Veteran TV reporter Janet Blair, a short-lived candidate for an ABQ Westside State House seat this year, has resurfaced as spokeswoman for ABQ Metro Court. Blair, who left KRQE-TV to take on GOP State Rep. Eric Youngberg, abandoned her candidacy because of family matters. She reports that Dr. Janice Kando, who the D's put up to replace her, is working the district door-to-door and "is going to do well." Youngberg is the favorite because the district leans R.

Blair's resume includes newspapers and TV stations, a stint as PR aide to ABQ Mayor Chavez as well as the Mid-Rio Grande Conservancy District. She tells me she hopes to again run for office someday.

HECTOR'S HOPES

Meanwhile, an up and comer in the NM Democratic Party, Hector Balderas, should have an easy ride in November after ousting Dem incumbent Benjie Regensberg from his Las Vegas, Mora district in the June primary. But that isn't stopping Balderas from taking advantage of his friendship with Big Bill, who was glad to see maverick Benjie bite the dust. The Guv is named as a co-host for a $100 a head Balderas fundraiser in ABQ tonight.

If he wins, Balderas will join the thirtysomething crowd at the State House headed up by Dem Al Park, another lawmaker the Big Guy has taken under his wing. So far, the alligators report, Park, with the Guv's help, has raised at least a hundred grand for his contest with R Kathy Leyndecker. She has hit about $30,000. Park will probably park most of that cash for an expected race for Attorney General in 06.'

RIO RANCHO SHOWDOWN

State Rep. Tom Swisstack is another Dem lawmaker the D's are counting on Big Bill to see thru in November. Swisstack, former Rio Rancho Mayor, won the seat two years ago by the slimmest of margins, just seven votes. His GOP opponent, retired Air Force vet and management consultant Glen Walters, is working it hard, according to friends who attended a $50 a head weekend fund raiser for the Rio Rancho resident. On a visit there a couple of months ago, Big Bill said he would do all he could to help get his ally Swisstack re-elected. He may need to. Walters is hammering Swisstack for "voting for nineteen increases in taxes and fees." The district is almost evenly divided between the D's and the R's.

TV TALK

The first round of TV ads in the Steve Pearce-Gary King duel for the southern NM Congressional seat has Pearce currying favor with the all-important senior vote. He touts his support for Medicare reform. Do his polls show he needs work with them? Meanwhile, King has begun what he must do: attack Pearce. His first salvo hits the incumbent for not supporting benefits for veterans and trots out mostly older and all-male veterans to make the case.

The duo appeared together over the weekend at Truth or Consequences with King carrying his veterans attack and Pearce defending the Bush deficit spending and tax cuts. King has been given just one TV debte by Pearce, for late October, and will have to make the best of it to pull off the upset.

BIG BILL'S ADDICTION

Surely we need more humor in NM politics, especially after a weekend in which a Dem spokesman called a U.S. Senator "nuts," and the R's contiued to slice and dice any D in their path. Here's the antidote from columnist Ned Cantwell writing in the Carlsbad Current-Argus about Big Bill's recent battle with "addiction." Enjoy.

TIME TO GET YOUR AD UP

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2004
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