New Mexico Political Winds

This is an interesting mid-term election year in New Mexico.  In recent years the outcome of the Democratic Party primary election has determined who occupies any State-wide elective offices at both the State and Federal levels.  That is very likely to be the case again, particularly as the Republicans seem determined to shoot themselves in the foot.

None of the three Republican candidates running for Governor in their primary have significant name recognition that would mount a serios threat to Democratic Party dominance.  The one guy with the biggest campaign chest via self-funding seems to think filling potholes is the State's most serious issue.

In addition to tissue-thin chances of the Governor candidates there is also a serious leadership conflict in the Republican Party.  Several suits have been mounted against the party chairwoman because of what is described as a conflict with party rules about who is eligible to run in the primary election.

Of course, the Democrats have their own conflicts to wrestle with as well.  Two Democratic Party candidates are vying for the office of Secretary of State of New Mexico which oversees elections.  Both have similar experience and pretty much identical campaign pitches with a heavy emphasis of keeping Trumpian interference out of State elections.  The more high-profile primary race, however, is that for who will likely be the next Governor.

Sam Bregman is trailing his opponent, Deb Haaland, in the polls.  He is a tough talking candidate with a good record as the Bernalillo County DA, appointed by current Governor Lujan Grisham.  Bregman cultivates a macho image wearing a black cowwboy hat, and he is an accomplished orator.  If he were running unopposed he would likely be a shoe-in to replace Lujan Grisham.

It turns out, however, that the other Democrat in the race, Haaland, has built up a formidable dossier as a Party leader, a Congressional Representative and the Secretary of the Interior under Joe Biden.  Haaland's campaign relies on reviewing her experiences in office along with an appealing life story which a lot of Democrats have bought into during her long political journey.

Most of the TV ads attacking Haaland come from a political action committee, Accountable New. Mexico, which is not immediately tied to the Bregman campaign, but is clearly acting in support of the Bregman effort.  Bregman, in his presentations, casts doubt on Haaland's claimed accomplishments, but to what effect is unclear.  As reported in the Santa Fe New Mexican:

"Accountable New Mexico reported its donors in the last campaign reporting period, all four of whom contributed money to Haaland’s challenger, Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman, in the previous campaign reporting period.

While Bregman has denied any involvement with the group, he is tied to at least three of its initial four donors through the horse racing industry. Bregman previously served as chairman of the New Mexico Racing Commission before stepping in as Bernalillo County district attorney in early 2023."

How all of the above will contribute to the outcome of the primaries or the actual State elections is pretty uncertain at this point.