Democracy for New Mexico

NM-03: Luján Town Hall in Gallup Saturday

From Luján for Congress:
Public Regulation Commissioner and District 3 Congressional candidate Ben R. Luján invites Gallup residents to a meet-and-greet town hall on Saturday to discuss the issues that are important to them. The event will be held at Sammy C's Restaurant, 107 W. Coal, in Gallup at 6 PM, Saturday, April 12. The meeting is part of Luján's Standing Up for New Mexico Tour, in which the candidate will visit every county in the 3rd Congressional District at least once before the June 3 Democratic primary.

Technorati Tags:Ben Lujan, NM-03, Gallup, New Mexico, Democrats

Quote of the Day: They're Attacking Us

We say, "There’s something wrong with the economy," rather than, "I’m getting screwed by the oil companies, the banks, and my employer." Things get mystified and depersonalized. We say there’s a "recession," as if were some sort of bad weather, rather than pointing our fingers at the people who brought it down on us and who are, for the most part, profiting still. Maybe, instead of talking about "the economy" and "the recession" we should be talking about the ongoing looting and concerted attack on our standard of living --which will likely end only when there’s nothing left to squeeze out of us.

This isn’t just semantics. If there’s something wrong with "the economy," we call in the economists, we think about intervention by the Fed, and things on that level. But if someone is actually attacking us, we’re more likely to focus on how we can start working for change right now, with whatever tools are at hand.

-- , TPM Cafe

Technorati Tags:Barbara Ehrenreich, TPM Cafe, working class, economy, recession

NM-03: Wiviott Responds to President's Remarks on Iraq War

Don Wiviott, Dem candidate for Congress in NM-03, released the following statement in response to today's speech by President Bush on the Iraq occupation:

“While I applaud the President’s decision to decrease troop deployments to 12 month tours, I was disappointed to learn he still stubbornly refuses to acknowledge our current strategy in Iraq is failing and making America less safe,” Wiviott said. “Today’s announcement to indefinitely pause any future troop drawdown is a major step backwards for our country.”

“The war has raged on for over five years and brought the American people nothing but a tragic loss of life and economic turmoil. Months after the Bush Administration claimed the “surge” would allow our troops to return home sooner, the President’s statement today clearly shows that will not be the case.”

Wiviott has made extricating our troops from Iraq and devising a rational strategic plan for the region major campaign themes. He has also signed on to A Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq, which has been endorsed by 50 U.S. House candidates and four U.S. Senate candidates.

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NM-03: Luján Endorsed by Conservation Voters NM

From Luján for Congress:
Because of his strong commitment and record on protecting the environment, Conservation Voters New Mexico on Tuesday endorsed Public Regulation Commissioner Ben R. Luján in his bid to represent New Mexico's 3rd Congressional District in the U.S. House.

"I've witnessed Commissioner Lujan hold power companies accountable for their global-warming emissions. He has a proven and supreme track record taking on the powerful special interests on renewable energy. Ben Ray Luján will take that same leadership and vision to Congress to build a clean-energy economy," said Sandy Buffett, Executive Director of Conservation Voters New Mexico.

The endorsement adds to Luján's environmental support, which also includes the national League of Conservation Voters.

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NM-03: AFSCME Candidate Forum Tonight

AFSCME Local 477 is hosting a forum for all NM-03 Congressional candidates tonight, April 10, at 5:30 PM. The event will take place at the AFSCME Union Hall at 1406 Fourth Street in Santa Fe. AFSCME has extended an invitation to all Third District candidates. Those in the running:

Dem candidates: Jon Adams, Ben R. Lujan, Rudy Martin, Harry Montoya, Benny Shendo, Jr., Don Wiviott. Repub candidates: Daniel East, Marco Gonzales. Independent candidates: Carol Miller, Ron Simmons.

Technorati Tags:NM-03, Don Wiviott, Ben R. Lujan, AFSCME, candidate forums, New Mexico, Santa Fe

NM-01: 2008 1Q Totals for Heinrich and White

Heinrich's getting lots of attention from the netroots

Summary first quarter fundraising totals for two candidates in the NM-01 Congressional race have now been released ahead of the April 15th reporting deadline. Dem Martin Heinrich raised $200,000 this quarter, again matching the campaign's fundraising goal. That brings his total to an impressive $665,000 this election cycle in a primary race featuring three other candidates, in a state where all three Congressional seats and one Senate seat are open and filled with competitors chasing dollars.

Even better, Heinrich reportedly has nearly $350,000 in cash on hand, having run a fiscally prudent operation since he entered the race in August of last year. The campaign has emphasized grassroots outreach instead of expensive polling and consulting expenditures. As a result, a significant portion of Heinrich's financial support has come from small donors. He's received campaign contributions from more than 2,000 individuals to date.

In a statement Heinrich said, "I'm proud and humbled by the outpouring of support I’ve received from folks across this district. For months, we have focused on building both the grassroots and fundraising infrastructure that we will need to win in June and in November – and our huge successes at the convention and in this most recent fundraising period are proof that this campaign has what it takes to succeed."

Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White, the GOP leadership's annointed candidate in the race, reportedly raised $233,000 in the first quarter of the year, bringing his total in the election cycle to about $447,000. He says he has approximately $300,000 in cash on hand, about $50,000 less than Heinrich even though White has only one nominal Repub primary competitor in Joe Carraro. Both the State Repub Party and the RNC have come out in support of White -- a rarity in a primary battle.

White's totals have to be disappointing to his campaign and the GOP alike. With little to no competition for donation dollars in the NM-01 Repub primary, you'd think White would be pretty much rolling in dough by now. Of course the Repubs have been lagging way behind Dem fundraising at all levels this election cycle. GOP donors have been mighty tight-fisted from the presidential race on down, reflecting a widespread lack of enthusiasm for both their candidates and their chances at a time when Repub positions on everything from the Iraq occupation to the economy are highly unpopular with the majority of voters.

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NM-Sen: Udall Widens Lead over Repubs in Latest Polling

More excellent news for Dems and the Udall campaign. The latest phone polling by Rasmussen shows that Rep. Tom Udall has widened his lead to double digits over both GOP primary candidates in the race for U.S. Senate in New Mexico:

Udall now leads Republicans Steve Pearce 54% to 40% and Heather Wilson 56% to 36%.

Pearce	40%	Wilson	36%
Udall	54%	Udall	56%
Other	2%	Other	4%
Not sure	5%	Not sure	3%

Among voters not affiliated with either major political party, Udall has a twelve-point advantage over Pearce. Udall leads Wilson 52% to 33% in that category.

Last month, Udall had an eight-point lead over Pearce and a seven-point lead over Wilson.

Udall also has incredibly strong favorability ratings in the poll, not surprising given that he's one of the most popular and respected figures in New Mexico politics:

In New Mexico, Udall is now viewed favorably by 62% and unfavorably by just 29%. Wilson’s numbers are 43% favorable, 52% unfavorable. Pearce is viewed favorably by 49% and unfavorably by 40%.

Click for the poll's survey questions, which also show results from a question about Gov. Bill Richardson's approval rating. The crosstabs are only available to subscribers. The April 8, 2008 phone survey of 500 likely voters has a margin of error of +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.

Technorati Tags:Tom Udall, Steve Pearce, Heather Wilson, Rasmussen, New Mexico, NM-Sen, polling

Repubs Getting Nasty in NM US Senate Primary: Club for Growth Takes on Heather Wilson

The ultra-right-wing lobbying group, Club for Growth, is coming out early and hard against Repub Rep. Heather Wilson in her primary battle against Rep. Steve Pearce. They just released the video above hitting Wilson on her alleged "liberal" voting record on spending. If Heather Wilson is considered a liberal, we're all in trouble!

The hard right Pearce has long been a favorite of the Club for Growth. This is, after all, the Congressman who opposed expanding S-CHIP health coverage for children with every fibre of his being. I'm sure he'd at least be tempted to throw his mother off the train if he thought it would provide him some tax relief. Pearce and other pets of the Club for Growth think government spending should be limited to waging unending wars and building border fences. Well, and generous pork to their corporate friends. Children, seniors, the less fortunate? They can all take a hike in Pearce's insular world of the selfishly well heeled.

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NARAL Pro-Choice New Mexico Seeks Summer Intern

From NARAL Pro-Choice New Mexico:

Young Woman of Color Pro-Choice Summer Scholarship
May 19- August 8, 2008
Seeking an enthusiastic young woman of color to intern at the NARAL Pro-Choice New Mexico Albuquerque office for the summer. Reach out, educate, and take action with people in the pro-choice community. Learn firsthand about non-profit political work. The summer intern will assist with recruiting, training, and staffing of volunteers. She or he will also help us to identify and recruit new pro-choice members, provide materials and information to the community, and help to develop programs.

Application deadline: May 7, 2008. Work load is 20 hours per week and compensation is $8 per hour.

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Two Bad for New Mexico: Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund Kicks Off Campaign Critical of Wilson and Pearce with TV Ad

The Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund has designated New Mexico's U.S. Senate race as its number one priority in the 2008 election cycle. Starting early to garner attention before political ads start airing nonstop this year, the Action Fund's first ad began running today on broadcast TV in the Albuquerque media market and will continue for a week. Check it out above.

The ad highlights the dismal environmental and energy voting records in Congress of both Republican candidates in the Senate primary race -- Rep. Heather Wilson (below, with Bush) and Rep. Steve Pearce (right) -- and ties their votes to large campaign contributions from oil and gas interests. Documentation on the claims is provided at the new website Two Bad for New Mexico, where you can also make a donation and sign up for updates on ways you can get active in the effort.

In a conference call with local media this morning, the Action Fund's President, Rodger Schlickeisen, and others from the group provided background info on the group and its the decision to make the NM race the Action Fund's top priority. The Fund first became directly involved in electoral politics in 2006, when it targeted and was instrumental in the defeat of supposedly unbeatable 14-year incumbent Rep. Richard Pombo (CA-11), an enemy of the environment who chaired the House Resources Committee. The Action Fund spent $1.8 million in that effort. The group will conduct a similarly robust effort here.

“Pearce and Wilson have spent their time in Congress bowing to the wishes of special interests, instead of protecting the interests of New Mexico’s citizens and the American Southwest,” said Rodger Schlickeisen, president of Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund. “They sit on key committees charged with protecting our air, land and water, yet both have atrocious conservation records that have earned them a well-deserved spot on our target list.”

“The 2008 elections are a wonderful opportunity for New Mexico voters to elect a pro-environment senator who will protect the interests of New Mexico’s citizens, instead of those of the special interests,” continued Schlickeisen. “In the process, they can also rid the New Mexico delegation of two of the environment’s worst enemies, Pearce and Wilson, who time and again have used their privileged positions to thwart legislation that would make America greener, safer and more prosperous.

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