Moderate Republicans. Remember them? While the Prez polls at 90% among NM R's, not all are enthusiastic. Some have signed up for a group called Mainstream 2004. These R's are urging the Prez to take a more flexible approach to Iraq and do something about ballooning budget deficits. ABQ GOP lawyer and enviornmentalist James Scarantino is President of the NM group and longtime middle of the road R, former NM Governor Dave Cargo, is a prominent member.

Another member, John Eisenhower, son of former Prez Dwight Eisenhower, has gone as far as endorsing Kerry. Cargo and Scarantino haven't done that, but their parting of the ways with Bush policies shows that the long dormant split in the GOP between its moderate and right wings is at least smoldering. The group emailed the Eisenhower endorsement to 17,000 NM R's.

Long ago, Sen. Pete Domenici battled with the right-wing forces of Ronald Reagan, but that was then. It is in moderate ABQ where Bush is having some trouble and where Al Gore beat him four years ago by 4,000 votes. Perhaps the Bushies should keep that in mind before they get too upset with these "Mainstream Republicans."

LIKING WHAT THEY SEE

Several Dem enthusiasts are buoyed by Dem Congressional candidate Richard Romero's latest TV ad. Romero has been hammering away that GOP incumbent Heather Wilson votes with the GOP Congressional leadership 90% of the time. But that spot didn't really deliver, failing to mention just how that hurts anyone. The latest spot takes it a step further accusing Wilson of specifically voting against importing cheaper prescription drugs from Canada. "They could draw blood with that one," offered one of the Dems.

Meanwhile, Wilson has gone ballistic against Romero on TV, radio and direct mail. The race is not going to be a ten pointer for Heather like last time and it's becoming clear that her internal polling is showing Romero still in the game. It traditionally breaks her way at the end, but like Kerry with Bush, Romero's stepped up attack has given him more time to fight.

THE LATEST NUMBERS

Brian Sanderoff of Research & Polling was in the field for the ABQ Journal over the weekend and will have fresh Prez numbers plus the Congressional races in a survey that should be released midweek. This will be Sanderoff’s first NM poll since the Prez debate and since the Wilson-Romero duel went hyper-negative. We will have the numbers as soon as they are released.

OLD HAND, NEW CAMPAIGN

Democrat Gary King may not have as much campaign money as GOP U.S. Rep Steve Pearce, who he is challenging down south this year, but he does have a top campaign pro. Francisco Castillo, fresh from the Howard Dean for Prez campaign in NM, has signed on as a consultant to King. Castillo, from Texas, is a grass--roots specialist and an operative who has also worked for Big Bill.

THE SUPREMES

We wrote last week about the NM Supreme Court races and mentioned that there had been no R elected to the panel since the 1980's. That's true. But a legal beagle tells us there was an R who was appointed to the court by Governor Johnson in the 90's, but chose not to run for election. The R, according to our legal eye, was Paul Kennedy of ABQ. I remember a hundred years ago when Paul ran for AG as a sacrifical lamb for the GOP, but his high court service drew a blank. Thanks to our readers our blanks are soon filled.

Make our site, WWW.JOEMONAHAN.COM one of your favorites and e-mail a link to interested friends. Interested in advertising to NM's large political community? E-mail me from the top right of this page, or call 505-243-4059 for details.

(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2004
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