NM-01
I know everyone is focused on Wisconsin today, and rightfully so. But there’s a race I care deeply about in New Mexico. Martin Heinrich, who currently represents the 1st Congressional District (Albuquerque basically) is running to replace Jeff Bingaman in the Senate. So the primary for his seat is today. There are 3 candidates. The best is Eric Griego, who was a very progressive city council member when I lived there, is a favorite of the Netroots, and has been endorsed by AFSCME, AFT, and the Sierra Club. He is a very good progressive and worth watching for the future. Michelle Lujan Grisham is presently a county commissioner and seems solid enough. She’s big into creating green jobs and has a lot of experience in the health care industry, for good or bad.
And then there’s Marty Chavez. The absolute worst kind of Democrat, Chavez was long-time mayor of Albuquerque. It’s difficult for me to say how much I despise Marty Chavez. He’s long been involved in all sorts of dirty politics to serve his unquenchable ambition. In New Mexico, he was every Republican’s favorite Democrat, happy to sell out the left wing of his party, very pro-development. There was great fear in 2008 that Chavez would be the Senate candidate until Tom Udall rode to the rescue (in a way that, say, Russ Feingold did not) and turned that long-time Republican seat to the Democrats. If New Mexico wants a Ben Nelson or a Blanche Lincoln to represent them in the Senate, Chavez is their man.
Luckily, they don’t. Burquenos finally got sick of Chavez’s ways and voted him out; even if it was a Republican replacing him, at least it was someone different. He is trailing badly in a very tight race between Griego and Lujan Grisham. I think I am comfortable speaking for all my LGM colleagues, none of whom have likely heard of any of these people nor care about New Mexico politics, to give the all-important LGM endorsement to Eric Griego, who would be the kind of congressman every progressive could be proud of.
But most importantly, remember to vote for anyone but Chavez.
Off to the polls to cast my first NM ballot since 1998 before work. I also know a good Democrat judge who’s running (Victor Lopez) through a personal connection.
Now that’s News Most of You Can’t Use!
Do you have the connection to forge voter documents to register me in NM real quick!?
Fox News said I should contact ACORN for that, think they can help?
Sorry, you’re late. But if you’re a Golden retriever (on the internet, nobody knows you’re…) some GOP staffers will be happy to get you registered in time for the general. If they help you vote, though, they may get a slap on the wrist.
Thanks for the push. I’m out, gotta go push pull and drag my precinct to the high school because this one is going to be a squeaker.
I’m looking forward to more Heinrich blogging in the future.
Just left the voting booth. Voted Griego…three times!!!11! Take that GOP!!11!!1
I cast my vote kn NM’s CD1 a few hours ago. I was seriously considering turning in an unmarked ballot because I was so annoyed at Griego, but I ended up marking my ballot.
Griego has claimed to be against big money campaigns – but he has spent all his energy running a big money campaign. He’s done a lot of courting of interest groups, and a lot of money raising, and almost zero with volunteers.
If you want to see a bad campaign web site, go to http://griegoforcongress.com/ It’s all about getting people to watch his (big money) TV ads. If you click through to see “issues” you’ll see just a few things, none of which have been updated in the last six months, and which include a pretty bad economic plan. If you want to hear about his SuperPAC support and the story of my contacts with his campaign yesterday, go here: http://www.nmpolitics.net/index/2012/06/groups-unite-behind-cd1s-griego-legislative-candidates/
On the other hand, at least he’s not Marty Chavez.