Nothing better illustrates the fine political line New Mexico Dems are walking amid the state's historic oil boom than these news reports on the same day this week:

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is traveling to the East Coast this week to take part in several political events--including a panel on climate change in New York City.

And then this:

New Mexico's ambitious target to produce half its electricity from renewable sources by 2030 will not come at the expense of the state's booming oil and gas sector, Energy Secretary Sarah Cottrell Propst said.

So, both sides are happy now, right?

No question that Dem US Rep. Ben Ray Lujan is the front-runner for the 2020 Dem U Senate nomination but Sec. of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver does not appear to be on her way to suffering a blow-out. She is rounding up support from women voters that should translate into votes. For example

Representatives Patricia Roybal-Caballero, Day Hochman-Vigil, Debbie Sariñana, Natalie Figueroa, Joy Garratt, Joanne Ferrary, Angelica Rubio, and Christine Trujillo have all personally endorsed present Secretary of State Toulouse Oliver in her candidacy to become New Mexico’s first female Senator.

Toulouse Oliver continues to hit the theme that NM should elect its first woman US Senator this year. The Lujan forces restore that its; long overdue to have Hispanic representation from NM in the senate.

TRUMP SHARES YVETTE

Southern GOP congressional contender Yvette Herrell is trumpeting news on Facebook that President Trump has shared on his Facebook page an op-ed piece she authored touting the building of Trump’s border wall,  Is that a sign that the Trump/Pence camp is no longer flirting with the Claire Chase camp and is coming back home to Yvette? After all, Claire was outed this month for saying nasty things about Trump in 2015 on Facebook. Who knows for sure? But it does illustrate how messy the GOP campaign for the southern seat has become. It's enough to have the race start as "Lean Dem" for Rep. Xochitl Torres Small.

HIGHER ED BEAT

The good news is this:

New Mexico is the second-least expensive state for college tuition in the United States, with an average in-state tuition of just $7,154 a year and an average out-of-state tuition of $10,695.

But then there's this:

New Mexico ranks 49th in the nation in median income in 2018.

MLG's plan to provide free college tuition to all New Mexico students has received a generally warm reception, but there are concerns that the plan tips toward well-off families. Education analyst Wesley White, writing in Forbes, comes with his solution:

New Mexico should consider changing the proposal to a first-dollar approach, paying the tuition before other sources of financial aid. First-dollar programs are more progressive and are a more equitable use of tax dollars. That change would allow low-income students to use aid like Pell Grants to cover their living expenses. If budgetary constraints are the reason for limiting to a last-dollar approach, New Mexico could consider placing income thresholds on the scholarships to exclude the wealthiest of students. The legislature could also consider a scaled approach, reducing the scholarship as family incomes rise.

As proposed the free tuition plan is estimated to cost the state $25 million to $35 million per year

NO TO DR. NO

In response to our Monday blog on how state Senator John Arthur Smith, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, is confounding MLG, Fred Moran writes:

Joe, Time for Smith to go! Neomi Martinez Parra is just what NM Dems need to move the Governor's agenda forward. Smith has built his reputation at the expense of progress in virtually all areas. If he wants to hold the Governor's agenda hostage, time to vote him out.

Smith is being challenged in next June’s Dem primary by Neomi Martinez Parra, a former vice chair of the state Dems, so voters will have a choice in the Deming area district.

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2019