New Mexico and Big Bill are still on the radar of the national media as they visit the swing states of Campaign 04' seeking clues on how the big show will end in November. New York Times reporter Rick Lyman spent some time in the state recently and reported that our Guv, chairman of the Democratic National Convention kicking off Monday in Boston, was a "gleeful workaholic and media-hungry control freak." Here's his profile of Big Bill. (registration required)

As for how New Mexicans will vote, the Times hedges, even though they cite the latest poll showing Kerry moving ahead. Here's the NYT analysis. (registration required)

Meanwhile, ABQ Mayor Marty Chavez, who hustled to get a slot to attend the convention, has decided not to attend and will concentrate on business at home, according to friends.

HEATHER IN THE SPOTLIGHT

The GOP National Convention won’t be held until early September in New York City, but bigwig R’s want to maximize the help they give to ABQ Congresswoman Heather Wilson, so they have already announced that she has been given a speaking slot at the big confab. It won't be in prime time, but it will give Wilson maximum attention in the NM media and also serve to help the R’s persuade female voters to vote Bush-Cheney. Her Dem opponent, Richard Romero, knocked Wilson’s high-profile speaking assignment saying she will just speak to delegates about the "failed polices” of Bush.

But there's no glossing over that being one of just a dozen or so convention speakers is a nice little coup for Heather in a congressional district that could get wobbly for her if the campaign heats up in the Fall.

It will take a lot of money for Romero to turn up the temperature and he could not have been encouraged by Heather’s latest finance report showing her with more than an a million bucks in the bank, compared to Richard's 300 grand. It seems only a series of high-profile TV debates, or a big misstep by an incumbent, gives a congressional challenger any hope these days. Good luck getting either.

How huge amounts of money is driving the political train was driven home by the Kerry campaign Tuesday which sent out a news release bragging that it had raised nearly $100 million in the last quarter, the most ever by any Prez candidate in a three month period. It seems financial prowess is the key platform plank of both the Dems and the R’s.

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2004
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