Each dispatched two rivals to snag the leadership posts that will preside over the future House agenda beginning with the 60 day session that kicks off in January.
At the caucus of the 45 Dems Gallup Rep. Patricia Lundstrom challenged Martinez even though the election results did not break for conservative/moderate Dems of which she is one. ABQ Rep. Miguel Garcia also ran.
Let's go to one of our Senior Alligators for an overview of the state of political play in these parts.
Ed Tinsley has died. The well-known GOP politico, rancher and businessman (he founded the K-Bob's steakhouses) passed away November 1. He was the GOP nominee for the southern congressional district in 2008 and lost to Dem Harry Teague.
It's the first time the speaker's gavel will be in the hands of a Duke City rep since Raymond Sanchez wielded the gavel in 2000.
And to the relief of the Democratic Party the speaker is Hispanic, putting a person of color in charge in the House in contrast with the top Anglo leadership in the Senate.
And why not ABQ? In recent years the city has been delivering huge winning margins to national and local candidates, transforming NM from a swing state to a solid blue one. Only last Tuesday Gov. MLG wracked up a 41,000 margin over her GOP rival in Bernalillo County, effectively ending the race when early voting numbers were released shortly before 8 p.m.
Also, as long noted by former ABQ Mayor Martin Chavez the city is "the economic engine" of the state. But it needs work--better education, infrastructure investment for its aging neighborhoods, assistance with a thorny crime problem and state help with serious homelessness.
Homelessness especially requires mega-funding for new construction. It is mainly a city problem that is most severe in the metro and an obstacle to keeping that economic engine humming.
Martinez, a pragmatic progressive and attorney for a nonprofit, has served in the House since 2014. He is fully aware of ABQ's special niche but will not meet its needs by sacrificing those of the rest of the state. After all, with the oil boom there are plenty of dollars to go around.
INSIDE THE VOTE
Our reliable caucus sources report that Martinez won a majority of the votes needed on the first ballot and that was that. His nomination by the Dems must be approved by the full House but that is pro forma given the party's huge majority of 45 to 25.
In the Majority Floor Leader contest Rep. Doreen Gallegos of Las Cruces and Derrick Lente of Sandia Pueblo also made plays but it was Rep. Chasey, the longest-serving member of the House who represents ABQ's liberal SE Heights, who claimed the win. It took two ballots for her to get the majority, according to our sources.
Chasey, 78, is the longest-serving House member, first winning in 1996. Retirement could soon beckon so those hoping to rise in the leadership may get another shot in the not too distant future.
For Rep. Gallegos, who gave up the majority whip position to take a shot at Floor Leader, her quest may be over permanently. Caucus members were said to be queasy ever since she made her interest known for the post because of her marriage to powerful and longtime lobbyist Scott Scanland. The Dems did not want uncomfortable questions going forward and refused to mix business with their mostly progressive politics and Gallegos was defeated.
For a new Majority Whip the caucus turned to just elected Santa Fe Rep. Reena Szczepanski, a protege of outgoing Speaker Brian Egolf who she served as Chief of Staff. But she also has prior policy savvy as a former executive director of Emerge NM, the group that for years has been successful in fielding female candidates. Progressive Szczepanski was challenged for Majority Whip by moderate ABQ Dem Rep. Day Hochman-Vigil who was first elected in 2018. Like the new whip, she is seen as a rising star for the Dems.
MLG REACT
The Governor took note of her legislative goals in congratulating the caucus winners:
I look forward to advancing our shared priorities of tackling crime, increasing affordable housing options, and ensuring equitable healthcare access for all New Mexicans. Let’s get to work.
With their relatively small presence Republicans will continue to play the role of boo birds from the sidelines but will have little say in the main game--unless they can somehow pivot to more centrist positions and rebuild their party.
Speaking of which, 75 year old Steve Pearce, target of a shower of criticism for the failure of Republicans at the polls last week, says he's ready for more punishment and will seek will seek another two year term as party chair next month. ABQ attorney Robert Aragon has announced he will also run. Santa Fe county GOP Vice-Chair Brett Kokinadis sums up the case against Pearce:
I was criticized when I called for Steve Pearce to resign in 2019. Maybe I was ahead of the curve, but it's time for a change. Republicans need leadership willing to listen and adapt to new ideas.
For his part Pearce pins the GOP debacle on "gerrymandering."
STATE OF PLAY
As we should come to expect in our blue state, the Democrats performed well. It’s just too hard for Republicans to make gains at the moment, especially with the weak organization that they have. The fact that they couldn’t save senior Rep. Jane Powdrell-Culbert or stop Dem Tara Jaramillo in a Socorro area district, says a lot, In the face of the Dems excellent House campaign effort, it’s just not a fair fight at the legislative level anymore. Dem candidates are well-funded and well-organized.
On the Governor's side, the Dems dodged a bullet. MLG’s meager 52% was the lowest re-election percentage of any NM Gov since 1994 and that’s in a state arguably bluer than any of those years and against a weak, inexperienced candidate.
She also performed worse than other Dem governors nationally from blue states like Illinois where Gov. Pritzker won 55% and Colorado’s Polis 62%. Dem leaders should really think about that as they decide their path forward.
With the election of Gabe Vasquez to the southern congressional seat we now have a rare all-D congressional delegation. Dems can learn from 2008 and 2018 that it’s tough to hold on to that. Sen. Martin Heinrich remembers those years and if he plans to run for Governor has a chance to get this delegation organized to assist him.
Vasquez should change his image from progressive rabble-rouser to champion of the working class to stay in that seat. Clearly the Dems need shoring up with working people and non-college educated voters. The Governor would be smart to set a new direction that does that especially if there’s any kind of effective reckoning by the NMGOP.
PAYNE'S PAIN
On that narrow win by Vasquez over Republican Rep. Yvette Herrell, leading pundits could not get it right. Attorney Greg Payne who analyzed the races for us this cycle predicted the Governor's race would finish with MLG winning 53 to 45 over Ronchetti. She received 51.9 and he got 45.6 with the Libertarian getting the rest. But then he called for Vasquez to lose 53-47. We ask him what happened:
Simply put, I did not study the new district closely enough. I was wedded to an analysis that put too much stock in the historically conservative nature of the district. The new district broke the mold and I missed it.
Okay, does that humility prevent Payne from being punished for his errant call with ten lashes from a wet noodle? We may have to have Rep.-elect Vasquez decide. . . Look out, Payne.
COVERAGE COMMENT
Reader Frank Aranda writes:
Joe, thank you for the superb coverage this election year and for the great KANW election night coverage- my wife and I depend on you to make sense of our state’s politica Thanks again.
Thanks for tuning in here and on the radio, Frank. And thanks to our many sources--public and private for making our task easier.
ED TINSLEY
That campaign provided many memorable blogging moments. One of them was when we wrote of the withering criticism Tinsley came under from the Dems when it was learned he had a second home in the wealthy Las Campanas community near Santa Fe. Even though he was a committed southern New Mexican with a ranch he loved and the aforementioned successful restaurant business, the damage was done.
Also memorable was when after winning the GOP nomination Tinsley replaced the word "Republican" on his campaign signs with "Conservative." Judging by last Tuesday's election results he may have been ahead of his time.
Tinsley died of cancer. He was 72.
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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2022
(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2022