If you look at any poll, requiring voters to present ID at the polls is approved by overwhelming margins, yet NM Dems have fought it tooth and nail for years, until now. Big Bill, mindful of those polls, and his own reputation as a reformer, not a reactionary, has signaled he is ready to play ball with the R's and look for a "bipartisan" solution to voter ID. The Guv told KKOB's Larry Ahrens: "I think there should be some kind of way that you verify...and we need to do it in a bipartisan way."

During he campaign NM Dem Party chair John Wertheim aggressively fought voter ID in the courts and there were a lot to of Dems who wee uncomfortable with that stance. New Mexico's rough time counting votes didn't hurt getting the Guv off the dime on this one. Let's see what happens in the Legislature next year. Too often election reform is put on the backburner; a big reason why election snafus have become a regular part of the campaign aftermath.

TIES THAT BIND

Big Bill has reason to be sore at the University of California, manager of Los Alamos Labs since WWII, but ever the political pragmatist it's not stopping him from urging UC regents to make a bid to renew their management contract. It was back in 2000 when the Guv, then Energy Secretary, was taken out to the woodshed by Congress after a major security lapse was discovered at the nuclear weapons facility. So why is he traveling to California this week to urge that UC stay on board? Future votes may be one reason. Details and some of my analysis from the Oakland Tribune and reporter Ian Hoffman.

GUV 2044?

It has not been a good run of late for the King political dynasty. Bruce is long gone and Gary suffered a losing bid for Congress this year, But there may be hope for a revival of that famous families fortunes, if not in the immediate future. State Rep. Rhonda King and her husband Johnny Montoya announce Rhonda gave birth to a baby girl October 30th and with Rhonda's political pedigree--she's a niece of Bruce--and Johnny's La Politica tie--he's a cousin of former Guv Apodaca--maybe the new addition will someday vindicate the King family's political standing and take back the Guv's office. The couple says 2044 is the date. But why wait? Apodaca was elected in 74' at the age of 40.

HE IS CHEAP

NM Court of Appeals Judge Rod Kennedy has issued a dissenting opinion on his ethnic heritage. Contrary to what we wrote here (Nov. 10) Kennedy claims to be of Scottish descent, not Irish. We will give him the benefit of the doubt and not speculate that he is embarrassed by his true roots. Then again, Kennedy did not argue about being cheap. That puts him squarely in the Scot camp. See you at Wal-Mart Rod.

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