Let's check in on La Politica one last time before we all break for the Fourth of July weekend:

It's not surprising but it is still a big number and firmly cements Rep. Ben Ray Lujan as the front-runner in the 2020 race for the Democratic nomination for US senate. Lujan announced that in the April quarter his campaign raised "over $1.1 million" putting added pressure on his chief rival Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver.

MTO put on a brave face when confronted with Lujan's cash haul. She said she raised $222,000 in the quarter, but noted that it was for two months not the full three. Her campaign also nipped at Lujan:

Bragging about raking in more than a million dollars shows how out of touch the Congressman has become having lived in D.C. for more than a decade. The per capita income for a New Mexican is $25,000. New Mexicans need Medicare for All, a Green New Deal and economic security not another D.C. insider who cares more about breaking fundraising records. . .

But Lujan has endorsed the Green New Deal as well as Medicare for all. He recently announced he will not take corporate PAC money but has not returned $200,000 MTO's campaign is asking him to.

Lujan sought to cover his bases, saying for the quarter he had 13,000 unique donors and that 97.5 percent of his donations were $100 or less. The complete reports will be posted with the FEC at mid-month.

It doesn't appear Lujan's big money will chase MTO out of the race but the task of overtaking him is now more difficult than ever.

REPLACING BEN RAY

And the list of candidates to replace Rep. Lujan in his northern congressional seat continues to grow. Sandoval County Treasurer Laura Montoya is the latest to announce for the Dem nod:

Laura was elected Sandoval County Treasurer in 2012 and reelected in 2016. . . She has. . .worked in federal, state and county government. Her career began as a constituent services representative. . .  for Senator Jeff Bingaman. . .“I have a proven track record as an advocate for everyday New Mexicans whether it is writing legislation to protect our Veterans and senior citizens or to give land grants and pueblos the right of first offer on delinquent land. . . 

Montoya is a native of Las Vegas, NM.

THE COUNCIL SCRAMBLE

The battle for the ABQ City Council seat held by Dem Ike Benton will be the most crowded race facing city voters this November. The City Clerk's office reports six candidates have qualified for the ballot in District 2 via the petition process and four of those have also qualified for public financing. District Two is a mostly Valley seat.

Candidates had until June 28th to submit 500 valid petition signatures required to make the ballot

In District 4 in the NE Heights four candidates qualified for the ballot and three of them for public financing. In District 6 both candidates qualified with petitions and also for public financing. In District 8 in the Far NE Heights both candidates qualified for the ballot and one of them also qualified for public financing. Incumbent Republican Trudy Jones did not try to qualify for public money.

NEW STATE SENATOR?

Sen. Martinez has entered a plea of not guilty to aggravated DWI. Gov. Lujan Grisham's office, asked about the DWI charge, would not say if she felt the senator should resign or stay in office, instead saying that "no one is above the law."

Rep. Herrera

Yes, we're premature but if Dem State Senator Richard Martinez resigns because of the aggravated DWI charge he faces and that embarrassing video of his arrest, how about filling his seat with State Rep. Susan Herrera of Embudo? Sure, she was only elected to the House last year but she boasts a foot-long list of credentials, experience and accomplishments--and she is not a career politician. That's just what the constituents of Sen. Martinez may hunger for given the ordeal they are being put through.

Herrera pulled off a major upset by beating State Rep. Debbie Rodella in a Dem primary and went on to win last November. She may be 71 but she is anything but old school, bringing a fresh set of eyes and a deep intelligence to the state's problems.

If Martinez resigns, the county commissions in his district--Rio Arriba, Santa Fe, Los Alamos and Sandoval--will send nominees to the Governor to fill the vacancy.

We have not spoken with Herrera and are assuming she resides in Martinez's Senate district--about 80 percent of her district is in his. We're also assuming that our speaking well of her doesn't amount to the Kiss of Death. Hey, you didn't hear it from us, Commissioners.

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Fourth. We'll see you next week.

Reporting from Albuquerque, I'm Joe Monahan.

This is the home of New Mexico politics.

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2019