Thursday, January 14, 2021"She's Out" Shout The Analysts As Herrell Sides With Trump On Impeachment Vote; "Damned If She Did, Damned If She Didn't," Plus: Lujan's Heavy Hitter And ABQ's Murder Meter
That was the flat declaration from longtime political analyst Greg Payne and others as southern GOP Congresswoman Yvette Herrell voted against impeaching President Trump Wednesday and with no regrets. Opined Payne, a Dem who was an ABQ GOP City Councilor: Her votes to decertify the election already had her in the redistricting doghouse. Now this vote gives the Democrats even more motivation to redistrict her out of office when they carve out new boundaries this year. And I don't believe there will be much blowback against the Dems for doing it. But if Yvette had voted to impeach, she would have drawn a primary challenge from the Trump wing. She was damned if she did and damned if she didn't. Former Dem Rep. Xochitl Torres Small (who Herrell defeated in 2020) is watching intently. She is high on the list of Dems who may make a run for the seat in two years. Meantime, the pundits see no path for Yvette except the one leading to the exits. So how about a path for the New Mexico Republican Party? Payne says somehow the party "must find its way back to the middle" with new personalities not associated with Trump. "I don't see anyone raising their hand," he declared. DEBATING DONA ANA Commenting on rebuilding the NM GOP, one of our readers maintained that the party could be encouraged by their 2020 showing in Dona Ana county, home of Democratic Las Cruces. But writing from DC Mike Bocian of GBAO Strategies says, No Way, Jose: Take a look at the Dona Ana County numbers for yourself. In 2020: Lujan and Biden won the county by +19 %. In 2016 it was Hillary Clinton +18. In 2012 Obama carried it +15 and in 2008 Obama won +18 percent. How are those encouraging numbers for Republicans--either on their face or as a trend line? RONCHETTI REACTION Reader reaction now to our blogging about former GOP US Senate candidate Mark Ronchetti who has returned to his old job of weather forecasting for ABQ CBS affiliate KRQE-TV. Mark Rosebrough says: Joe, I am dismayed by the efforts of some to undermine Mark Ronchetti's ability to engage in gainful employment. As an independent voter, I gave his candidacy for the Senate due consideration. Any chances of me voting for him ended the moment he embraced President Trump. Trumpism is toxic, and I cannot understand how anyone could support its tenets. But the proper recourse against Mr. Ronchetti's embrace of Trumpism was at the ballot box, not his ability to obtain employment. Such vendettas are unnecessarily divisive and will not help our nation to engage in the healing that it so desperately needs. Let the man feed his family. Larry Verr Bruggge writes: I am very disappointed in KRQE manager Bill Anderson for having an agreement with Mark Ronchetti which is basically a golden parachute--a cash contract if all else fails. This leads me to believe that Mr. Anderson has some of the same political beliefs as Ronchetti and maybe Trump. Since this is a cash guarantee for Ronchetti, could this not be construed as a political contribution? HEAVY HITTER
Sanchez, a Texas product, is a former chief to Rep. Joaquin Castro of San Antonio and served in 2016 as Hillary Clinton's Deputy National Political Director. Sanchez also had a stint as press secretary for Nancy Pelosi and put in time with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Just a reminder, Carlos, ABQ lost the competition for the US Space Command headquarters this week so whatever political acumen you bring to the table, use it to bring us some badly needed pork. We're waiting. THE BOTTOM LINES ABQ closed out 2020 with 76 murders, four shy of the 80 committed in 2019. That brought this rant from the reader mailbag:
What if we weren't in lockdown? What would the murder rate look like then? And this self-congratulatory BS that because it's four lower than the record? The heads at City Hall are so far up their collective a##es they'd need abdomens of glass to see any semblance of the real world! We welcome your well-organized rants, comments, criticism, and existential angst. This is the home of New Mexico politics. Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here.   (c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2021 |
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