Tuesday, February 22, 2022Speaker Egolf Pick for Successor To His House Seat Has Impressive Resume But Also Some Baggage, Plus: More On Primary Challenges To Progressive House Dems And Dem Party Goes Tone Deaf On Louis Drunk Driving Arrest
Will outgoing House Speaker Brian Egolf hand pick his successor to his Santa Fe House seat be welcome or worn? And will his fave candidate's past employment be an issue in the campaign? Those questions are raised as Egolf's Chief of Staff Reena Szczepanski (pronounced “Suh-PAN-skee”) formally announced her bid and quickly received Egolf's endorsement. Szczepanski, who is the daughter of immigrants from India, has an impressive resume. Besides serving as Egolf's staff chief, she is a former executive director of Emerge NM, the women's candidate recruiting group, and a former state director of the Drug Policy Alliance. But what she hasn't advertised is her employment by Delta Consulting, the healthcare firm that was operated by MLG and Rep. Debbie Armstrong prior to MLG becoming Governor. The firm was at the center of a major controversy in the 2018 Dem Guv primary when candidate Jeff Apodaca called on MLG to get out of the race, accusing her of benefitting from what he called a questionable $600,000 yearly Delta state contract that he said was unnecessary and a waste of tax dollars. MLG had left the firm prior to her Guv run and survived that hit but it is back in play now that Szczepanski is seeking office. Former MLG political consultant James Hallinan (of Crotchgate fame) let loose this Twitter blast at the freshly minted candidate: How much $$$ are you still taking from @GovMLG & @NMRepArmstrong’s Delta consulting? Look forward to your financial disclosure. Sure there’ll be a good Dem contender to take you on. NM doesn’t need more corruption or failed leadership. The candidate has not responded to that broadside but it could attract other contenders to the contest and if Egolf's desire to pick his successor meets with resistance that could set up a spirited primary. The district (#47) is about 60 percent Anglo and a third Hispanic. Given that backdrop, this one is on the "wait and see" list. Filing day for the state House seats is March 8. DEM NORTHERN DUELS This is the home of New Mexico politics. Thanks to our northern sources we broke the news last week that several progressive Dem state reps are getting moderate Dem primary challengers. But in a twist, one of those mentioned, Santa Fe area Rep. Andrea Romero, will be challenged by fellow progressive Ryan Salazar who calls himself a "Bernie Sanders Democrat." Romero is serving her second term. We'll watch to see if any moderate Dems also join that race. In the districts held by northern progressive Reps. Kristen Ortez, Roger Montoya and Susan Herrera moderate challengers have emerged. The primary results could tell whether progressive D's have worn out some of their welcome at the Roundhouse. That seemed to be the case for progressives in the November ABQ election when the city council added a couple of conservative members as did the ABQ school board. Think the challenges to the progressives won't have much impact? Well, don't tell that to Rep. Montoya who is being challenged by former Dem House member Joseph Sanchez. Montoya was one of a handful of Dems who abandoned the progressives at the recent legislative session and voted against the Clean Fuel Standards Act that was strongly opposed by the oil boys. MLG, DEMS AND GEORGENE
In December of 2019 when state Senator Richard Martinez was convicted for drunk driving, MLG called on him to resign. When he was first arrested she said no one is above the law. We suspect she would take the same course with Louis, but won't know until she's asked. Meanwhile, the state Dem party went tone deaf on the Louis case and even defended the ABQ westside lawmaker. A spokeswoman for Dem Chair Jessica Velasquez said: We do not comment on these kinds of ongoing judicial processes, but we support Ms. Louis as she focuses on her family and her health. I also wanted to emphasize on background that officers have stated publicly that Ms. Louis cooperated fully with law enforcement. There is no evidence that she attempted to use her position as a legislator to influence these proceedings.” Cooperated fully? No, she did not. Just one example is her refusal to take off her eye glasses for one of the DWI tests. And another. The refusal to take her hands out of her coat pockets. And she was arrogant and argumentative and was quick to remind the officer she was a member of the Legislature. Just look at the officer's lapel camera video. Gosh, voters hate this stuff. That's why they threw out Sen. Martinez and Rep. Youngblood when they were busted for aggravated DWI. And yet the insular political class continues with some kind of alternate reality. And what about the lives and families endangered by the alleged speeding and drunk driving by Rep. Louis? No mention of that from Velasquez, either. Come on, man. LOUIS FUTURE Our Roundhouse watchers say that Louis may not be prone to resigning. One of them explained: Joe, Rep. Louis is in her fifth term and will mark ten years in the legislature at year's end and then would be eligible for an annual pension. She could opt not to run again or could try to overcome the arrest by seeking-re-election. Either way she would get her pension. If she resigns, she would not. That legislators' pension have become more valuable. The pension was raised at the legislative session from $11,000 a year to $14,000, not a vast amount but it pays some bills. 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 2022 |
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