Rep. Torres Small

Sometimes it's almost painful to watch as Rep. Xochitl Torres Small, a liberal at heart, tries to thread the needle on the thorniest of issues by making offerings to both sides in her sprawling southern congressional district. But on what could have been her most painful vote of all--whether to impeach President Trump--the pressure may be easing on the first term congresswoman.

The Democratic-controlled US House could vote on articles of impeachment before Christmas and when it does Trump is expected to be impeached. But impeachment has failed to catch fire with a strong majority of the American public and a quick acquittal of the President in the US Senate is a foregone conclusion if the House impeaches.

In many quarters impeachment is seen as a continuation of the partisan mania engulfing the capital. Also, the charges don't rise to the level of criminal activity that forced President Nixon to resign in 1974 under the threat of impeachment. Both are good reasons why this impeachment has not gripped the nation.

This impeachment effort is reminiscent of the one in 1998 of President Clinton who was impeached by the House but acquitted in the Senate. That episode was so tainted by partisanship (then by Republicans)--that it's scarcely recalled that Clinton was only the second president ever to be impeached.

Torres Small, who says she is undecided on how she will vote, is being pressured with anti-impeachment TV ads by pro-Trump PACs urging her to vote against the articles, but it appears the moment of danger for her may have passed. If she votes against impeachment would she draw a well financed and popular Dem primary challenger? Highly unlikely.

In fact, the riskier political course for her may be to vote for impeachment. That would give the R's an issue to hound her with until next November while her vote against impeachment could quietly put the matter to rest in her swing district.,

Torres Small need not fret that she would be making a strictly political decision by voting against impeachment. It has already failed in the court of public opinion. Rather than impeach, a substantial portion of the nation would prefer to judge this president at next November's election. Her vote to send the decision on Trump's future to them could be one of the congresswoman's least painful moments.

NAIL BITER IN 4?

Bassan & Romero

It could be a nail-biter when the votes are counted tomorrow night from the run-off election in ABQ City Council District in ABQ's NE Heights.

Consultants say the early vote--which ended Saturday--shows that of 5,797 votes cast, 44 percent were by Republicans, 43 percent by Democrats and 12 percent by independents.  The early vote was GOP--2579; Dems--2503 and Indys at 715.

That's an improvement for the Dems. The early vote had been going for the R's by 48 percent. However, independents can be expected to lean R in the district, giving Republican Brook Bassan an edge over Democrat Ane Romero going into Tuesday's Election Day voting.

And that's where the Dem machine comes in. Just about every prominent Dem politico has endorsed Romero's candidacy, including Mayor Keller who will be her "closer" today, working a phone bank to get out the vote in the GOP-leaning seat.

Election Day voting almost always tends to be more Democratic so D optimism is rising that Romero may be able to pull off the upset. But R's are canvassing intensely in this district, just one of three GOP held districts on the nine member council. The Dems floated an unconfirmed report that former Gov. Susana Martinez was helping out Bassan in the final hours, demonstrating that the race has tightened. Also, Brandon Hall, deputy director of Trump Victory NM, has been knocking doors for Bassan.

Current Governor MLG was the last Dem power player to endorse Romero, who serves as her deputy legislative director. In a Sunday endorsement she said:

As a member of the Northeast Police Council, she is the only candidate with first hand experience working with law enforcement to make our communities safe. She understands the behavioral and mental health crisis we face, and has spent her life helping to implement policies that tackle these issues. . . 

Lujan Grisham predicted the race will be settled by "just a few votes." If Dems come on strong tomorrow, she may be right. Certainly they are more "all in" for the Romero candidacy than any other we've seen in recent years.

If Bassan wins Tuesday, and she remains favored in the district that has been R for 20 years, the city council will remain 6 to 3 Dem. If Romero wins, the council will go to 7 to 2 Dem. That would be the most lopsided partisan margin in the history of the modern government.

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2019