The Capitol is now as quiet as a falling snowflake, but the political buzz is already building over what happens when the state senate reconvenes next winter. Insiders are wondering if the coalition of Republicans and Dems that made Richard Romero President Pro Tem can continue and who, if anyone, will keep the hybrid arrangement in place. At the top of the list, is ABQ Sen. Linda Lopez, who doubles as chair of the Bernalillo County Democratic Party. She is not a friend of Big Bill's, splitting with him on key legislation such as the food tax repeal. All this, my insiders say, as she prepares to round up the votes to replace Romero.

One lawmaker told me: "If (Senate Republican Leader Stuart) Ingle is smart he will do the deal with Linda." He points to her independent streak and her abandonment of Manny Aragon when he needed her vote to stay as pro tem, only to fall to Romero.

There are many other names circulating for the Pro Tem job. But I have highlighted Lopez because she is the one Democrat it seems the R's could accept. They like her because she has stood up to Big Bill publicly. In fact, she has been tougher on him than many of the R's. The Senate is not brimming with impressive pro tem candidates. It could come down to who wants it the most. So far, the insiders say, that's the maverick Linda Lopez. But the alligators in the ABQ Valley are lying in wait for Linda. She apparently will have a Dem primary opponent which she should easily overcome. But as her campaign for senate power picks up speed, look for the allies of Manny & Big Bill to turn up the heat.

READING THE MANNY TEA LEAVES

Speaking of Manny, one of my sources at the Roundhouse thinks he is giving more signs of getting ready to hit the exits. "It was overlooked, but at the end of the session the senate had a nice little ceremony praising Manny just like the one they had for Richard Romero, who is retiring. Manny also did not fight Bill one iota, even giving him support on the food tax repeal which he has opposed for decades," declared our deep insider. Our source thinks this spells continued lobbying by Manny for the presidency of NM Highlands University. He could be right. But we might point out that Manny gets praised at the end of almost every session by colleagues hoping to curry favor with the legislative powerhouse for the next session. Still, it's an open secret now that Manny wants that big plum of a job.

DUST-UP IN CARLSBAD

SEN. KIDD
We've got a great race shaping up for the state senate down in Carlsbad. The GOP's Don Kidd is giving up his seat after three terms and two Dems and three R's are now vying to replace Kidd, a high-school dropout who went on to become president of the major bank in Carlsbad, a president of the NM State University Board of Regents and a salt-of-the-earth legislator who won respect from both sides of the aisle. But the 66 year old says it's time to step aside. In my conversation with the retiring senator, Kidd did not explicitly endorse anyone but he spoke very highly of the GOP's Mark Schinnerer, who is an administrator at the Lakeview Christian Nursing Home and was introducing himself in Santa Fe during the session.

The Kidd district is Eddy and Otero counties. It's almost evenly divided between the D's and the R's, and Kidd says it is a true swing district. "It still leans Republican, but the candidate will have to work it hard." Eddy County Commissioner Lucky Briggs and Vernon Asbill, a retired Carlsbad school superintendent, are the other R's vying for the seat. The Dems are Jeff Diamond, a local attorney and city councilman and Steve West, a school teacher and chair of the Eddy County Demo Party.

The Carlsbad Current-Argus takes an in-depth look at Kidd's political career.

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2004
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