Their symbol then was contractor Mick Rich who now appears ready to take another bite out of the apple and join Gavin Clarkson as a candidate for the nomination.

The affable Rich managed only 31 percent of the vote against Heinrich who came in at 54 percent with Libertarian Gary Johnson garnering 15 percent. 

Clarkson lost in a landslide to MTO in the '18 SOS election.

The rumor mill keeps churning out the name of Neilla Domenici as a possible Republican contender. She is wealthy and has name ID as a daughter of the late GOP US Senator Pete Domenici. But her brother Pete Jr. got nowhere when he ran for the GOP nomination for Governor and Nella Domenici has skimpy ties to the state that may be insurmountable even if she does join the fray.

Then there's the little problem of raising at least $5 million for a serious GOP general election run. Enuf said.

A PIT BULL AND TOMCAT

The Dems and MLG are getting slammed in rural New Mexico as Santa Fe leans more liberal on key issues so you get this:

Democratic Party of New Mexico Chair Marg Elliston and Vice Chair Marcus Porter spoke with Democratic leaders in Colfax, Curry, Harding, Quay, Roosevelt, and Union counties at a regional meeting of eastern and northeastern Democratic party officials. . . County leaders discussed how to bolster eastern and northeastern county voices in upcoming elections. . .Elliston emphasized DPNM’s commitment to hearing from Democrats in every corner of our state. . .

The divide between the rural counties and the state's three major cities--always there--has never seem more pronounced. Unifying them is like trying to get a pit bull to share a cage with a tomcat.

PLENTY OF HISPANICS

Gov. Johnson

Former Dem NM Attorney General Madrid is getting some reader push back over her contention that Republican Guv Gary Johnson "underserved" the Hispanic community during his two terms in office ('94-2001). She made that comment on the Monday blog in the context of her 1994 lieutenant governor candidacy. Reader Kevin Garcia has the rejoinder:

Patricia Madrid's comments concerning Gary Johnson's administration sounds like sour grapes. As a Democrat who worked for Gov. Johnson at the NM Board of Finance, I met many Hispanics who remained state employees during his tenure. And Gary did more for the Native American tribes and Pueblos than most administrations. Gary looked for the most qualified candidates regardless of party affiliation and was honest to a fault regarding his campaign promises. . . Many may disagree with his policies, but Johnson did what he said he would do regardless of the politics! I still call NM Highway 550 the "Governor Johnson Highway" as he pushed through innovative capital appropriations to turn it from a Death Trap into a modern highway to the Four Corners when the Legislature said "it couldn't be done!"

As you say Kevin, many disagreed with Johnson's policies. We think his most lasting positive legacy is his insistence on honesty no matter the personal political cost.

THE BOTTOM LINES

Former ABQ City Councilor Tim Kline has died. Kline served two terms on the council representing a mid-Heights district from 1989-93 and again from 1997 to 2001. Kline was an APD officer who became the public face of the Crime Stoppers program following founder Greg MacAleese.