Democrats Urged to Work Together

County Democrats urged to work together

By Tom Sharpe | The New Mexican
Posted: 2/20/2010, 8:00 PM Mountain time

Santa Fe County Democrats who gathered for a combined ward and county convention on Saturday warned each other that Republicans will be coming after them this year.

U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján said in an interview, following his address to the convention, that Democrats need to work together "to shed truth on some of the misconceptions and untruths that are being spread. ...

"Opponents of some of the health care reform, they try to scare the American people into believing that there were such things as death panels in the legislation," he said. "They're trying to say that the investments that were in the Recovery Act are not helping New Mexicans."

Luján, who is finishing his first term and expects GOP opposition in November, said that in his travels around Northern New Mexico, he's learned that most people support the Democrats' plans for reforming health care.

"Everyone has told us, 'Please do not give up on taking on the health-insurance companies. Make sure that we're getting rid of this notion that they can exclude care because of pre-existing conditions,' " he said.

Luján said he wants to make sure that coverage is spelled out in plain language so the average consumer can understand what is covered and at what cost. Currently, he said, when coverage is denied, the consumer is not told why.

"That's part of the reform we're working on, so that if you do get that denial, you know exactly why, so it empowers the consumer to refute it or to take them on," he said.

Lt. Gov. Diane Denish, who is unopposed in this year's primary for governor, said she has been impressed with the turnouts at county and ward conventions around the state.

State Sen. Jerry Ortiz y Pino, D-Albuquerque, one of five candidates seeking to replace Denish as lieutenant governor, credited Denish with revitalizing the office.

"It's a tribute ... what she did with what used to be a nothing job," he said. "It didn't lead anywhere. It didn't do anything. She's made it something really valuable in the state. ... She's made this job into a real advocacy for people. She's made it a bully pulpit."

Santa Fe County Democratic Party Chairman Richard Ellenberg said Saturday's convention ran smoothly, and that 186 delegates were elected to attend the state preprimary convention at Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino on March 13.