Biden in Corrales (Facebook)

The presidential campaign came to New Mexico over the weekend with Jill Biden, wife of leading Dem hopeful and former VP Joe Biden, making the rounds. An Alligator of the Dem variety reports:

Biden's fund-raiser in Santa Fe was at the home of Henry Munoz, the former finance chairman for the Democratic National Committee who moved there recently. The ABQ area fund-raiser was in Corrales at the home of attorney John Voorhees and was co-hosted by attorney and former NM Democratic Party Chairman Sam Bregman. 

New Mexico's presidential primary isn't until next June and is unlikely to play a role in the nominating contest but the leading candidates can be expected to harvest cash here. 

TRUMP TOYS WITH NM

While NM is seen as reliably Blue in the presidential race Trump allies continue to create chatter over his chances here. Donald Trump Jr. added to that as he stopped in Sunland Park, NM last week for a border conference and to praise his father's proposed border wall. And Trump  himself singled out NM for praise in a recent Facebook post:

President Trump (took) note of the state's growing economy. The president wrote: “Business applications are thriving in New Mexico since I took office." He added that New Mexico is a "key battleground state.". . . Business applications have jumped 29 percent since Trump was elected and New Mexico saw the biggest increase in the country.

The oil boom is responsible for the greater part of the state's improved economy. Trump may see an opening but the doors still seem closed in the key cities of ABQ, Las Cruces and Santa Fe.

THE TRUJILLO FIRING

The reasons given for the Governor's firing of Public Education Secretary Karen Trujillo were ambiguous, but the enormous pressure MLG is under to reform the troubled education system was perhaps one reason for the abrupt dismissal. That's made clear with this news:

33% of students in the state are proficient in English, and 20.3% of students are proficient in math, according to standardized test data by the Public Education Department...In Albuquerque Public Schools, the 2019 data showed about 20% of students were proficient in math and 30% proficient in English.

MLG spent style points for her awkward firing of Trujillo and if repeated with regularity could impact her popularity. However, in the avalanche of reaction to the dismissal it's significant that the new education policies of MLG and the legislature are not under serious attack. Rather, the argument is over the pace of implementation.

The oil boom in SE NM that is flooding the state coffers with unprecedented surpluses is a make or break opportunity and it is the sitting Governor who is going to take the credit or blame for how effectively or ineffectively that money is spent. There is nowhere to hide for MLG or her cabinet.

There will be much more pushing and shoving required to reverse the state's dismal educational standing. The public appears confident that this Governor has the policy down, but the personality in dealing with personnel may need attention.

VEGAS WARMTH

The race for the Dem nomination for the open northern congressional seat continues to spark reader debate. Here's Victor Valdez:

I am writing in response to the individual who wrote on the July 18th blog about Valerie Plame's presence at the Las Vegas fiestas parade. I personally saw Valerie actively trying to talk to as many people as she could regardless of ethnicity during the parade. From my vantage point I saw the great people of Las Vegas of all ethnic backgrounds welcoming Valerie with warmth and kindness that Las Vegas is known for. 

As we blogged July 11, it was in Las Vegas in '94 when Dem lieutenant governor candidate Patricia Madrid uttered a statement that made political history:

These Republicans are not our people – they are Anglos – they are newcomers – they don’t understand us – our language – our culture – they are here only to exploit our people and our land – you must vote Democratic!”

Today Madrid, a former two term attorney general, is retired in Mora County and writes us about her statement of 25 years ago:

Joe, When I was the running mate of Gov. Bruce King it became clear that the third governor candidate, Roberto Mondragon, a former Democratic lieutenant governor who ran as the Green Party nominee, was taking enough Northern Hispanic votes to effect the outcome. King had asked me to make this argument to sway the Hispanic vote. I said that Republican nominee Gary Johnson had no appreciation for Hispanic culture and people, and that if he won he would surround himself with Anglos in his administration and not include Hispanics. As it turned out, we lost because of the King-Mondragon split and as I predicted, Gary Johnson did surround himself with Anglos and the Democratic North was ignored and underserved during his tenure.

The Hispanic split was evident in the '94 results. Johnson won with 50 percent to King's 40 and Mondragon's 10 percent.

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2019