Tuesday, August 28, 2018Guv Race Turns Into Jobs Chase; Pearce Wants To Lure Auto Industry With New Trade Pact; MLG Barnstorms South With Jobs Message, Plus: Gary Ponies Up Personal Cash For Senate Bid Pearce will capitalize on the new trade agreement between U.S. and Mexico to bring auto manufacturers to New Mexico, The new requirement for auto content made in North America for cars sold in the U.S. has increased from 62.5 percent to 75 percent. The deal requires 40 to 45 percent of content to be made by workers making at least $16 per hour. Mexico has become a significant manufacturer of auto parts and final assembly. New Mexico is poised to capitalize with extensive advantages in rail, space, low cost land, large potential workforce, and a highly favorable location. . . for increased auto production. Well, don't start your engines--or order your borderland Chevy quite yet. The trade pact is tentative and must be approved by both Congress and the Mexican government. And if the Dems take back the House in November that is questionable. If eventually the agreement is approved it is expected to bring more business to the border. Nothing is going to stop the politicians from promising a chicken in every pot or a paycheck every two weeks. Dem Michelle Lujan Grisham is drawing healthy crowds as she kicks off a 33 county "jobs tour" with running mate Howie Morales and other Dem statewide hopefuls. The Dem ticket is pledging to create thousands of jobs in renewable energy, raise the minimum wage to $12 an hour and invest more of the state's Severance Tax Permanent Fund in NM businesses (Pearce is also on board with that last one). SCORCHING PEARCE In one of his TV ads, Pearce is touting his endorsement from former Dem NM Governor Jerry Apodaca, one of the more prominent Hispanics to do so. But the Hispanic Roundtable is scorching the southern NM congressman, citing remarks he made recently before an ABQ business forum: Pearce demonstrated a clear lack of understanding of New Mexico’s diversity by insinuating gang involvement among “the minorities” and citing fears that New Mexico could become like El Salvador or Honduras. “It’s crazy that someone running for governor of the state with the highest Hispano population would be so disrespectful . . . His repeated reference to “the minorities” and insinuations of gang involvement are just more of the bias that has threatened and harmed our diverse communities for generations." The Roundtable is demanding an apology from Pearce. But they might have to go through Jerry Apodaca to get it. Las Cruces State Rep. Angelica Rubio posted the Pearce audio in question on her Facebook page. GARY PONIES UP  Johnson is committed to going to Washington as a US Senator.. . as a demonstration of that dedication he is putting $100,000 of his own money into his campaign.
The pitch goes on to urge the Johnson backers to donate and "quadruple" Gary's personal investment.
The good news is that Johnson, who made money in the construction business prior to entering politics, still has a lot of personal cash and is able to put up $100K for his Senate bid. The bad news is that he may need to be putting up his own money because donations are slow.
Two polls released before the news of Johnson's candidacy broke on August 14 show him in third place, behind Dem Senator Martin Heinrich and GOP nominee Mick Rich. From the Daily Kos:
The Majority Institute, a Democratic-affiliated outfit, has released an early-August poll from Greenberg Quinlan Rosner that found Democratic Sen. Martin Heinrich easily prevailing with a 48-33 lead over Republican Mick Rich, while Libertarian Gary Johnson earned 17 percent. Those numbers are very similar to a GBA Strategies internal poll for Heinrich conducted around the same time that had him up 47-29 over Rich, with Johnson at 22, although a Tarrance Group internal poll for Rich in early August had him down just 41-34 and Johnson a distant third at 19 percent.
The Emerson College poll begun three days after Johnson made his run official Aug. 14 has him in second place with Heinrich first and Rich last, The results were 39-21-11 and 30 percent undecided. WORRIED OR NOT? MLG Insiders deride the Emerson poll showing the gubernatorial race to be close, with Republican Steve Pearce only trailing slightly. But when it comes to raising money Dem lieutenant governor candidate Howie Morales tells supporters the race is indeed as tight as a drum: The polls are too close for comfort right now, and our Tea Party opponent has twice as much cash on hand as we do. The last thing our state needs is more failed Republican policies – but unless we act now, we could lose our chance to turn New Mexico blue. So which is it? A comfortable lead for MLG or down to the wire? We'll find out November 6.
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