In a break with tradition, Senate Democrats will caucus this Sunday to choose their leaders for the next two years. Usually, the meeting is held following the November general election, but not this time. 

Democrats outnumber Republicans 26-16. All 70 House members are up for election in November but the 42 senators don't face the electorate again until 2028.

Whether the early caucus gives any leadership candidate an edge is up for debate, but selecting leadership over three months before the 60 day legislative session begins will give the new team time to organize committee assignments and prepare for budget negotiations well ahead of the session.

R BACKS D

Jahnelle Garcia

In the emotionally charged District 27 House race in the far ABQ NE Heights, the loser of the Republican primary, Bob Godshall, is predicting that Jahnelle Garcia, the primary winner, will lose the race to Democratic nominee Abby Foster:

Garcia narrowly defeated her challenger, Robert “Bob” Godshall, by fewer than 100 votes in a race where 2,251 were cast. Godshall questioned Garcia about her residency status and financial reports during a recent ward meeting. “I hate doing anything that helps Abby Foster win. I think she’s a disaster, but she’s probably gonna win anyway.”

District 27 has been represented by conservative Dem Rep. Marian Matthews, but she was defeated by progressive Foster in the primary. 

Republican nominee Garcia, a nurse practitioner who has founded two healthcare companies, is having trouble shaking a controversy over her residency status. She has raised $216,000 but half of it was from herself. 

Foster has raised $95,000 with $12,400 coming from family members. Trial attorney Lisa Curtis, who is running against Republican Nicole Chavez in House District 31, donated $5,000.

Foster is emphasizing healthcare access, affordable housing and child-well being in her campaign. Garcia is concentrating on healthcare costs and support for small businesses.  

Rep. Matthews is leaving the seat embittered over the campaign Foster ran against her and has endorsed Republican Garcia. The seat has been held by Matthews since 2020 and is a lean Dem district. 

TWISTING THE PRETZEL

Reader Deborah Gray strongly disagrees with our Monday analysis of the outcome of the debate over debates in the gubernatorial race:

The politician pretzel you twisted puts an argument forward that Haaland's "strategy" of avoiding a debate is somehow a strength and a positive quality. So sad that leadership in government is portrayed as a game of "outmaneuvering" the electorate. Avoidance and the dereliction of duties and responsibilities hardly reflect leadership, and it certainly does not demonstrate composure under pressure. More accurately, Haaland's conduct demonstrates an inability to deal with even the slightest pushback and pressure.

Haaland's campaign reveals a sense of entitlement that is toxic. It is pathetic that a viable candidate for governor would hide from debating her opponent, another viable candidate. As long as the DPNM behaves this way, it will continue to lose credibility and support. I'll skip the pretzel and stick with integrity.

Join me at 5 p.m. today on KKOB radio with TJ Trout and we'll see you back here tomorrow with more from the campaign trail. 

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