Our report on the coup of ABQ Valley State Senator Linda Lopez as chair of the Bernalillo County Democratic Party has the Alligators pouncing high, telling me there are several angles and they want the story out. Not one to argue with these dangerous critters, here we go. First, a veteran Dem who says yes, supporters of former Prez candidate and current national Dem chair Howard Dean played a role in the Lopez upset, but they did not target her, it fell into their laps.

"The main thing that did her in was frustration with her repeated absences from the monthly party meetings and other events over the past year. Marvin Moss (who beat Lopez) ran the meetings in her stead and gave the impression that he was also taking care of the behind-the-scenes work, while Linda was MIA. The fact that Linda got as much support as she did with that history was a testament to her political support."

And another Senior Alligator who has been at these meetings for many years reports: "Linda ran Saturday's meeting and it was a five hour disaster. She lost control of the agenda, the audience, everything. By the time it came to vote for chair, delegates were outraged. It was a big reason she was defeated. Perhaps the Deaniacs benefited, but they did not orchestrate it."

FINALLY....

From deep within the mysterious regions of the fabled ABQ South Valley, we get this from a jaded practitioner of the ancient arts of La Politica:

"The Deaniacs did really do Linda in, but not as you think. They didn't know how the process worked. Deaniacs didn't get their proxies together and a lot of county central committee members didn't show up to vote. Linda's base was so upset with her inability to actually lead the meeting that she lost those votes on the fence. Linda can not actively blame anyone or group for her loss."

And the head Deaniac in the state emailed me to say she thought I was "Democrat bashing" by reporting the Deaniacs role, if any, in the Lopez defeat. Hey, we're just the piano player around here. You politicos write the music.

LETTING IT RIP

Just when you think he may be ready to hand in his liberal pen, veteran ABQ Tribune columnist V.B.. Price let's one rip and lets everyone know the left still lives. Here's his scorcher on the Schiavo case that will have our R friends frowning.

Thanks for all the contributions to today's blog. It's the readers who make this site ground zero for the inside scoop on New Mexico politics, so don't touch that dial.

(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2005
Not for reproduction without permission of the author