The Alligators are stirring in the Four Corners. 

Those insider sources of ours are sounding an alert for the GOP primary contest featuring state House Minority Leader Rod Montoya and educator and political upstart Keith Neil. 

This is a David and Goliath narrative with Montoya, first elected in 2014, counting $52,000 in cash on hand for the final weeks of the primary and Neil, dean of students for Navajo Prep School in Farmington, with only $2,300.

The ouster of Montoya, a real estate broker, would have statewide implications since it would mean the House Republicans--greatly outnumbered by the Dems--would have to pick a new leader.  

Neil is getting third party dark money support, says Montoya, who cites a push poll that attacks him for allegedly voting to raise taxes, supporting critical race theory and giving himself a pay raise all of which Montoya says he voted against. 

Montoya is known for his hard-right tactics and Neil, a Four Corners native like Montoya, is talking up a milder approach, although he stands by a "pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, pro-police" platform:

I believe to get anything done you have to work with people who think different than you. It takes commonsense to be able to find the things that we have in common, the things that we do have that are different and finding that middle ground that we can agree that this is what moves us forward despite where it comes from.

A kinder, gentler tone was taken when another Four Corners lawmaker--GOP Rep. Ryan Lane--was called on to be the House GOP leader following the resignations of then-Minority Whip Montoya and Leader Jim Townsend. But he was in over his head and Montoya was returned to leadership last month after Lane resigned. 

Big oil is by far Montoya's biggest financial patron with the legendary Yates oil family in the forefront.  

Neil's largest contribution of $5,500 came from moderate GOP Rio Rancho State Rep. Jason Harper who was ousted from his House leadership post by Montoya and company. Harper is not seeking re-election this year. 

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW?

Rep. Montoya

Neil is young, educated and articulate. Montoya, 57, is well-spoken and a known quantity in the Farmington area and with the GOP establishment. The question is are rank and file GOP voters tired of Montoya and his style and ready for something new. Neil supporters say they are and his campaign is "gaining traction."

If Neil beats Montoya in the primary he will be going to Santa Fe in this all R all the time district and open the doors yet again for another leadership change in the topsy-turvy world of state Republicans.

It's a race that will be at the top of our list when we gather of public radio KANW-FM on June 4 for our traditional wall-to-wall Election Night coverage. 

ELECTION SHOCK

Speaking of election night ABQ Dem state Rep. Joy Garratt will be at the table to assist in analysis of the  results and it looks like she wants to get an early start.

Garratt, like many Dems, is upset with The New Mexico Project, the new political committee working to elect moderate Dems this cycle. She comes to the defense of one of them that the Project says should be retired early: 

I was shocked to see that this project is not supporting Rep. Yanira Gurrola. Rep. Gurrola is a moderate Hispanic Democrat. . . Rep. Gurrola, an immigrant, is a trained engineer who worked for several years in the maquiladoras (large factories) on the border of New Mexico and Mexico. As such, she is deeply familiar with border issues, crossings and economic development and cooperation. She transitioned to teaching in Albuquerque. As a teacher for more than 15 years with APS, she specialized in math and bilingual education at the middle school level, becoming a nationally recognized expert in both. In the Legislature she has been a major advocate for STEM education, equity, and health among many other issues. When unnamed individuals and groups sponsor organizations and websites I question their integrity and motivations, particularly when their support ignores the tremendous qualifications and expertise of people like Rep. Gurrola. 

Gurrola is viewed as the progressive in the District 16 Dem primary race. Her opponent, Marsella Duarte, who the NM Project supports, is viewed as the moderate in the district that covers NW ABQ .

Gurrola is running for the first time. She was appointed to the seat to fill the vacancy created when Rep. Moe Maestas was named to the state Senate. 

No R's need apply. This one is all D all the time although Republican Leland Bohannon is a candidate and we wish him well.

THE PROGRESSIVE MAYORS

The state's top progressive mayors find themselves under increasing attack.

In ABQ the City Council is trying to lower to 40 percent the number of votes needed to win a mayoral election, a proposal that would have to be approved by voters and that could hamper Mayor Keller's effort to win a third term next year.

In Santa Fe, there is also a mayoral election next year. Mayor Alan Webber is not running but his progressive brand of politics has soured a segment of voters. 

This ad attack on the two term Mayor ran in the newspaper. Chances of recalling Webber are slim to none but the dissent sets the stage for next year's election when Santa Fe progressives could be staring down a formidable middle of the road Democrat (or Democrats)--yet o be determined. 

This is the Home of New Mexico Politics.