It's D-Day for New Mexico's political power players. All who want a nice desk at the Roundhouse are required to file petition signatures today, as well as those seeking positions for two $90,000 a year jobs on the state Public Regulation Commission, district attorney's and an assortment of judges. And, there should be a couple of surprises.

Veteran TV newswoman and Dem Janet Blair tells "NM Politics With Joe Monahan'' that she has collected the necessary signatures to run against GOP State Rep. Eric Youngberg and will make her final decision today "after sleeping on it." Janet's contract with KRQE-TV expires this week and she will not be renewing it, paving he way for a possible foray into politics. The Youngberg seat leans Republican, but Blair, a former press aide to ABQ Mayor Marty, says its winnable since "it votes 46 per cent Democrat." The district is in ABQ's West Side and the village of Corrales. Youngberg has raised his profile lately with a rallying cry for the controversial Paseo bridge and even showing sympathy with those advocating that the Westie's form their own city.

THOMPSON IS OUT OF THE GAME

One Republican who is NOT going to run, according to informed sources, is State Rep. Joe Thompson, now in rehab after his DWI bust this month. Former ABQ City Councilor Greg Payne is the probable nominee in the heavily GOP district, but R Bill Rehm, a retired Sheriffs' deputy, was collecting signatures this weekend and we'll see if he'll give Payne a challenge in the ABQ NE Heights.

STATEWIDE POWER PLAYS

Over in Cibola County, sources tell me Dem State Rep. Ken Martinez is poised to pick up a primary challenge. Martinez is a heavy favorite, but his controversial sponsorship of a bill requiring all NM vehicles to be equipped with ignition interlock devices to prevent drunk driving, may be causing him some headaches. And, Dem Hector Balderas, a friend of Big Bill, will try to oust Dem State Rep. Bengie Regensberg in Mora County. But the pros up there tell me they see Bengie as the favorite.

The on again off again candidacy of Republican Kathy Leyendecker is back on, say those in the know in ABQ's SE Heights. She will take on Dem State Rep. Al Park in the swing district. Kathy is a former Johnson Administration transportation official whose cousin is one of ABQ's heavyweight bankers.

Chair Gutierrez
State Dem Party heavys are hoping for a clean sweep today by fielding a candidate in each of the 112 House and Senate Races. That would be a coup for Chair Joni Gutierrez who will be one of those candidates. She's seeking the House seat being vacated by Paul Taylor in Las Cruces and is a heavy favorite.

And that's just a taste of what's to come on this pivotal day in New Mexico Campaign 04'. Stay close to this website as my expert sources statewide monitor the action. Any really big surprises will be posted here right away, with a full wrap-up and analysis tomorrow and in coming days

DEAR JOHN........

John Dendahl knows all about the excitement of filing days. He served as NM GOP State Chairman longer than anyone. He's been on the sidelines for a year, but is now spreading his wings as a media pundit. The New Mexico native and hardest of the hardball political players has been penning op-ed pieces for the ABQ Journal since losing the chairmanship in a bitter fight with Ramsay Gorham. (She will file to seek re-election to her Senate seat today) The paper has identified those writings as "for the Journal." But the latest entry dubs him "syndicated columnist." Why? Dendahl tells me he is also carried in the Santa Fe New Mexican and they are moving his biweekly column to the front page of their opinion section. That's a nice perch from which Dendahl can administer his caustic wit to "Emperor Bill," as he calls him.

Meanwhile, the state GOP has completed a long overdue revamping of their web site, reports Seth Heath of the State R Executive Committee. You can check out the latest from the party of the elephant at GOPNM

EMAIL ME YOUR NEWS AND COMMENTS

Help me cover New Mexico politics. If you want to remain anonymous, that's fine. But share what you know on what's happening in your political backyard. Email me at jmonahan@ix.netcom.com or call me at 505-243-4059. There's a link on the top right of this page. I enjoy hearing from my readers and I respond to all my e mail, so drop me a line.

c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2004
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