for his work to preserve and maintain New Mexico's stunning landscapes. Now he's calling for an Apollo-style program to achieve energy independence and cut greenhouse gases. Against the Iraq invasion from the start, Heinrich wants to end the occupation as soon as possible and start using the billions being spent there to benefit our pressing human, clean energy and infrastructure needs here at home. Think what it would mean to New Mexicans if we replace Heather Wilson's hypocrisies with someone who really does care about the people. Side benefit? We can keep likely Repub candidate Darren White -- who chaired the Bush-Cheney campaign in Bernalillo County -- out of the halls of Congress and away from the fray.

True Blue New Mexico believes the fresh, creative, passionate voice of Bill McCamley needs to be heard in the U.S. House representing NM-02. Running a truly grassroots operation fueled by the people power of small donations -- and face-fo-face dialogue with voters all over Southern New Mexico -- McCamley is known for working hard while other candidates are hardly working. McCamley was a breath of fresh air during his service on the Dona Ana County Commission, pushing to tamp down the destructive effects of down and dirty sprawl development and inject the process with ethical, reasonable safeguards. He's helped solve long-standing battles over water and improved health care financing. With a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, McCamley is smart, organized and effective in whatever he tackles. In a diverse district, McCamley uses effective negotiation skills, honesty and common sense to bring people together to solve problems. Think of replacing Steve Pearce with a Congressman dedicated to creating solutions -- not pushing rightwing ideologies at any cost.

Because there are several excellent candidates in NM-03, True Blue New Mexico decided to raise campaign funds for the eventual primary winner. Green builder Don Wiviott, PRC member Ben Ray Lujan and Jemez Pueblo member Benny Shendo, among others in the crowded field up north, are running lively campaigns to get on the Dem primary ballot. Whoever wins, we hope the funds we raise for the eventual nominee in NM-03 will help them carry forward the progressive platform of current Congressman Tom Udall.

Many Small Donations = Big Mojo
The forces of the Bush-Cheney -Rove agenda may have the big donors and Beltway clout to try and have their way in New Mexico's Congressional districts. What they don't have is authentic grassroots-netroots people power -- the many coming together to support a common cause. If we all pull together and toss a few bucks into the effort right now, we can be instrumental in achieving a True Blue New Mexico. We can add a second Democrat to New Mexico's Senate roster and help transform our U.S. House delegation from 2 Repubs and 1 Democrat to all True Blue. Any donation, no matter how small, will help do the trick. We can't let Rove and Cheney go unanswered today, now can we?

For our previous coverage of these races, visit our archives:

• 2008 U.S. Senate Race
• NM-01 Congressional Race
• NM-02 Congressional Race
• NM-03 Congressional Race

NM-02: McCamley Opens Las Cruces Campaign HQ

From McCamley for Congress: We're very excited to announce that we've opened our campaign headquarters in Las Cruces, and we'd like you to see it!

For those of you in the area, please come to our open house on Saturday, January 19, between 2:00 and 4:00 PM.  It's Suite #12 in El Paseo Plaza at the corner of Wyatt and El Paseo, just down from the Community Action Agency.  If you'd like to help us out, we're looking for folding tables, folding chairs, and a coffee table, as well as office supplies and decorations.

For those of you out of town, we'll post a video tour of the place soon. If you'd like to help us out, the best way to do so would be to help us defray some of the costs (e.g., electricity, phones, etc.). Your help would mean that we can focus more of our resources on staff, literature, media, and all those other key ways of spreading Bill's message of bringing commitment, results, and change to Washington.  If you would like to help us out, you can go to our online contribution site directly by clicking on this sentence. 

If you have any questions about the open house or the campaign, please don't hesitate to email me at mike@billmccamley.com or call us at (575) 525-9329. Thanks so much for your support!

Best,
Mike Ward, Campaign Manager
McCamley for Congress
www.billmccamley.com

To read DFNM's previous coverage of the 2008 Congressional race in NM-02, 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

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.