I've heard the pleas and I sympathize. But asking me to stop writing about the ongoing feud in the NM GOP is like asking a bee to stay away from honey. The action this week with the naming of Whitney Cheshire as "acting" executive director of the state GOP by new chair Alan Weh, (pictured above) who has committed to serve just a year, will put the war on hiatus, but does not get the GOP anywhere closer to resolving its headline-making disputes or, more importantly, the future direction and leadership of the party. The war will flare again briefly in June when legislative candidates backed by chief Dendahlite Mickey Barnett face-off against fellow Republicans and when Barnett himself is challenged for his Republican National Committeeman position by ex-state GOP State Rep. George Buffett.

Ms. Cheshire, in a brief telephone conversation, was upset that she has been characterized in this space as a Dendahlite. She maintains she is neutral. She points out that she worked for candidates associated with both factions, including the 2000 state senate race of ousted GOP Chair Ramsay Gorham. She has also worked as a press spokeswoman for Guv candidate John Sanchez who is associated with former chair Dendahl and Barnett. But her associations and those of Mr. Weh may be irrelevant. After all, insiders point out, they won't be around when the battle is joined again next year, and besides, neither are veteran political operatives with the inclination to lead either faction.

Both are closely associated with the Bush-Cheney effort, Cheshire as communications director, Weh as a Bush administration appointee. Republicans not associated with presidential politics, but who are running for the legislature or other offices, or just concerned about the future philosophical direction of their party, are naturally curious what the temporary leadership will be able to do for them.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The immediate crisis in the state Republican Party has been stayed as the Bush-Cheney campaign has put in place temporary state party mangers who will be responsive to its main goal: winning New Mexico and its five electoral votes for Bush. From their viewpoint anything else, including pick-ups in the state legislature and other races, would be gravy. Weh and Cheshire will no doubt earn their keep, but their service will be an asterisk to the history that will be written in the post-presidential months; history which will determine whether the Republican Party can unite itself and embark on a course that will seriously threaten the 70 year dominance of New Mexico politics by the majority Democrats.

Have a great weekend and join me back here Monday for more on the ever-changing world of NM politics.

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2004
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