Phones across La Politica blew up immediately after the announcement that Haaland is Biden's pick. Here's how it's going to come down. (By the way, congrats Deb.)

--Once Haaland is confirmed, she resigns her seat and within ten days the secretary of state issues a proclamation for a special election that will be held within 77 to 91 days of the resignation. A January confirmation would put the election into late April or early May.

--Picking the major party candidates for the special will be the ultimate insider baseball. There will not be primary elections. The nominees will be made by the State Central Committee members from the Democratic and Republicans parties who reside in the ABQ congressional district  (The Libertarians also have major party status and will also be able to field a candidate). 

--All eyes will be on the Dems because no Republican has been elected to the liberal leaning district since 2006.

--There are about 170 members from the ABQ district on the Central Committee, says Miranda van Dijk,  Dem Party spokeswoman. She says depending on the timing of Haaland's resignation there is the chance that elections for new state central committee members in the new year could result in new members who would pick the nominee. Still, many, if not most, of the current members can be expected to seek and win another term.

--There is no limit on the number of candidates who can seek the central committee nominations. Once the SOS issues the election proclamation those interested will file declarations of candidacy and all who do will be voted upon by the committees. The winning candidate must secure a majority of the vote so there is likely to be multiple ballots on the Dem side. 

FROM PROCESS TO PLAYERS

Sen. Sedillo Lopez

That's the process now some players. For the first time all three NM House seats will soon be filled by women of color. That's history here and nationally and will hover over the delegates charged with picking a Haaland replacement. 

For now the early roads lead to attorney and State Senator Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, 63, who finished third to Haaland in the 2018 Democratic primary. MLG later appointed her to the senate to fill a SE Heights vacancy. This year she won election with 78 percent of the vote. Sedillo Lopez checks all the Dem boxes--a woman, Hispanic and acceptable to the progressive wing. And she has experience running campaigns. But the committee could be looking for a fresher face.

Lynn Trujillo of Sandia Pueblo, MLG’s cabinet secretary for Indian affairs, could be an intriguing candidate. She would keep the seat in the hands of a Native American woman and is known for her smarts. However she lacks political experience.

Popular Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver no longer lives in the ABQ district but resides in Santa Fe. Still, as a former BernCo Clerk, the residency issue is not damaging. She has won statewide elections and would be a safe pick. But as an Anglo woman the timing may not be right. 

State Rep. Melanie Stansbury was said to be already working the phones in the hours following the Haaland announcement. She has been twice elected to a NE Heights seat and served as an environmental adviser in the Obama White House. The congressional nomination would be big vault, but she has nothing to lose for trying. 

Sleeper candidates could include BernCo Clerk Linda Stover and Sen. Linda Lopez.

If the Dems want to make a move to the male side, State Auditor Brian Colon is letting it be known he's interested, even though he is a moderate in a progressive pond. Then there’s state reps Moe Maestas and Native American Derrick Lente who might get some interest (Mayor Keller is a no go)  

Then there's the national Dems who will try to shape the race as they work to keep intact their slim US House majority. Who will they side with?

For the R's, it's a steep climb. Michelle Garcia Holmes lost big to Haaland this year so they will probably be looking elsewhere but a Hispanic woman seems their strongest play. Talk of unsuccessful GOP US Senate candidate Mark Ronchetti is making the rounds, but he may want to save his last bullet for the 2022 Governor’s race.

There are angles aplenty. Keep those phones charged candidates, and those committee members on speed dial. 

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