Most of the lamestream media completely missed out on the fact that Libertarian presidential candidate and former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson was at the last debate.
Here's proof!
(Note to irony-immune readers. He who laughs last ... had to have it explained to him.)
Check out Johnson's non-verbal reaction at about the 6:37 mark. Puts Biden to shame.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Biz Group Backs Andy
The New Mexico Business Coalition, a conservative lot if there ever was one, has come out for independent Rep. Andy Nunez in his heated re-election campaign,
Nunez, as I noted in my Sunday column, recently was attacked by Reform New Mexico Now, a political action committee headed by Gov. Susana Martinez's political director Jay McCleskey -- even though Nunez is the sponsor of one of Martinez's top agenda items -- the bill to repeal the law allowing driver's licenses for illegal immigrants.
Nunez is being opposed by Republican Mike Tellez and Democrat Felipe Archuleta in House District 36.
Unfortunately, there are some in both the Democrat and Republican parties who feel the seat currently occupied by Nunez should be under their party's control. Mudslinging, malicious attacks, and false accusations financed by these parties and their "friends" have no limits. Andy Nunez, however, has stayed out of the ugly political maneuvering, proving once again that his steadfast leadership and integrity will best fill the needs of his constituents and the people of this great state. ... Rep. Nunez may be the first person to be elected as an Independent to the state legislature, but it is our sincere hope that he is not the last.
Nunez, as I noted in my Sunday column, recently was attacked by Reform New Mexico Now, a political action committee headed by Gov. Susana Martinez's political director Jay McCleskey -- even though Nunez is the sponsor of one of Martinez's top agenda items -- the bill to repeal the law allowing driver's licenses for illegal immigrants.
Nunez is being opposed by Republican Mike Tellez and Democrat Felipe Archuleta in House District 36.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Roundhouse Roundup: Attacking Your Allies
A version of this was published in The Santa Fe New Mexican
Oct. 28, 2012
Maybe I’ve become jaded because I’ve been doing this political beat for so long, but hardly anything in politics truly surprises me anymore. But last week’s news that a political action committee associated with Gov. Susana Martinez was going after Rep. Andy Nuñez, the independent from Hatch, was not only surprising but eye-popping, even for a cynical old news dog like me.
OK, Martinez is a Republican and there is a Republican candidate in District 36, Mike Tellez. So it’s not that shocking that she would back her own guy, even back him over a fairly conservative declined-to-state. But Nuñez isn’t just any fairly conservative declined-to-state. He’s probably is best known in other parts of the state as the sponsor of one of Martinez’s pet bills — the one that would repeal the law that allows the state to issue driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants.
Yes, the same PAC that’s going after legislators for opposing the driver’s license bill is going after the bill’s sponsor. What seems really strange was that Reform New Mexico Now, headed by Martinez’s political director, Jay McCleskey, not only came after Nuñez, they’re coming after him hard.
Blogger Joe Monahan was the first to post a full-color mailer sent to voters in District 36 that screams “Andy Nuñez opposes the death penalty, even for child murderers.” “Some crimes are so horrific that the ultimate penalty is the only deserving punishment,” the mailer says. “Child murderers, cop-killers and terrorists should face the ultimate penalty to protect society from them ever getting out and killing again.
“But politician Andy Nuñez put ideology in front of our safety by voting to abolish the death penalty, even for child murderers … ,” the mailer says. “Andy Nuñez puts the welfare of convicted murders above keeping our families safe and supports Bill Richardson’s ban on the death penalty.”
Uh oh. Nuñez likes Bill Richardson as well as child murderers!
I wonder if Martinez realized that former Rep. Brian Moore, R-Clayton, put the welfare of convicted murders above keeping our families safe when she hired him as deputy chief of staff at the outset of her administration. (Moore no longer works for the administration.)
It’s true that Nuñez supported the death penalty repeal. And it’s true that this kind of slightly hysterical attack is common in contemporary campaigns. But again, this is against the guy who carried one of the major flagship bills of the Martinez administration two sessions in a row.
Asked for comment Thursday, McCleskey would only say, “Reform New Mexico Now is supporting Mike Tellez in [House District] 36 and has been for a month.”
Reached at his home in Hatch, Nuñez was busy keeping his family safe. “I’m babysitting my great-grandkids,” the 76-year-old rancher chuckled. “I was very surprised,” he said of the mailer. “But I think it’s going to backfire.” Nuñez said he’s had several constituents as well as leaders express anger about the attack.
Nuñez theorized that Martinez’s folks had “done a poll” that showed him beating Tellez, causing them to come down so hard on him.
Something tells me, though, that Martinez’s operatives weren’t worried so much about Nuñez winning — after all, he’s been an ally on several issues — as they are concerned about the possibility of the Democratic candidate, Felipe Archuleta, winning.
I asked Nuñez whether he and Martinez have had a falling out. “No,” he said. “I just saw her at the Border Governors conference in Albuquerque a couple of weeks ago and everything seemed all right.” Nunez serves as chairman of a related border legislators group.
While there’s been no obvious beef between Martinez and Nuñez, there have been hints that not everything was sunshine and lollipops between them. In January, Nuñez was quoted in an El Paso Times blog, saying Martinez is “hard to work with. She gets madder than hell when I don’t do what she wants.”
I guess that will mean Martinez will be madder than hell if Nuñez doesn’t lose.
Oct. 28, 2012
Maybe I’ve become jaded because I’ve been doing this political beat for so long, but hardly anything in politics truly surprises me anymore. But last week’s news that a political action committee associated with Gov. Susana Martinez was going after Rep. Andy Nuñez, the independent from Hatch, was not only surprising but eye-popping, even for a cynical old news dog like me.
 |
| Stolen from Monahan blog. Click to enlarge. |
Yes, the same PAC that’s going after legislators for opposing the driver’s license bill is going after the bill’s sponsor. What seems really strange was that Reform New Mexico Now, headed by Martinez’s political director, Jay McCleskey, not only came after Nuñez, they’re coming after him hard.
Blogger Joe Monahan was the first to post a full-color mailer sent to voters in District 36 that screams “Andy Nuñez opposes the death penalty, even for child murderers.” “Some crimes are so horrific that the ultimate penalty is the only deserving punishment,” the mailer says. “Child murderers, cop-killers and terrorists should face the ultimate penalty to protect society from them ever getting out and killing again.
“But politician Andy Nuñez put ideology in front of our safety by voting to abolish the death penalty, even for child murderers … ,” the mailer says. “Andy Nuñez puts the welfare of convicted murders above keeping our families safe and supports Bill Richardson’s ban on the death penalty.”
Uh oh. Nuñez likes Bill Richardson as well as child murderers!
I wonder if Martinez realized that former Rep. Brian Moore, R-Clayton, put the welfare of convicted murders above keeping our families safe when she hired him as deputy chief of staff at the outset of her administration. (Moore no longer works for the administration.)
It’s true that Nuñez supported the death penalty repeal. And it’s true that this kind of slightly hysterical attack is common in contemporary campaigns. But again, this is against the guy who carried one of the major flagship bills of the Martinez administration two sessions in a row.
Asked for comment Thursday, McCleskey would only say, “Reform New Mexico Now is supporting Mike Tellez in [House District] 36 and has been for a month.”
 |
| Nunez changing his registration in Jan. 2011 |
Nuñez theorized that Martinez’s folks had “done a poll” that showed him beating Tellez, causing them to come down so hard on him.
Something tells me, though, that Martinez’s operatives weren’t worried so much about Nuñez winning — after all, he’s been an ally on several issues — as they are concerned about the possibility of the Democratic candidate, Felipe Archuleta, winning.
I asked Nuñez whether he and Martinez have had a falling out. “No,” he said. “I just saw her at the Border Governors conference in Albuquerque a couple of weeks ago and everything seemed all right.” Nunez serves as chairman of a related border legislators group.
While there’s been no obvious beef between Martinez and Nuñez, there have been hints that not everything was sunshine and lollipops between them. In January, Nuñez was quoted in an El Paso Times blog, saying Martinez is “hard to work with. She gets madder than hell when I don’t do what she wants.”
I guess that will mean Martinez will be madder than hell if Nuñez doesn’t lose.
Friday, October 26, 2012
Area Legislative Races
In the past week I've written a couple of profiles about local legislative races.
In today's New Mexican, I wrote about the District 39 Senate contest between incumbent Democrat Phil Griego and Republican Aubrey Dunn, Jr. Griego won his bitterly fought primary against Jack Sullivan and Nicole Castellano, picking up support from Jay McCleskey's Reform New Mexico Now PAC. That irked Dunn who has asked for a refund of his $5,250 campaign contribution to Gov. Susana Martinez in 2010. (No refund has been made.) The PAC is not supporting Dunn, who agrees with Martinez on most major issues, though it isn't supporting Griego in the general either.
A few days ago, the paper published my profile of the District 43 House race between incumbent Republican Jim Hall (no, not the retired judge) and Democrat Stephanie Garcia Richard. Democrats see this race as one of their few chances to actually pick up a seat. Richard came within 190 votes of ousting the late Rep. Jeannette Wallace in the Los Alamos-based district two years ago, so PACs from both sides have been pouring mailers into District 43 mailboxes in tones far more strident than either of the candidates. In fact, both Hall and Richard have asked the outside groups to butt out -- not that they will.
My colleague Kate Nash this week wrote about the House District 50 campaign. There Democrat Stephen Easley is running against Republican Larry Miller in the contest to replace Rep. Rhonda King, who decided not to seek re-election. Like Senate District 39, House District 50 stretches from southern Santa Fe County deep into central New Mexico.
In today's New Mexican, I wrote about the District 39 Senate contest between incumbent Democrat Phil Griego and Republican Aubrey Dunn, Jr. Griego won his bitterly fought primary against Jack Sullivan and Nicole Castellano, picking up support from Jay McCleskey's Reform New Mexico Now PAC. That irked Dunn who has asked for a refund of his $5,250 campaign contribution to Gov. Susana Martinez in 2010. (No refund has been made.) The PAC is not supporting Dunn, who agrees with Martinez on most major issues, though it isn't supporting Griego in the general either.
A few days ago, the paper published my profile of the District 43 House race between incumbent Republican Jim Hall (no, not the retired judge) and Democrat Stephanie Garcia Richard. Democrats see this race as one of their few chances to actually pick up a seat. Richard came within 190 votes of ousting the late Rep. Jeannette Wallace in the Los Alamos-based district two years ago, so PACs from both sides have been pouring mailers into District 43 mailboxes in tones far more strident than either of the candidates. In fact, both Hall and Richard have asked the outside groups to butt out -- not that they will.
My colleague Kate Nash this week wrote about the House District 50 campaign. There Democrat Stephen Easley is running against Republican Larry Miller in the contest to replace Rep. Rhonda King, who decided not to seek re-election. Like Senate District 39, House District 50 stretches from southern Santa Fe County deep into central New Mexico.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Pardon Me, Boy, Is That The Chattanooga Endorsement?
Here's a snip from the endorsement.
Some may argue that voting for a minor party candidate is a waste of a vote. While Johnson won't win on Nov. 6, the more votes Johnson receives, the more the Republican and Democratic parties are forced to consider adopting his policies. Voting for Johnson is the most effective way to inject the ideas of liberty and limited government into the political mainstream.
I'm not real familiar with this paper, or Chattanooga in general beyond that famous song. So I'll quote Rob Nikolewski from Capitol Report New Mexico:
The newspaper has an unusual setup. It runs two editorial pages, one staunchly liberal – under the banner of the Chattanooga Times — and another that is solidly conservative – called the Chattanooga Free Press — and together the newspaper is distributed under the name of the Chattanooga Times Free Press. The paper has a daily circulation of 70,000 and a Sunday circulation of 95,000. In 2002, the Tennessee Press Association named the Times Free Press as the best newspaper in the state.
Monday, October 22, 2012
What Kind of Crazy Liberal Would Vote For The Dream Act
Crossroads GPS, that right-leaning PAC associated with former George W. Bush political director Karl Rove has sent out a mailer blasting Democrat Martin Heinrich for supporting "Amnesty legislation that would give illegal immigrants a free ride ... while New Mexico families are stuck footing the bill."
"Heinrich's vote for President Obama's immigration plan provides a `path for citizenship' for illegal alien," the mailer says.
Tiny footnotes on the mailer indicate that this vote of Heinrich's refers to The Dream Act, which was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in 2010, but later stalled in the Senate.
Indeed Heinrich voted for this legislation, which indeed would give the children of illegal immigrants a pathway to citizenship via military service or enrollment in college. He even brags about being a co-sponsor of the bill.
But I think we might have evidence that candidates really don't coordinate with the outside groups trying to help them.
In Sunday night's debate with Republican Heather Wilson, Heinrich asked he if she would have voted for the version of The Dream Act that passed the House.
Wilson answered yes, she would have.
Ask Emily Litella used to say: "Never mind ...."
"Heinrich's vote for President Obama's immigration plan provides a `path for citizenship' for illegal alien," the mailer says.
Tiny footnotes on the mailer indicate that this vote of Heinrich's refers to The Dream Act, which was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in 2010, but later stalled in the Senate.
Indeed Heinrich voted for this legislation, which indeed would give the children of illegal immigrants a pathway to citizenship via military service or enrollment in college. He even brags about being a co-sponsor of the bill.
But I think we might have evidence that candidates really don't coordinate with the outside groups trying to help them.
In Sunday night's debate with Republican Heather Wilson, Heinrich asked he if she would have voted for the version of The Dream Act that passed the House.
Wilson answered yes, she would have.
Ask Emily Litella used to say: "Never mind ...."
ROUNDHOUSE ROUNDUP: Congress Behind the People on Marriage Equality
A version of this was published in The Santa Fe New Mexican
Oct. 21, 2012
One political truism that’s been repeated countless times in recent years is that same-sex marriage and other gay-rights issues are gaining momentum with the American people. And indeed, poll after poll shows a growing acceptance of gay marriage, even among some of the politically conservative.
However, one place where it apparently isn’t true is in the hallowed halls of Congress.
“While the American people move forward on issues of equality, the majority of Congress — particularly the House — continues to be out of touch,” said a blog post of the Human Rights Campaign — a major national gay-rights organization.
The group released its annual congressional scorecard Thursday. “The average score of House members was 40 percent and 35 [percent] for Senators, down significantly from the 111th Congress,” the campaign’s blog said.
The group scored congressional votes on legislation as well as who signed on as co-sponsors to certain legislation. Senators also were scored on their votes for and against a couple of openly gay federal judges.
U.S. Rep Martin Heinrich, D-Albuquerque, who is running for U.S. Senate, was one of 115 House members who received a perfect score of 100 percent. He was the only member of New Mexico’s delegation to do so.
Heinrich got news of his 100 percent the day after a televised debate with his Republican opponent, former Congresswoman Heather Wilson, in which he spoke of his support for marriage equality and boasted of his vote against the “don’t ask, don’t tell” law, an action that allowed gay people to serve openly in the military. (Wilson, in the debate, reiterated her opposition to gay marriage. She also had been against repealing “don’t ask, don’t tell.”)
Not among the legislation considered in the Human Rights Campaign scorecard was Sen. Al Franken’s bill that would prohibit bullying in public schools based on sexual orientation or gender identity. In Wednesday’s debate, Heinrich noted that he is a co-sponsor of the bill. Wilson is opposed.
Wilson said her main concern was that it would cut funds for schools where bullying exists. “We don’t want to have to turn to Washington to solve those problems,” she said at the debate.
As for the other New Mexicans on Capitol Hill, Ben Ray Luján of Santa Fe got a 90 percent rating; retiring Sen. Jeff Bingaman scored 88 percent; Sen. Tom Udall got an 82 percent and Rep. Steve Pearce of Hobbs — the lone Republican in the delegation — got an even zero.
Why was Udall, who usually is considered more liberal than Bingaman, rated lower by the Human Rights Campaign?
The only difference in the senators’ scorecards was that Bingaman, according to the organization, is a co-sponsor of a proposed act that would equalize the tax treatment of employer-provided health coverage for domestic partners and other non-spouse, non-dependent beneficiaries. The current version of the bill, which has been kicking around for nearly a decade in various forms, hasn’t made it out of the Senate Finance Committee.
For the first time, the Human Rights Campaign’s scorecard this year noted whether members of Congress have taken an affirmative position in favor of allowing same-sex marriage. In the New Mexico delegation, Heinrich, Luján and Udall have taken that position.
On their blog, the campaign has a graphic saying that 54 percent of Americans support marriage equality, while only 33 of Congress does. Another says that 79 percent of Americans support workplace protections for lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgendered people, while only 40 percent of Congress does.
I’m not sure about the workplace protection polls, but the campaign is correct that two national polls this year — CNN and NBC/Wall Street Journal — each said that 54 percentage support for same-sex marriage. Other polls have been slightly lower. Whatever the exact number, it’s pretty clear the public is ahead of the leaders in these issues.
Oct. 21, 2012
One political truism that’s been repeated countless times in recent years is that same-sex marriage and other gay-rights issues are gaining momentum with the American people. And indeed, poll after poll shows a growing acceptance of gay marriage, even among some of the politically conservative.
However, one place where it apparently isn’t true is in the hallowed halls of Congress.
“While the American people move forward on issues of equality, the majority of Congress — particularly the House — continues to be out of touch,” said a blog post of the Human Rights Campaign — a major national gay-rights organization.
The group released its annual congressional scorecard Thursday. “The average score of House members was 40 percent and 35 [percent] for Senators, down significantly from the 111th Congress,” the campaign’s blog said.
The group scored congressional votes on legislation as well as who signed on as co-sponsors to certain legislation. Senators also were scored on their votes for and against a couple of openly gay federal judges.
U.S. Rep Martin Heinrich, D-Albuquerque, who is running for U.S. Senate, was one of 115 House members who received a perfect score of 100 percent. He was the only member of New Mexico’s delegation to do so.
Heinrich got news of his 100 percent the day after a televised debate with his Republican opponent, former Congresswoman Heather Wilson, in which he spoke of his support for marriage equality and boasted of his vote against the “don’t ask, don’t tell” law, an action that allowed gay people to serve openly in the military. (Wilson, in the debate, reiterated her opposition to gay marriage. She also had been against repealing “don’t ask, don’t tell.”)
Not among the legislation considered in the Human Rights Campaign scorecard was Sen. Al Franken’s bill that would prohibit bullying in public schools based on sexual orientation or gender identity. In Wednesday’s debate, Heinrich noted that he is a co-sponsor of the bill. Wilson is opposed.
Wilson said her main concern was that it would cut funds for schools where bullying exists. “We don’t want to have to turn to Washington to solve those problems,” she said at the debate.
As for the other New Mexicans on Capitol Hill, Ben Ray Luján of Santa Fe got a 90 percent rating; retiring Sen. Jeff Bingaman scored 88 percent; Sen. Tom Udall got an 82 percent and Rep. Steve Pearce of Hobbs — the lone Republican in the delegation — got an even zero.
Why was Udall, who usually is considered more liberal than Bingaman, rated lower by the Human Rights Campaign?
The only difference in the senators’ scorecards was that Bingaman, according to the organization, is a co-sponsor of a proposed act that would equalize the tax treatment of employer-provided health coverage for domestic partners and other non-spouse, non-dependent beneficiaries. The current version of the bill, which has been kicking around for nearly a decade in various forms, hasn’t made it out of the Senate Finance Committee.
For the first time, the Human Rights Campaign’s scorecard this year noted whether members of Congress have taken an affirmative position in favor of allowing same-sex marriage. In the New Mexico delegation, Heinrich, Luján and Udall have taken that position.
On their blog, the campaign has a graphic saying that 54 percent of Americans support marriage equality, while only 33 of Congress does. Another says that 79 percent of Americans support workplace protections for lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgendered people, while only 40 percent of Congress does.
I’m not sure about the workplace protection polls, but the campaign is correct that two national polls this year — CNN and NBC/Wall Street Journal — each said that 54 percentage support for same-sex marriage. Other polls have been slightly lower. Whatever the exact number, it’s pretty clear the public is ahead of the leaders in these issues.
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