The lurch to the left by a number of the Democratic presidential candidates isn't going down well with Governor Lujan Grisham and other Democratic Governors who tend to steer to the middle.

. . . They are especially concerned about proposals that would eliminate private health insurance. “I don’t think that’s good policy or good politics,” said Gina Raimondo of Rhode Island, the chair of the Democratic Governors Association. I think it scares people,” added Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico.

And on immigration the two Dem Guvs said:

They were just as emphatic about immigration, warning 2020 candidates that their support for decriminalizing illegal migration would allow Republicans to cast Democrats as the party of open borders . . . “That just scares too many people who don’t know anything about immigration,” said Ms. Lujan Grisham. . . She said Democrats should lash Mr. Trump for “closing the border,” because it only prompts asylum-seeking migrants “to sneak around” instead of coming to points of entry.

The views of the nominating wing of the Democratic Party and the general public seem to be on stark display in the US Senate primary here. While Rep. Ben Ray Lujan and Maggie Toulouse Oliver embrace Medicare for All and  the Green New Deal state Democrats as a whole don't appear to be head over heels over those policies.

The threat of the overreach is the main threat to the state's Dems after achieving control of all three branches of state government and the congressional delegation. The cautionary flag is now being waved by the Governor who is the titular head of that party.

BOOM NEWS

Here is headline that reveals some of the downside of the epic oil boom in SE NM. From High Country News:

Staffers allege misconduct at BLM’s busiest oil and gas office; Complaints to Interior’s Office of Inspector General reveal concerns that the Carlsbad Field Office broke laws to favor industry.

ON THE TRAIL 

ABQ Dem Congresswoman Deb Haaland isn't shy about getting involved in the ABQ city council races on the ballot this November. She recently endorsed Dem Ane Romero who is seeking the District 4 NE Heights that is being vacated by Republican Councilor Brad Winter. Earlier she endorsed Dem Councilor Pat Davis for re-election to his District 6 SE Heights seat. Davis is opposed by Dem neighborhood activist Gina Naomi Dennis so Haaland taking sides in that one caused some grumbling. But remember, Davis gave a late endorsement to Haaland in the crucial 2018 Dem congressional primary and then withdrew. That was important as it helped her consolidate the progressive vote. Now it's payback time.

CROSSING GUARDS

We get a variety of reader inquiries that we do our best to answer--like this one:

Joe, the ABQ school crossing guard program was transferred to the Department of Municipal Development, do you know why? 

City spokesman Johnny Chandler responds:

Yes, as of July 1st, 2019 the Department of Municipal Development is overseeing the Crossing Guards program as well as Transit Security personnel. DMD already manages 100 security personnel. Centralizing these divisions allows these programs to be run more efficiently and aligns our public safety efforts related to roads and sidewalks.
See you back here tomorrow with a blast from the political past.

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2019