Sen. Fulfer

New Mexico oil country is getting hammered by one of the worst depressions in its history so the unusual (and entertaining) diversion of watching an incumbent GOP state House member challenge an incumbent GOP state Senator in the primary is more than welcome in Eddy and Lea counties.

So why is Rep. David Gallegos rolling the dice and leaving his seat?  Well, for one incumbent GOP Senator Gregg Fulfer was appointed to the seat not elected so Gallegos obviously sees an opportunity to step up.

The battle in District 41 has been spirited with Fulfer, an oilman and rancher, being accused in a TV ad of being a "lifelong Democrat" who changed his party registration "in a back door deal to get a Senate appointment" and that he is a "fake Republican." One ad says: "He's still on their team not ours."

The ad is from the Make NM Great PAC, a group supporting GOP southern congressional candidate Yvette Herrell but which started spending money after the latest federal deadline so money details are yet available. Herrell is in a bitter campaign for the southern nomination with Claire Chase of the big oil Chase family of SE NM.

Not being a longtime member of the GOP is a powerful hit. Fulfer, a former ten year Lea County Commissioner, tells us he changed his party affiliation in 2015 and was appointed to the Senate in 2018 by Gov. Martinez to succeed his father in-law GOP Senator Carroll Leavell who had fallen ill. There was no deal for him to switch parties to get the appointment, he said.

He says he was a conservative Democrat and remains a firm conservative today:

I have not supported tax increases as a commissioner  and senator and have been in the forefront of cutting red tape and regulations. I am a conservative and not a fake one. 

Rep. Gallegos

In his ABQ Journal questionnaire Fulfer checked all the right boxes for a conservative. Gallegos, who worked for some 30 years for the NM Gas Co,. did not respond to the questionnaire,

Gallegos is throwing the kitchen sink at Fulfer. You can see his other charges on his Faeecbook.

Fulfer has won the endorsment of Senator Minority Leader Stuart Ingle. Gallegos, who has not been opposed in his last three elections, has the backing of former GOP Rep. Rick Little of Dona Ana County.

Gallegos reported about $60,000 in cash on hand headed into the final weeks. He had spent $32,000 as of mid-May but is also getting outside PAC support. Fulfer reported $85,000 in cash as of mid-May. He reported spending over $131,000 since the start of the campaign. Both contenders have received considerable support from oil and gas interests. Should be an interesting one to watch Election Night. No Dems need apply and none have. This one is all Republican all the time.

ALLIGATOR STRIKE

Former Dem State Rep. Ben Rodefer is the victim of an Alligator strike. The flyer posted here (another little exclusive for you)  is making the rounds and leaves the impression that US Rep. Ben Ray Lujan and former Lt. Gov. Diane Denish are endorsing him. The trouble is neither Ben Ray or Denish have given Rodefer an endorsement for his state senate campaign.

After the mailer came out Denish endorsed another candidate, Brenda McKenna, a former aide to Rep. Deb Haaland who is also endorsing her. Ben Ray is staying neutral and has issued no endorsement, according to one of our politicos who spoke with him. Rodefer has acknowledged the Denish error.

There are three Dems seeking the nomination in the swing Sandoval County area seat that is being vacated by Dem Sen. John Sapien and there are also three R's running. The other Dem hopeful is Corrales village Councilor Kevin Lucero. On the R side it's Placitas businessman John Clark, Tania Artletha Dennis of Corrales and Bridget Condon who heads up the Sandoval Economic Alliance. Insiders give Condon the edge.

Rodefer, a renewable energy expert and onetime aide to Sen. Jeff Bingaman, is well-known in the westside metro area having served in the state House from there. His name ID could make him a strong candidate to keep the seat in the Dem column in November and also give it a more liberal tinge than Sapien has. Rodefer lost the Democratic Senate primary to Sapien in 2008 so he is is hungry for the win and pushed the envelope with his flyer. For that, Ben Rodefer, you are the victim of an Alligator strike, but one that doesn't pierce the flesh.

ELECTION NIGHT COVERAGE

We'll bring you election night coverage Tuesday June 2, but it won't be of the traditional variety. Instead of gathering at our roundtable at KANW 89.1 FM and KANW.COM, we'll broadcast the results and analysis on the radio using Zoom conferencing. We'll kick things off at 6:45 p.m. and look forward to having you with us.

THE BOTTOM LINES

We credited this quote in a first draft Wednesday to the office of State Auditor Brian Colón regarding his investigation into APD overtime practices:

(the office) emailed APD and Mayor Tim Keller's office 10 questions last week regarding Drobik's astonishing amount of pay for the first four months of the year. So far, not one of our questions has been answered.

That quote is actually from the ABQ Report which we quoted in the story and not from the office of the Auditor. It has been corrected.

This is the home of New Mexico politics.

E-mail your news and comments. (newsguy@yahoo.com)

Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here. 

(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2020