The early vote total was put at 440,000 by state officials Thursday and some observers are now calling for not just an historic turnout but a gargantuan one.

UNM political science professor Lonna Atkeson says 900,000 is a possibility. Radio Talker Eddie Aragon, who predicted the unusually high primary turnout, believes 950,000 and possibly 1 million New Mexicans will vote. "I am hearing from a lot of first time voters," he says. 

Veteran pollster Brian Sanderoff says a turnout of 70 percent of the 1.329 million registered voters is on his radar. That would translate into 929,000 votes.

The 2008 presidential race between Obama and McCain was the record setter with 833,365 or 61 percent of registered voters casting ballots. We'll almost certainly blow past that. 

The southern congressional campaign has been negative so long that viewers might do a double-take at the new ad from GOP hopeful Yvette Herrell. She smiles a lot and says she wants to be elected to "preserve our way of life" and values. Well, this is about the time when the candidates want to show their softer side and "values" is a come home call to the conservative district. 

And there's something new in this ad--Trump. In the primary Herrell's ads boasted proudly of Trump, but tucked him away for the general election against Dem Rep. Xochitl Torres Small. Now in the closing days she resurfaces the president--at least somewhat. Most of the 30 second ad sports a graphic saying, "Endorsed by President Donald Trump." His name is not mentioned out loud. Obviously, the campaign feels it is safer now to put Trump out there as most of the anti-Trumpers have already voted.

Dem US Rep. Ben Ray Lujan did his best to pin an "Endorsed By Trump" sticker on Republican Mark Ronchetti's lapel during their third and final debate for the open US Senate seat. For his part Ronchetti pointed to Lujan and repeatedly questioned his ineffectiveness, arguing that's the issue, not Trump. 

Ronchetti, trailing by 10 points in the polling in the three way race, which also features Libertarian Bob Walsh, debated with Lujan for an hour on KOAT-TV (sans Walsh) in a clash that had underdog Ronchetti attacking at every opportunity, trying to shake up Lujan and thus the race. In doing so Ronchetti sacrificed some of the likability he built during a career as a popular TV meteorologist. But what choice did he have? His performance, however, rallied and reinforced his conservative base. Getting past that (and Trump) has been and remains the obstacle. 

Full debate here. 

Lujan, who has mastered the issues after 12 years on the Hill, was a solid front-runner, taking the hits but not getting off his game. He came to paint Ronchetti in a Trump corner, especially on health care, the strongest polling issue. He succeeded in part although Ronchetti tried to separate himself by saying there will be times when he votes with Trump and other times against. He also cited the congressional failure to pass a second cornaovirus package as a symbol of Lujan's inability to "get things done," even though the House has passed a package and Lujan pointed out it has been stalled in the Republican-controlled Senate.

Ronchetti remarked that people wonder where is the Pete Domenci in the congressional delegation, saying the legendary GOP senator delivered mightily and in a bipartisan fashion. The irony is that Ronchetti may have been looking at the next Domenici in Lujan, at least that's the hope of those who support him and who have watched the once ridiculed blackjack dealer vault to the highest levels of power in the US House. Now he is so very close to joining a very exclusive club.

PNM executives say the merger is needed in order to finance the expensive conversion of its grid to handle renewable energy sources in the years ahead. The company says they don't anticipate any layoffs among its 1,700 employees.