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| Sen. Moe Maestas |
But Maestas is a political pro and observers think it will take a strong Hispanic opponent to stop him from getting elected to the seat.
The district is solid D so the only action will be in the Dem primary.
The crazy-making continues at the NMGOP as it continues to reel from the election results and argue over who will chair the party following their poor performance. Republicans will grimace when they read this missive form the state party and Dems will roar with glee:
The email, sent to hundreds of people affiliated with the Republican Party of New Mexico, launched unjustified attacks on Pearce and Skaggs. This was simply a cowardly smear campaign, a weak, juvenile effort to undermine Pearce, Skaggs and the RPNM.
It is possible that this bogus email came from a disgruntled party officer with personal political aspirations in mind. RPNM’s State Central Committee members will elect their next Chairman and officers in Las Cruces next month.
Ronchetti's claim in his concession speech that "This campaign was a grassroots movement..." is laughable considering the big outside money that was poured into the campaign. Unfortunately, the Dems cannot claim the "grassroots" label either. It seems like an issue that both sides should get together on.
Maestas angled for the appointment since Candelaria let it be known last year that he was going to resign the District 26 seat. When Candelaria resigned in October progressive opponents of Maestas immediately accused him of engineering a movida with Candelaria to steamroll the appointment before two new progressive commissioners elected this month could be seated January 1.
Movida or not, Maestas had his ducks in a row. Dem Commissioners Quezada, Pyskoty and Republican Walt Benson sided with Maestas and progressive commissioners Barboa and O'Malley opposed.
It was a somewhat nasty meeting with the commissioners bickering and questioning each other's motives. The animosity over the appointment went public earlier following another commission meeting where Commissioner O’Malley called Pyskoty a bitch.
Eight people applied for the post.
The main attack on Maestas, who has been in the House since 2007, was over his wife, Vanessa Alarid, and her role as a major business lobbyist with clients that include the Santolina land development company that has proposed a giant controversial development on the county's westside.
O'Malley tried to disqualify Pyskoty from voting because she had received a $5,000 contribution from Alarid but Pyskoty dismissed the ethics accusation, pointing out that the money was not given to her by Maestas. She also noted that Commission Chair Barboa is a lobbyist. (She lobbies for a nonprofit). A hearing on O'Malley's ethics complaint will be heard in December.
A progressive Maestas foe reacted:
Pyskoty refused to recuse herself from the appointment vote, further imperiling her ethics situation. The County Code is clear--Commissioners must recuse themselves when any person within the third degree of relations has any substantial interest in her vote. As Charlene's largest donor, Vanessa Alarid is a first degree relation to Charlene and Vanessa has a substantial interest in seeing her husband appointed to the State Senate.
Maestas took note of the rancor over his appointment following the affirmative vote:
It’s a great victory for the West Side, a great victory for a Hispanic-majority district. It’s unfortunate that personal hatred and animosity came into play. The community deserves better.
The 54 year old has a long track record in political and public service and was instrumental in winning voter approval of a constitutional amendment last week that creates a revenue stream for early childhood education from the state’s Land Grant Permanent Fund.
Lobbyists married to state lawmakers has been a touchy issue. Last Saturday Las Cruces state Rep. Doreen Gallegos, wife of prominent lobbyist Scott Scanland, tried for the position of majority floor leader at the House Dem caucus. She was rebuked, in part, observers say, because of her spouse's lobbyist status.
Maestas has time to establish himself in the seat and is already well-known because his House district overlaps the senate district, even though he moved into the senate district only this past year.
The Maestas Movida was masterfully done Tuesday evening but it will be another Tuesday evening in June 2024 when he will have to cement the deal with the people of the district.
The bickering commission is not through with all of this. They now have to fill Maestas' vacant House seat.
THE SABOTEUR!
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| Chair Pearce |
SABOTEUR SEEKING TO OUST RPNM CHAIRMAN AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SENT EMAIL UNDER FAKE NAME
. . . A member of the Republican Party circulated a bogus email in an effort to boot Chairman Steve Pearce and Executive Director Kim Skaggs from their offices.
It’s dismaying that two major New Mexico newspapers reported on this phony email without any verification. The media has the responsibility to check and confirm facts and at least try to contact the author of such a message before publishing.
RPNM has combed through records, voter rolls and has checked numerous sources, but there is no record anywhere of a James Navarette. So bogus was this message that the author even misspelled the phony name at the bottom of the email—Navarrette.
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| Robert Aragon |
“Hiding behind such a fake email and criticizing the RPNM Executive Director, who has donated an entire year of her time to the party, is a despicable act,” said Pearce. “It’s dishonest, seedy and shows a nadir of character. I can accept fair criticism, but this sneaky tactic of an email under a pseudonym is about as cowardly and low as you can get.
RPNM has built a good management team of elected officers, is building solid county infrastructure in many counties and is set to appear in front of the New Mexico Supreme Court in January to argue the case against the egregious gerrymandering that (House) Speaker Brian Egolf and the progressive Democrats passed through the last legislative session. It is my intent to run again for Chairman of RPNM to continue to build the party.”
ABQ attorney Robert Aragon of the anti-Pearce faction of the GOP led by former Gov. Susana Martinez and consultant Jay McCleskey has announced he will challenge Pearce for the party chairmanship at the Dec. 3 meeting where the GOP will choose new officers. There could be more challengers.
Meanwhile the "Saboteur" remains at large. If you have any idea where they are, please call 505-242-COPS.
MORE ELECTION REACT
Reader Kelley Vigil weighs in with this:
As long as the GOP is a threat to women’s rights, climate, LGBQ rights and puts social security, medicare and democracy in peril, I will vote for the MLG’s who are running. Even if I have to hold my nose.
As usual, great coverage this election this year. What would we do without you?!
And this from an Alligator on the future of defeated TV weather forecaster Mark Ronchetti
First, a clarion call with trumpets & rolling drums. . . Cue announcer:
And, now, with the news, it's Kari Lake, featuring tomorrow’s weather with Mark Ronchetti and special political analysis from veteran anchorman Dick Knipfing.
Reader Mike Connealy says:
Ronchetti's claim in his concession speech that "This campaign was a grassroots movement..." is laughable considering the big outside money that was poured into the campaign. Unfortunately, the Dems cannot claim the "grassroots" label either. It seems like an issue that both sides should get together on.
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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2022
(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2022