Linda, look out for the alligators! According to sources deep inside the ABQ South Valley opponents of Lopez, who aspires to become Senate President Pro Tem, is the target of a late breaking movida that would give Linda an opponent in her Democratic primary for a third term. "The move appears to be directed from the Governor and legislators who want to start pouring cold water on Linda's ambitions," said one Valley alligator long involved in the complicated moves that are the hallmark of Valley dealmaking.

But filing day for legislative candidates is just a week away, and getting a strong opponent against Linda is no easy task. She has been re-elected by solid margins. But with word out on the street that she's willing to become Senate leader the same way Richard Romero did, her rivals feel an urgent need to slow here down. Romero ousted Manny Aragon from the top job with the help of the R's and a few stray Dems. Now, ABQ's Lopez, who is also chair of the Bernalillo County Democratic Party, sees an opening for her to do the same.

Her Dem foes think they have a good alternative to Lopez in Sen. Pete Campos of Santa Rosa, but a Senate Pro Tem with the R's stamp has become a way of life now and Campos is no shoo-in so Dems are plotting to find a way out. Adding intrigue to all this is the rocky relationship between Light Guv Diane Denish , who presides over the senate, and who pushed Lopez aside when both sought the Light Guv Dem nomination. Any Lopez rival that does emerge will have a high hill to climb. Voters tend to value independence, so if the coup plotters are to succeed they will have to first find a worthy contender and then twist a lot of arms.

MADD MAD AT BILL

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) were slow off the mark in reacting to the DWI arrest of ABQ GOP State. Rep. Joe Thompson. Now, they are trying to make up for it by issuing a statement saying they disagree with Big Bill's forgiving and non-punitive attitude towards Joe who was busted near Downtown ABQ and will enter a plea Wednesday.

MADD chief Terry Huertaz went on TV after Thompson's arrest and said the lawmaker had called her to apologize. But Huertaz, like Big Bill, did not condemn the action, or take note that Thompson had just sponsored get tough DWI legislation. Huertaz tells me the MADD board of directors "is a large one and it takes time to get a consensus." She said in the future they may form a subcommittee of the board so they could react quicker to major news on their pet project. MADD looked anything but mad in its initial reaction to the Thompson mishap and supporters of the group, who give sizable amounts of cash to keep the flame burning, took notice. That may have influenced the new MADD get tough line towards Bill and Joe.

By the way, where are all the newspaper editorials in NM on the Thompson arrest? The subject made headline news across the nation, but the print newshounds here are not seeing the story fit for much print, at least not yet.

90,000 REASONS TO RUN

Joe Thompson threw in the towel on his race for the Republican nomination for the ABQ seat on the utility regulating Public Regulation Commission (PRC) right after his arrest. That opened the door for some new contenders. Word comes to us from GOP sources that Vivian Cordova, a longtime NM politico with ties to former Congressman Manuel Lujan, is scurrying to get enough signatures to meet Tuesday's deadline and get on the ballot. Insiders report Cordova believes if he is the only Hispanic R on the ballot he might be able to snare the nomination and the $90,000 a year job. Meanwhile, ABQ City Councilor Tina Cummins has also joined the PRC fray. Friends of ABQ Mayor Marty say they are happy to see that because she is no friend of frontrunner and former fellow Councilor Hess Yntema, who led an ethics probe against the Mayor last year. Cummins can run and not win and still stand for re-election to the council next year.

AND FINALLY....

Lifelong NM politico Kurt Lohbeck is lighting the 62nd candle on a bithday cake today. Yesterday, we took notice of ex-Guv Dave Cargo's 75th year and right after ran into Lohbeck who then broke his birthday news. Lohbeck and Cargo worked together back in the 1950's trying to persuade college kids to become Republicans. (Talk about dreamers!) Apparently Lohbeck is still practicing the art of persuasion as he bought all the drinks at his own impromptu birthday party.

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2004
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