It was the last day to withdraw your candidacy but at the end of Tuesday Republican US Senate nominee Mick Rich was still in the running, crushing the hopes of Libertarian Party nominee and former NM Governor Gary Johnson. His supporters had been pressuring Rich to get out and let Johnson take on Dem US Senator Martin Heinrich man-to-man.

Johnson's consolation prize was an endorsement from Kentucky US Senator Rand Paul, a fellow conservative whose father, like Johnson, is a past Libertarian Party presidential nominee.

Paul and Johnson share the same small government philosophy but the question on the table after the endorsement was whether Paul would raise big money for an apparently needy Johnson, who this week lent his campaign $100,000 in personal money.

Not only wasn't Rich withdrawing but he did not let the diss of his candidacy by fellow Republican Paul pass unnoticed:

I'm not surprised. When I met with Rand Paul, he asked me only two questions: did I support legalized marijuana, and did I support shutting down the government during federal budget negotiations.

The early polling has Heinrich ahead in all the surveys. The question seems to be who is going to move definitively into second place--Johnson or Rich--and then make a play at the heavily favored Heinrich, who is seeking a second, six year term.

HERE TO STAY

Another withdrawal that was watched for but never came was that of ABQ GOP State Rep. Monica Youngblood. She faces an aggravated DWI charge and some R's had been putting heat on State GOP Chairman Ryan Cangiolosi to force her out and relieve any jeopardy the party faces that her seat could switch to the Dems.

It's a fear based in reality. The video of Youngblood's arrest shows her in a very unflattering light. But she's here to stay and it will be up to Dem challenger Karen Bash to take advantage and try to turn a normally R seat her way.

Youngblood's trial on aggravated DWI charges is set for mid-September. She needs a favorable outcome to quiet the storm over her arrest and even that may not be enough as she faces not only drunk driving charges but hypocrisy charges. Youngblood has been a leading advocate in Santa Fe for tougher DWI laws.

WILD RUMOR FRONT

And the wild rumor front was dealt a blow on withdrawal day. Republican lieutenant Governor nominee Michelle Garcia Holmes did not withdraw from the contest and pave the way for GOP Guv nominee Steve Pearce to persuade his fellow R's to replace her with Dem Jeff Apodaca. Like we said that's a walk-on the wild side and presented by most purveyors of the rumor with tongue firmly in cheek. Jeff lost a bitter Dem Guv primary battle to Michelle Lujan Grisham and his father, former Dem Governor Jerry Apodaca, has officially endorsed Pearce.

So with the Light Guv fun out of the way, the rumor mill is now offering up Jeff as a possible honcho for Pearce at the State Investment Council, if Pearce can pull off the upset over MLG.

LARRY LEAVES

There was a bit of a surprise on withdrawal day when someone actually withdrew. That would be longtime ABQ GOP State Rep. Larry Larrañaga. He said he was getting out because of family health reasons.

First elected in 1994 and a major player on the House Appropriations Committee, Larrañaga has given the R's just one week to come up with a replacement for the district, all of which is in BernCo. Members of the GOP Central Committee from BernCo are slated to meet and name their replacement September 2.

Our Alligators report there is no Larrañaga heir apparent lined up and there is a scramble to fill the post. Meanwhile, Dem contender Bill Pratt, a retired doctor, is hoping that now that there is no incumbent running, he just might have a shot in the GOP stronghold. One GOP name floating is former ABQ State Rep. Teresa Zanetti.

As for the 80 year old Larrañaga, who is currently the third longest serving member of the House, he says his legacy is highlighted by the establishment of a rainy day fund to even out fluctuations in state revenue due to oil price boom and busts. He also cites his work on water issues as a lasting contribution.

Larrañaga started out as a moderate R in the 90's in the mode of then Senator Pete Domenici but over the years the party has become increasingly conservative. And when the economy crashed as Governor Martinez took over in 2011, Larrañaga and his fellow R's did not make the turn by stimulating the economy or raising revenue but instead continued with austerity and budget cutting. People fled the state; unemployment and poverty rose.

Looking in the rearview mirror, that was the political pivot that Larrañaga may come to regret he did not make. Years of massive tax cutting--by both Dems and R's--had caught up with him and the state was starved for revenue. But with a no compromise stance on any tax increases or any other revenue raising measures firmly implanted in the GOP, Larrañaga's moderate past could not be resurrected as it might have been in the time of Domenici. The rest, as they say, is history.

SHE'S GONE, JOHN 

She's out of state, Lt. Governor John Sanchez, and you're the acting Governor so here's your chance:

Gov. Martinez is in Japan for most of this week, taking part in a National Governors Association trade mission with two other governors. Martinez left on Saturday and will not return to New Mexico until Friday. She plans to take part in NGA-sponsored meetings for several days, and then remain in Japan for two additional days.

So go ahead, John, have some fun. Pardon former State Sen. Phil Griego. Fire those cabinet secretaries who have been getting under your skin and then celebrate by treating the staff to pizza and cokes. That's right, John, live it up before you have to live it down.

This is the home of New Mexico politics.

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2018