Bingaman wants review of how Arizona law will affect New Mexicans

By Heath Haussamen • 4/29/10, 4:55 pm

U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., has asked Attorney General Eric Holder to examine how Arizona’s new immigration law will affect New Mexicans traveling through that state.

The law requires police officers in Arizona to verify the immigration status of people with whom they come in contact if they have “reasonable suspicion” that someone is in the United States illegally.

The problem for New Mexicans? The law states that a person can demonstrate legal status by providing an Arizona-issued license, a tribal identification card or a federal, state, or local government identification card – if the entity requires proof that the person is in the United States legally before using the ID card.

New Mexico is one of several states that don’t require people to prove they are in the United States legally to obtain a driver’s license or identification card.

“Residents of states that do not require individuals to demonstrate legal status, such as New Mexico, could be detained by police while their citizenship or immigration status is verified,” Bingaman wrote to Holder, according to a news release.

“For New Mexicans, and the residents of similarly situated states, the detention and investigation required to check a person’s status would likely be much more than a brief check of a driver’s license during a traffic stop,” Bingaman wrote. “This could result in the detention of U.S. citizens based on a suspicion standard which has been interpreted as articulable facts that amount to little more than a hunch.”

Bingaman wrote that it would be “troubling” if New Mexicans and residents of other states in a similar situation – such as Hawaii, Utah, Washington and Maryland – had to carry U.S. passports or other proof of citizenship to travel through or visit Arizona.

The U.S. Department of Justice is currently reviewing the legality of the controversial new Arizona law.

Karl Rove & Allen Weh are E-mail Buddies!

In just two days Allen Weh’s e-mail buddy, the Republican Architect of Bush’s failed policies, Karl Rove, will be in town to help fill the bank accounts of the Republican Party of New Mexico.

As you recall, back in 2005, Allen Weh was the Chairman of the Republican Party of New Mexico. As you may also recall, Weh led the tireless and unrelenting fight to remove U.S. Attorney, David Iglesias, from office, because Iglesias refused to raise politically motivated voter fraud cases.

“To be perfectly candid, he was ‘missing in action’ during the last election,” said Allen Weh in an e-mail to Rove. In response, Karl Rove ordered an aide to discuss with the White House Counsel's office, the possibility of replacing Mr. Iglesias, who was eventually fired.

The pair must still be good e-mail buddies, because Rove is coming to town just before the primary, and Weh needs all the help he can get. Who knows, Weh might even be asking Karl Rove for advice daily, on his current campaign to become the New Mexico Republican nominee for Governor.

As Karl Rove’s visit approaches - I have one simple question for you: what do you think they are e-mailing about this week? Submit your best ideas here: info@nmdemocrats.org

We will choose some of your best ideas and post them on the Democratic Party of New Mexico’s blog during Karl Rove’s visit to New Mexico this Saturday.

I wonder - will Karl Rove endorse Allen Weh while he is in town? And, will Allen Weh accept his endorsement?

Please submit your entries by 5pm Friday, and check out our blog - http://democraticpartyofnewmexico.blogspot.com/ - to see some of the best e-mails parodies between Karl Rove and Allen Weh.

If you haven’t already done so, please donate $20 right now and take a stand against Karl Rove! We need your help!

Sincerely,

Scott Forrester
Executive Director, DPNM

Federal cash didn’t pay for Denish’s flight to Gallup

Posted By Heath Haussamen On April 28, 2010 @ 3:50 pm

http://www.nmpolitics.net/index/2010/04/federal-cash-didn’t-pay-for-denish’s-flight-to-gallup/

In his newest TV ad, Republican gubernatorial candidate Allen Weh accuses Lt. Gov. Diane Denish of spending federal stimulus money to take a plane flight to Gallup for a parade.

But federal dollars didn’t pay for the trip. The flight was paid for with state general fund money.

Weh’s ad is based on a January Albuquerque Journal article that reported that Denish’s office had been billed more than $170,000 for use of state planes since she took office in 2003, and that $33,000 of the money that paid those bills came from the federal Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003.

Among trips Denish’s office had been billed for, the Journal reported, was an Aug. 15, 2009 trip from Santa Fe to Albuquerque to pick up a security agent and then to Gallup. There, Denish attended an Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial parade.

The article doesn’t state that the Gallup flight was among the trips paid for by the $33,000 in federal money instead of the other $137,000 Denish’s office had spent on flights. But Weh did make that leap.

“Our lieutenant governor spent stimulus money to fly a jet to a parade,” Weh says in the ad as the screen shows a plane flying from Albuquerque to Gallup. Also on the screen is a quote from the Journal article: “$33,000 came from… federal jobs stimulus bill.”

“Jobs created? Zero,” Weh says.

The paper trail

Public records obtained by NMPolitics.net show that state general-fund money, not federal dollars, paid for the trip to Gallup.

The paper trail is a little tedious, but let me lay it out here:

• Check out this document, which shows that $3,420 in “FY 2010 Aviation travel for Lt. G” was paid for out of fund account 542900, which is listed as class 90118 and came from a general fund appropriation made by the state Legislature.

• Then check out this document, which shows that out of account 542900 a voucher was issued for $3,420 – the cost of two flights the lieutenant governor took in August, including one that cost $1,482.

• Finally, check this document that shows that the flight that cost $1,482 was the Aug. 15 flight from Santa Fe to Albuquerque to Gallup and then back to Albuquerque and Santa Fe – the same flight referred to in the Journal article.

Most campaigns release a fact sheet to accompany attack ads. I e-mailed the Weh campaign to ask for a copy of the fact sheet for this ad. I have not received a response.

Leading GOP Contenders Come Out in Support of Extreme Arizona Immigration Law

Domenici Jr./Weh/Martinez side with the extreme right, fail to condemn racial profiling

Albuquerque, NM- The leading Republican candidates for Governor today came out in support of Arizona's controversial immigration law, siding with the extreme right over New Mexico families. In an Albuquerque Journal article published today the three GOP frontrunners praised the Arizona law and none of them took the opportunity to condemn racial profiling that may result from the bill. [Albuquerque Journal, 4/27/10]

The law has been widely criticized, world-wide, for going too far and creating an environment conducive to racial profiling and infringement on the individual rights of law-abiding citizens.

"It's shocking that in a state as diverse as New Mexico, the three GOP frontrunners would not immediately come out against this dangerous law. New Mexicans know racial profiling and fear is not the way to address immigration reform, but unfortunately the Republican candidates disagree," said Democratic Party of New Mexico Chairman Javier Gonzales. "Weh, Martinez and Domenici Jr. are showing their true colors, siding with the extreme right-wing instead of New Mexicans. Their extreme positions will not be forgotten on Election Day."

FWD: Architect of Failed George W. Bush Policies Coming to New Mexico!

Supporter --

In just five days Karl Rove will be in New Mexico to help the next crop of Rovian politicians enact the same failed policies of the past.

We need your help in raising $2010.00 by this Saturday to ensure that the New Mexico GOP and Karl Rove don't get their way!

Can you donate $20 right now and take a stand against Karl Rove? We need your help!

Thank you so much for your support.

John

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Scott Forrester scott@nmdemocrats.org
Date: Mon, Apr 19, 2010 at 6:00 AM
Subject: Architect of Failed George W. Bush Policies Coming to New Mexico!
To: John john@nmdemocrats.org

Architect of Failed George W. Bush Policies Coming to New Mexico!

Dear John,

You may have heard the news.

In two weeks, Karl Rove – architect of George Bush's disasterous Presidency– is coming to New Mexico for a reunion with the Republican Party of New Mexico.

You can count on all the old Bush cronies, like Steve Pearce and Allen Weh, to be there along with the other Republican candidates for governor like Susana Martinez and Pete Domenici Jr. to stop by for the reunion.

Rove is here on May 1 to raise money for the Republican Party of New Mexico – so they can bring the same policies of the failed Bush presidency to New Mexico.
We simply cannot let that happen -- not here in New Mexico.

Click here to donate $25, $50, $100 to take a stand against the failed policies of the Bush administration and reject Rove's far-right schemes.

We could go through all the ways in which Karl Rove’s influence was destructive to our country, but you know the rap sheet. Scandals. Record budget deficits. An economy on the brink of complete collapse. Heck, we’re still cleaning up the mess that Rove helped create.

But that’s in the past – and our focus must be on the future. We must prevent Karl Rove’s favorite candidates for Governor and Congress from prevailing in November. We must fight to give New Mexican's policies that bring jobs, better education, and healthy communities.

Click here to give whatever you can to help stop the radical right from taking advantage of an upset electorate - an electorate that is upset because of the problems these same Republicans are responsible for!

It’s hard not to forget the last time Karl Rove made news in New Mexico. Rove and his “good friend” Allen Weh emailed back and forth about firing U.S. Attorney David Iglesias because Iglesias decided not to launch a politically-motivated investigation during an election. Rove and Weh chose to use their trusted positions to influence the outcome of criminal investigations. Think of what they'll do to New Mexicans if Republicans win this November!

Don't just let Karl Rove waltz back in to New Mexico, stand up and make a statement by donating today!

Send a message to Karl Rove and the right-wingers, and give whatever you can. Let's all send a message to Rove and all the other Bush Republicans: you are not taking back any power!

Sincerely,

Scott Forrester
Executive Director, DPNM

DPNM Responds to Arizona Immigration Law

At the spring meeting of the State Central Committee, the following floor resolution was introduced from the floor of the body and passed unanimously by the body's membership:

"Whereas New Mexicans with a proud tradition of diversity, will no longer have the liberty to travel freely within Arizona solely using their drivers licenses for identification as a result of Governor Brewer and the legislature of Arizona having enacted legislation that clearly violates civil rights.

Be it resolved that the Democratic Party of New Mexico supports the efforts of President Obama and Governor Richardson to protect the civil rights of ALL people within our Nation's border."

Heinrich; Bingaman Introduce Legislation to Name Dept. of Interior Building After Late Stewart Udall

On Earth Day, Heinrich Introduces Bill To Name Dept. of Interior Building After Former Secretary Stewart Udall

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today on Earth Day, U.S. Representative Martin Heinrich (NM-1), member of the House Natural Resources Committee, introduced a bill to name the U.S. Department of the Interior building after the late Stewart L. Udall. Rep. Heinrich released the following statement honoring the former Interior Secretary’s legacy:

“It was with great sadness that just over a month ago, I learned of former U.S. Interior Secretary Stewart Udall’s passing. And today, on the 40^th anniversary of Earth Day, it is fitting that we honor his legacy by beginning the process to name the U.S. Department of the Interior building after him.

“There is no question that Secretary Udall’s immeasurable impact on our nation will continue to be felt by Americans through the magnificent National Parks and public lands that he dedicated his life to preserving.

“His legacy includes the Wilderness Act, the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, the creation of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and the expansion of our National Park system. Thanks to his work, those treasured public lands now belong to every American and will contribute to the spirit of our nation for generations to come.

“Stewart Udall’s dedication to public service and his leadership were a true inspiration to me personally and I was honored to know him.

“Our nation is deeply indebted to him and today, on Earth Day, it is appropriate that we name this federal building the Stewart Lee Udall Department of the Interior Building.”

Martin Heinrich and the late Stewart L. Udall

Seven colleagues from the New Mexico and Arizona House delegations cosponsored the bill including: Rep. Ben Ray Luján (NM-3), Rep. Harry Teague (NM-2), Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (AZ-8), Rep. Raúl Grijalva (AZ-7), Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-1), Rep. Harry Mitchell (AZ-5), and Rep. Ed Pastor (AZ-4). Companion legislation was introduced in the Senate today by U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM).

# # #

An Earth Day Message from Lt. Governor Diane Denish

Dear Friend,

Today we celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day.

Through the years, the focus of Earth Day has changed - from cleaning up decades of unchecked industrial pollution in the '70s and '80s to taking on global climate change and preserving our untouched places through the first decade of this century - Earth Day has served as an important reminder of the good work people can do in their communities to effect positive change.

I wanted to take today to remind my friends and supporters of the importance of the Earth Day Movement and to recommit ourselves to the preservation of our state's wild places.

New Mexico has vast and wild spaces that deserve strong protections so they can be enjoyed now and for generations to follow. I am committed to preserving our state's rare gems.

One such place is the Gila River flowing through Southwestern New Mexico. It is one of the last wild and un-dammed rivers in the nation and as governor I pledge to keep it that way.

To learn more about the Gila, please visit http://www.gilaconservation.org/. More important, if you don't know about the Gila and its pristine beauty and biodiversity - get out there and take a look for yourself.

I believe a wild Gila can be a centerpiece of New Mexico's eco-tourism and outdoors industry. From rafting, to paddling, to fishing - a free-flowing Gila means tourism jobs and sustainable commerce for the people of Southwestern New Mexico.

It is a gift we can give our grandchildren.

Regards,


Diane

For Years . . .

Stand up to the NM GOP and Karl Rove: Donate Today!

You may have heard the news.

In two weeks, Karl Rove – architect of George Bush's disasterous Presidency– is coming to New Mexico for a reunion with the Republican Party of New Mexico.

You can count on all the old Bush cronies, like Steve Pearce and Allen Weh, to be there along with the other Republican candidates for governor like Susana Martinez and Pete Domenici Jr. to stop by for the reunion.

Rove is here on May 1 to raise money for the Republican Party of New Mexico – so they can bring the same policies of the failed Bush presidency to New Mexico.
We simply cannot let that happen -- not here in New Mexico.

Click here to donate $25, $50, $100 to take a stand against the failed policies of the Bush administration and reject Rove's far-right schemes.

We could go through all the ways in which Karl Rove’s influence was destructive to our country, but you know the rap sheet. Scandals. Record budget deficits. An economy on the brink of complete collapse. Heck, we’re still cleaning up the mess that Rove helped create.

But that’s in the past – and our focus must be on the future. We must prevent Karl Rove’s favorite candidates for Governor and Congress from prevailing in November. We must fight to give New Mexican's policies that bring jobs, better education, and healthy communities.

Click here to give whatever you can to help stop the radical right from taking advantage of an upset electorate - an electorate that is upset because of the problems these same Republicans are responsible for!

It’s hard not to forget the last time Karl Rove made news in New Mexico. Rove and his “good friend” Allen Weh emailed back and forth about firing U.S. Attorney David Iglesias because Iglesias decided not to launch a politically-motivated investigation during an election. Rove and Weh chose to use their trusted positions to influence the outcome of criminal investigations. Think of what they'll do to New Mexicans if Republicans win this November!

Don't just let Karl Rove waltz back in to New Mexico, stand up and make a statement by donating today!

Send a message to Karl Rove and the right-wingers, and give whatever you can. Let's all send a message to Rove and all the other Bush Republicans: you are not taking back any power!

Sincerely,

Scott Forrester
Executive Director, DPNM

Senator Udall Pays Tribute to Late Senator Chavez on Anniversary of His Birth

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tom Udall today honored the late Dennis Chavez with remarks on the Senate floor marking the 122^nd anniversary of the legendary New Mexico senator’s birthday.

Chavez served in the U.S. House of Representatives for two terms before being elected to the U.S. Senate in 1935, where he served until his death in 1962. He remains the longest-serving Hispanic senator in the history of the U.S. Senate.

Below are Udall’s remarks as prepared for delivery:

(Watch the Video Here.)

“Mr. President. Today I rise to pay tribute to a man who served New Mexico – and the entire country – with distinction for more than three decades in Washington. A man who dedicated his life to being, a ‘champion for the least among us.’

“That man is Senator Dennis Chavez, the nation’s longest-serving Hispanic U.S. Senator. This month we mark the 122nd anniversary of his birth.

“In everything he did, Senator Chavez showed his concern for the underdog. He fought for public education, because he knew what it could do to help the children of struggling families become successful adults. He supported farmers, because he knew how difficult life can be in the small communities where the trains don’t stop and the roads don’t go. And he fought for civil rights, because Chavez believed that equality of opportunity is the core of the American creed.

“Dennis Chavez fought for the underdog because he was an underdog. Born into poverty in Valencia County, New Mexico, when the state was still part of Mexico, Chavez walked a long and difficult road to the pinnacle of political power. A child of an isolated small town, he would see the world and help to shape it. A high school dropout, he earned a law degree and became a lawmaker. A victim of ethnic discrimination, he wrote legislation that would eventually make employment discrimination illegal and then unthinkable.

“Dennis Chavez was a man of conviction. He was also a man of courage. At the height of anti-Communist sentiment in the 1950s, Senator Chavez was one of the first to denounce the activities of Joseph McCarthy.

“Here’s what he said on the Senate floor during the McCarthy hearings in 1950: ‘I should like to be remembered as a man who raised a voice, and I devoutly hope not a voice in the wilderness, at a time in the history of this body when we seem bent upon placing limitations on the freedom of the individual. I would consider all of the legislation which I have supported meaningless if I were to sit idly by, silent, during a period which may go down in history as an era when we permitted the curtailment of our liberties, a period when we quietly shackled the growth of men’s minds.’

“My father, who died last month, served in the U.S. Congress with Dennis Chavez in the late 50s and early 60s. He always described Senator Chavez as a visionary and a man of courage.

“When Senator Chavez left this world in 1962, he was eulogized by Vice President Lyndon Johnson. In that eulogy, Vice President Johnson remembered Senator Chavez as ‘a man who recognized that there must be a champion for the least among us.’ And four years later, when the U.S. Congress placed Senator Chavez’s statue in Statuary Hall, Reverend John Spence summed up the man nicely. Senator Chavez, Spence said, was ‘ever a champion of the underdog, the poor and oppressed.’

“But it’s the quote inscribed at the bottom of that statue that best reveals the legacy of Senator Chavez. Written in three languages – Spanish, English and Navajo – it reads simply: ‘He left a mark that will never be forgotten in the hopes that others would follow.’

“El Senador makes me proud to be a New Mexican and humbled to follow in his footsteps as a senator representing the great state of New Mexico. America is a better place because of Senator Chavez. For that, we honor him today.”

Weh: "20 New Mexicans Would Make Better Governors"

(We Agree)

Albuquerque, N.M. – In a rare moment of agreement, the Democratic Party of New Mexico today voiced its support for Republican candidate Allen Weh’s assertion that he doesn’t make the Top-20 list of New Mexicans qualified to be Governor. The Democratic Party of New Mexico calls on Weh to identify the 20 New Mexicans he believes would make a better Governor, so Republican primary voters can consider writing in their names on the ballot.

At a campaign event in Los Lunas yesterday, Weh said: “I like telling people, that there’s probably 20 people in the state that could be a better Governor than I could. But they’re not running.”

“Needless to say, Allen Weh makes a good point – many, many New Mexicans would make a better Governor. It’s the first honest thing we’ve heard him say in this campaign,” said DPNM spokesman James Hallinan.

Weh’s comments may remind New Mexicans of fellow Republican candidate Pete Domenici Jr.’s statement that he didn’t believe he could win. In case you forgot, here is that exchange:

Jim Villanucci: You obviously have a feeling on that. You said that…not all of you can win, so somebody can’t, and you think you can. So, who can’t?

Pete Domenici Jr.: Actually, I would even include myself in the group that can’t. Uh, I don’t think this is a sure thing by any stretch…it is gonna to be extremely tough. [Interview with Villanucci 770 KKOB, 2/17/10]

President Obama Issues Proclamation Regarding National Equal Pay Day

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release April 20, 2010

NATIONAL EQUAL PAY DAY, 2010

- - - - - - -

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

Throughout our Nation's history, extraordinary women have broken barriers to achieve their dreams and blazed trails so their daughters would not face similar obstacles. Despite decades of progress, pay inequity still hinders women and their families across our country. National Equal Pay Day symbolizes the day when an average American woman's earnings finally match what an average American man earned in the past year. Today, we renew our commitment to end wage discrimination and celebrate the strength and vibrancy women add to our economy.

Our Nation's workforce includes more women than ever before. In households across the country, many women are the sole breadwinner, or share this role equally with their partner. However, wage discrimination still exists. Nearly half of all working Americans are women, yet they earn only about 80 cents for every dollar men earn. This gap increases among minority women and those with disabilities.

Pay inequity is not just an issue for women; American families, communities, and our entire economy suffer as a result of this disparity. We are still recovering from our economic crisis, and many hardworking Americans are still feeling its effects. Too many families are struggling to pay their bills or put food on the table, and this challenge should not be exacerbated by discrimination. I was proud that the first bill I signed into law, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act, helps women achieve wage fairness. This law brings us closer to ending pay disparities based on gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion, or disability by allowing more individuals to challenge inequality.

To further highlight the challenges women face and to provide a coordinated Federal response, I established the White House Council on Women and Girls. My Administration also created a National Equal Pay Enforcement Task Force to bolster enforcement of pay discrimination laws, making sure women get equal pay for an equal day's work. And, because the importance of empowering women extends beyond our borders, my Administration created the first Office for Global Women's Issues at the Department of State.

We are all responsible for ensuring every American is treated equally. From reshaping attitudes to developing more comprehensive community-wide efforts, we are taking steps to eliminate the barriers women face in the workforce. Today, let us reaffirm our pledge to erase this injustice, bring our Nation closer to the liberty promised by our founding documents, and give our daughters and granddaughters the gift of true equality.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 20, 2010, as National Equal Pay Day. I call upon all Americans to acknowledge the injustice of wage discrimination and join my Administration's efforts to achieve equal pay for equal work.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this

twentieth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.

BARACK OBAMA

Pearce Supports Tax Hikes on Middle Class

New Report Confirms Radical Pearce Plan Would Equal More Taxes

Albuquerque, NM- With New Mexico taxpayers looking toward tomorrow’s April 15 deadline, it’s becoming increasingly clear just how disastrous Steve Pearce’s wrongheaded priorities would be for families in southern New Mexico.

For months on the campaign trail, Congressman Steve Pearce has offered nothing but hypocrisy and political double talk on his support for the reckless policies that increased the federal debt by $4.3 trillion during his time in Washington and paved the road for the economic mess we are in today. Yet, Pearce has continued to push for a radical solution to the economic mess he helped create -- a massive federal sales tax hike on middle class New Mexico families.

And now, a new report out today shows that if Pearce had his way, working people in New Mexico would face an average additional tax burden this year of $1,012. And the 99 percent of people in New Mexico benefitting from tax breaks signed into law as part of the economic recovery act would be paying higher taxes.

“With April 15 approaching, Steve Pearce’s support for a 23 percent federal sales tax hike on food, gas, clothes, medicine and just about everything else that New Mexicans buy is coming into clearer focus,” said DPNM Spokesman James Hallinan. "And as if Pearce’s quest to hike taxes on New Mexicans wasn’t enough, a new report out shows that if Steve Pearce had his way, New Mexicans would face an average additional tax burden this year of $1,012. Pearce’s radical priorities just don’t match those of hard-working families in southern New Mexico,” added Hallinan.

Background:

According to a report from Citizens for Tax Justice, 99 percent of working families and individuals in New Mexico benefitted from at least one of the tax cuts signed into law in the economic recovery package. Additionally, working people in New Mexico received $1,012, on average, from these breaks. [Citizens for Tax Justice report, accessed 4/14/10]

On his web site, Pearce argued that the economic recovery act “failed.” [PeopleforPearce.com, accessed 4/14/10]

In the 108th, 109th and 110th Congresses, the entire time Pearce served in Congress, he co-sponsored HR25, the “Fair Tax,” which would enact a 23 percent sales tax on all retail goods and services. [THOMAS bill summaries, HR25; American for Fair Taxation, fairtax.org, accessed 7/30/08]

While Pearce was in office, the public debt grew $4.3 trillion, from $6.3 to $10.6 trillion. [treasurydirect.gov, accessed 2/03/10]

The Cibola Beacon reported that Pearce still “sees a sales tax as the only truly fair tax and he would like to see tax reform in Washington.” [Cibola Beacon, 2/01/10]

This is an Editorial from today's Alamogordo Daily News:

Teague is a class-act politician

Alamogordo Daily News
Daily News editorial

Posted: 04/14/2010 12:00:00 AM MDT

U.S. Rep Harry Teague, D-N.M., is a class act. While it may be an election year, you wouldn't really know it by meeting the man in person.

It must be difficult for Teague, a Democrat, to represent a constituency that is predominantly Republican. But, he was elected to do the job and he seems to be doing it well.

He is in the unenviable position of taking heat, no matter what he does, from Republicans and Democrats. He voted against the health care reform bill, one of only 30-plus Democrats to do so, because he firmly believed it was not a good bill. Aside from his personal beliefs, he voted on behalf of his constituency, which mostly was against it.

Democrats say they are "giving him a free pass" on that one.

He voted for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, a portion of which is locally helping pay for the Ninth Street bridge reconstruction. Most Democrats lauded it while the GOP faithful plan to use it against him in the upcoming November election.

Part of the stimulus bill Teague supported about $344,000 also went to Z-Trans for three new buses, 15 bus stop shelters, new video surveillance and radio communication systems, bike racks and fare boxes.

Teague fully supports the military and our veterans. He's done many things for Holloman Air Force Base and White Sands Missile Range because he understands the importance of the military in the Tularosa Basin.

He deeply cares about veterans issues. Since taking office in January 2009, Teague has visited Alamogordo more times than any of his predecessors can claim. During those visits, he ensures face time with local veterans to discuss their issues.

He even made sure Malcolm Lox, a local Korean War veteran, received seven medals Monday that were almost 60 years overdue. To top it off, Teague himself pinned the medals to Lox's suit. You can read more about it in Sunday's edition of the Daily News.

We've heard a few local Republicans have taken notice of Teague's efforts and are backing him in the November election. That's good to hear.

Teague has done many things for Alamogordo and its citizens. It would be a shame if, in the next election, his party affiliation is held against him by other Republicans who fail to see beyond party lines.

DNC Outraises GOP by 2 Million in March

From the Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/07/dnc-outraises-rnc-by-more_n_528184.html

The Democratic National Committee raised at least $13 million in the month of March, nearly $2 million more than the Republican National Committee, a Democratic source tells the Huffington Post.

The haul represents a fairly rare victory for the DNC, which traditionally lags behind its GOP counterpart when it comes to raking in donations. A Democrat with the committee pointed to a rejuvenated and enthusiastic Democratic base that is willing to open up their wallets after the passage of health care reform.

That said, there is no word yet as to how much of that $13 million was immediately spent during the month or how much cash the committee currently has on hand, two other key fundraising metrics.

On Wednesday morning, the RNC announced it had raised $11.4 million in March, a total that was pitched as impressive enough to silence skeptics of its embattled chairman, Michael Steele. The numbers, however, were accompanied by some less positive fine print: only $2 million of that $11.4 was saved, bringing the committee's cash on hand to only $11.3 million.

As GOP consultant Scott Reed told the Wall Street Journal: "Usually, at this phase of the game you are raising and saving a lot of money. But that's not what is happening."

Monahan: "Martinez Ad Merely Average"

MARTINEZ TV DEBUT

http://www.joemonahansnewmexico.blogspot.com/

The first TV spot from Susana Martinez would be a sure-fire hit if she were running for attorney general, but in the hotly competitive GOP race for Governor, her thirty second spot falls into the merely average category. That's far from the "game changer" her most ardent Las Cruces supporters and potential press secretaries have labeled her candidacy.

The ad does get the job done when it comes to pumping up the name ID of the relatively unknown Dona Ana County district attorney. The announcer mentions it three times in the ad, the Web site--susanamartinez.com--is posted for the full thirty seconds and one shot includes a collage of Martinez campaign posters.

But the spot endeavors to stretch Martinez's narrow background--she has been DA for 13 years--to justify her guv run. It only partially succeeds. Compared to a Bill Richardson, Diane Denish or even an Allen Weh, it comes across as, well, an ad for attorney general.

She emphasizes her record of fighting Dona Ana County corruption, citing conviction of a municipal judge and a county clerk. In another example, the ad declares she has "taken on members of the most violent Mexican drug cartels." That left us a little queasy. Aren't the drug cartels still running riot through the streets of Mexico leaving thousands dead in their wake?

We also note for another reason the candidate's emphasis on border security as the campaign heats up. Her primary appeal is in the south where she hails from. She will go for a big score there to overcome her inability to break through in the ABQ metro.

Martinez, 50, does come across as an outsider which seems to be the mood du jour this cycle, and the ad is nicely paced and well-produced. And maybe the tough on crime angle mollifies male GOP voters who might otherwise shy away from her. Of course, the downside is the opposition research that will focus on any cases where Martinez might not have been so tough.

And we see many sides of Martinez in this ad, perhaps too many. In one close-up she plays tough, in another she plays friendly and in yet another she appears smug.

Because she lacks an extraordinary moment in her long tenure as DA, Martinezwill need a series of ads to break through, including something about the woman, not just the lawyer. And she will need plenty of money to do it. That remains a problem. The campaign says her buy is "significant" and is on ABQ broadcast and cable, but it's unlikely she will match the output of the self-financed Allen Weh. This spot will have to move numbers for her if she is to raise the necessary cash.

Martinez had a blockbuster performance among party activists at the March pre-primary convention where she dominated the field. She fights hard in her TV ad to keep the momentum going but scores a single. As we said, it's far from a game-changer, but the game is on.

Domenici Fundraising Drops Following Last-Place Finish at Pre-primary

By Heath Haussamen, NMpolitics.net

http://www.nmpolitics.net/index/2010/04/domenici-fundraising-drops-following-preprimary-loss/

Republican gubernatorial candidate Pete Domenici Jr. has seen a noticeable drop in fundraising since he finished last at the GOP preprimary nominating convention in March.

Since winning the support of only 4.61 percent of delegates at the convention on March 13, Domenici has raised $4,492.22 – at least through Friday, when he voluntarily released new information about his campaign fundraising. Before the preprimary, Domenici raised about $140,000 from March 1-11, according to his campaign Web site.

In all, Domenici has raised $303,057.77 since entering the race in January. That includes a $50,000 personal contribution.

“I appreciate the continued support from people who see my candidacy for governor as an opportunity to solve the economical and ethical crisis that now confronts our state,” Domenici said in the Friday news release announcing the voluntary release of the contribution information.

“This support reinforces the strength of our campaign that we have seen reflected in all of the voter attitude polls of the Republican primary election released to-date,” he said.

That last quote is about two polls (here and here) that show Domenici leading the GOP gubernatorial primary field. Some analysts have said Domenici’s lead in the polls is attributable to the fact that he shares the name of his father, the former U.S. senator.