First, let me thank State Rep. Bengie Regensberg for bringing the New Mexico Legislature back to its roots with his wild night of fisticuffs with the State Police who were ordered by the House Speaker to track him down and bring him back to the capitol for a health care vote. As you may have heard, all hell broke loose when the lawmen got into a fight with a Regensberg reluctant to be returned. It ended with the cops putting the rebelling Rep in a headlock.

We New Mexicans cherish our role in the Wild West, and 21st century or not, we're not about to completely let go. The Roundhouse has become too darn businesslike in this politically correct era, but a few characters like Bengie are still around to remind us that NM politics is still a rough sport. Remember the fights at the old Bullring? The comely female 'lobbyists" now vanished? Why, some of these guys even have their families living up in Santa Fe during the session. It's political sacrilege! But just in time Battling Bengie emerges and restores the old image of our fair Legislature as a place of overwhelming machismo; where three fingers of Jack Daniels is the drink of choice, and where the answering machines at the apartments say: "Honey, I'll be working late again."

Well, those were the days. We thought they'd never end. But they did. If only for a moment, Bengie had the hearts of the oldtimers fluttering anew. So Bengie, thanks for the trip through nostalgia. Heck, that state police budget just might be a trimmed a notch in memory of your efforts to bring back those 'glorious' days of yore.

BENGIE TO GET HECTORED

But Bengie's fight has just begun. "New Mexico Politics With Joe Monahan" has the exclusive news that Battling Bengie will have a Democratic primary opponent come June 1. He's 30 year old attorney Hector Balderas. Hector has served as an assistant district attorney in Bernalillo County and now hangs his shingle in the Las Vegas area district he hopes to take away from Regensberg. But it may not be easy. Benjie is already claiming Big Bill is the cause of his problems and was behind the state police incident. The Guv's office dismisses all that as nonsense, but Bengie apparently hopes to frame his primary race with Balderas as a fight against the Big Guy and his forces. Hey, stranger things have worked.

BURPO GOES TURBO

Remember Rob Burpo? Sure you do. The former two-term ABQ NE Heights legislator left the Roundhouse to run for the 02' GOP Guv nomination, only to fall victim to eventual winner John Sanchez. Burpo was none to happy with what he saw as unfair treatment by the forces of then State GOP Chair Dendahl who Burpo says favored Sanchez. That diss still weighs heavy on Rob who tells me is 'leaning toward' taking on fellow Repub and State Rep. Larry Larranaga in the June 1 primary.

Among other things, Burpo points to Larry's support of Patrick Milligan over Brad Winter in the October ABQ election. Milligan, a Dendahlite, came up short against Republican Brad Winter. Burpo represented most of the Larranaga district and believes that gives him a good chance to take the seat back. Larranaga has a reputation for working with both sides of the aisle, but observers say he may have been intimidated into supporting Milligan out of fear the Dendahlites would run a primary opponent against him. Wonder if he thought about opposition from the other side? Larry reportedly has already sent out a mailer in an early bid to line up votes. Burpo is no lighweight so this is going to be another GOP legislative intra-party war to watch. Meanwhile, Milligan emails me to report that Rob may be upset about Larry supprting him, but Burpo also helped him by donating $100.00! Is Burpo burning the political candle at both ends?

CHICKEN ALA CHENEY

What do you get at a $1000.00 lunch? Well, the GOP was not exactly putting on the Ritz for VP Cheney's Monday ABQ lunch appearance. One attendee (yeah, some rich R's read the blog) told me it was literally the 'rubber chicken" circuit with the well-off lunchers dining on lowly poultry as they heard the Veep tout the Prez. However, the humble menu did not stop Cheney from raising $200,000 for the campaign coffers.

LIGHTNING ROD LEADS

There's a bevy of fee and tax hikes in the state budget racing towards final approval. So where are those anti-tax Republicans? Maybe a bit behind the curve as they make for the exits and their re-election bids. But not State Sen. 'Lightning Rod' Adair of Roswell. He emailed his supporters a lengthy analysis of what New Mexicans are about to pay as a result of the session. Lightning Rod, who often swings wildly and misses, has touched a nerve this time. The Trib's Shea Andersen has the Adair budget analysis which is going to help frame the coming campaign debate.

THE BLOG AT UNM

I spent part of President's day as a guest lecturer before UNM Professor Gil St. Clair's long-running New Mexico government affairs class and can report that the young political junkies are more sophisticated than we were. They asked about negative campaigns, why some news stories were on the front page they did not feel belonged there, and why CBS would not air an anti-Bush ad during the Super Bowl. Very refreshing to see that kind of depth, but at the same time a bit disturbing to see that the negativity in politics has stripped away some of the idealism of our young generation. Maybe they will be the ones who will restore the civility clearly lacking in today's political scene. Gil will start a new class this year devoted solely to media and politics, a valued addition to the UNM poly sci effort.

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2004
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