Payne
Outspoken Republican Greg Payne and equally outspoken liberal Jerry Ortiz y Pino are true political opposites. What the two have in common is their weekly columns on NM events in the pages of the alternative ABQ weekly newspaper "The Alibi." Payne also goes one better with a weekly radio show on ABQ talk station 770 KKOB-AM. But their pens and microphones are being silenced this month as both embark on campaigns for the state legislature. In Payne's case it's for the far ABQ NE Heights district now represented by the GOP's Joe Thompson, who is seeking the Republican nomination for the Public Regulation Commission seat being vacated by Herb Hughes. For Pino it's the state senate seat of Richard Romero, who is departing to take another run at the Dem congressional nomination and the seat held by Republican Heather Wilson. Pino also pens on occasion for the Santa Fe Reporter. No word on whether he will have to give up that gig as well when filing date hits March 16. (If he gets no GOP opponent, Payne may continue to write his newspaper column, but if a Dem files, he would be expected to give it up after the June 1 primary)

Actually, the two contenders have done pretty well keeping themselves in the public eye. Sometimes media management decides to dump prospective politicos as soon as they mention their intentions to seek office. But Pino and Payne have been able to continue toiling in the media vineyard even while the political community was fully aware of their candidacies. If a radio or TV station keeps an announced candidate on the air once they become an "official" candidate that station is then required to give equal time to any opponents. That is a rarity. But back in the 1970's, at then talk station KZIA, a couple of the hosts did stay on the air while running campaigns. The opponents of these prospective politicos did not take up the station's offer of equal time. Lucky for the station which would have been subjected to a non-stop political gabfest. There are no government guidelines, of course, for newspapers which do not lease the public airwaves, but the papers' self-imposed line has blurred in recent years with prospective politicos penning punditry far closer to the start of their races than years past.

Payne has no announced GOP opposition yet, although rumors continue to circulate that the Dendahl wing of the party is looking for an opponent for him. But the former ABQ councilor is seen by observers as an easy winner no matter the opposition. Jerry has former City Councilor Adele Baca-Hundley and attorney Reggie Garcia as apparent opponents, and a member of the ABQ Valley Alarid family also may be eyeing the contest. Payne and Pino tell me they hope to re-enter the media gates win or lose this November.

Hail, Caesar!

With the fog lifted from the final, furious days of the recent 30 day legislative session, it's clear that Big Bill scored significant legislative victories. But, as we wrote in our legislative wrap, there is a price to pay. The pro-Bill New Mexican editorial pages have now joined the chorus of those urging the Guv to show more respect for the Legislature, which was so outgunned by the aggressive chief exec. The paper says Bill has been "too Caesarean" and is lining up with those lawmakers who are too afraid to go public but are bemoaning their lot in private. Here's the New Mexican editorial fired at Big Bill from usually friendly territory.

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2004
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