***image2***New Mexico Democrats prevailed in 2006 despite scandals.
All that remains of Jeff Armijo's bid to become state auditor is a short treatise (attributed to William Hershey Davis) on his campaign Web site titled "The Difference Between Character and Reputation."
The circumstances amid which you live determine your reputation; the truth you believe determines your character. Reputation is what you are supposed to be; character is what you are…
The screed was a last retort from Armijo-who bowed out of the auditor's race in September amid sexual misconduct allegations-but it could just as well serve as an unofficial motto for the New Mexico Democratic Party in 2006.
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The reputation-if not the character-of the state's ruling party was repeatedly called into
question throughout the year as scandals rocked Democratic politicians while putting party leaders firmly on the defensive.
Armijo was just the latest state Democrat to fall on his sword.
Veteran state legislator Manny Aragon stepped down as president of New Mexico Highlands University in July amid charges he discriminated against non-Hispanic employees (former College of Santa Fe president James Fries was announced as his replacement on Dec. 16).
Eric Serna retired as state Insurance Division superintendent in June and resigned from the Con Alma Health Foundation's board of trustees in April over allegations that he improperly issued state contracts in exchange for contributions to Con Alma.
Robert Vigil, the former state treasurer, went on trial (twice) for allegedly steering state business to companies in exchange for kickbacks. The first jury deadlocked but the second acquitted Vigil of 23 racketeering and extortion charges in September. Vigil awaits sentencing for one attempted extortion conviction.
Several state politicians returned campaign contributions from Guy Riordan-a prominent Democratic lobbyist and benefactor-after Riordan was named in court documents related to the Vigil scandal. Riordan also helped handle finances for Con Alma as a broker with Wachovia Securities [Outtakes, April 26: "
"].
The scandals provoked state Republicans to start a blog, New Mexico for Sale, earlier this year.
"I think 70-plus years of one-party rule has been a disaster," Jonah Cohen, communications director for the state GOP, says. "The fact that political corruption flourishes so regularly in our state tells me that there needs to be some structural changes in our political system."
But the Democrats have fought to retain their power. When Armijo initially refused to step down as the Democratic
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candidate, Gov. Bill Richardson leaned on him and eventually state Rep. Hector Balderas, D-Wagon Mound, replaced him on the ballot and won the race.
"The unexpected positive consequence of something like the whole Jeff Armijo drama is that we got an exemplary candidate in Hector Balderas," Matt Farrauto, executive director of the New Mexico Democratic Party, says.
"Although we've sadly found some scandal in our ranks, I think we're leading the way in demanding more accountability and a higher caliber of both candidates and public servants."
But a backlash has already begun within the party. State Rep. Ken Martinez, D-Grants, challenged state Rep. Ben Lujan, D-Santa Fe, for Speaker of the House, but Lujan retained his position in a Dec. 18 vote. Still, state Sen. John Grubesic, D-Santa Fe says such challenges are valuable. "You need to shake things up once in a while, and the status quo has been in place in our state for too long."
Easier said than done, as the outspoken Grubesic should know. Santa Fe lawyer Brian Egolf, Jr.-a past campaign contributor to Richardson-has already announced his plans to run for Grubesic's seat in 2008. And, even as the old guard of New Mexico politics is being challenged, the state's most powerful politicians have thus far proven impervious to the scandals.
Many of the disgraced politicos have ties to Richardson [Cover story, May 24: "
"], but the governor has stayed above the fray. Likewise, Democrats swept nearly all the power positions in state government during the November election. Whitney Cheshire, an Albuquerque political consultant and author of the conservative blog Wednesday Morning Quarterback, fears the election results will only maintain the status quo.
"Until the voters of New Mexico start holding these career politicians accountable, I don't think we're going to see any changes in the headlines," Cheshire says.
