Democrats rule election night.
Democrats had to fight for their right to party. But once the dust had (mostly) settled, party they did. By the end of election night, New Mexico Democrats had swept most of the major statewide races while national Dems had seized control of the House with the Senate still hanging in the balance.
But, in Albuquerque on election night, the atmosphere of the party came down to the Party that
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was throwing it.
The state Republican Party was entombed in the Marriott Pyramid for a somber affair that felt more like a wake than a celebration. Candidates, with their families and supporters in tow, mingled quietly in a small ballroom filled with "Viva Heather!" and "Vickie Perea for Secretary of State" signs as the results began to filter in.
Shortly after the polls closed, journalists nearly outnumbered GOP partisans at the Marriott. Small groups sat quietly at banquet tables and sipped Corona while
Dancing with the Stars
played on a large video screen and Michael Jackson's "Rock All Night" played softly in the background. But despite the foreboding atmosphere, candidates like attorney general hopeful Jim Bibb did their best to stay upbeat.
"I feel excellent," Bibb said. "I feel like we left everything [on the field]. At this point, we're just waiting."
He wasn't alone. State auditor candidate Lorenzo Garcia strode smiling into the room to shake hands and conduct interviews with the Eyewitness 4, Action 7 and KRQE 13 television
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crews on hand; at that point, his race with Hector Balderas was still undecided.
"I've been getting a lot of Democratic support in this race," Garcia said. "I know a lot of people in this state-my friends and family are virtually all Democrats-and it doesn't bother them that I've crossed over. They're still going to vote for me."
A beaming Pat Lyons, proudly sporting his trademark Undisputed Land Commissioner of the World belt buckle, swaggered around the hotel, eager to chat with reporters and supporters.
"I'm feeling pretty good," Lyons said. "The polls have me ahead. We were really able to connect to the grassroots in this campaign and to the rural roots too. We're connected to the land, always have been."
Lyons was about the only Republican candidate with reason to smile. He was on his way to defeating Democratic challenger Jim Baca and maintaining his lonely post as the only Republican in a power position within state government.
Gov. Bill Richardson's victory was already a foregone conclusion by the time Republican gubernatorial candidate John Dendahl strode into the ballroom as Brooks and Dunn's "Boot
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Scoot Boogie" warbled from the speakers. The GOP faithful remained hopeful with several statewide races neck and neck more than an hour after the polls closed.
But the tide was already turning. It was sweeping across town to the Hotel Albuquerque, where hundreds (if not thousands) of giddy Democrats filled the hallways, lobbies and conference rooms of the hotel. On first glance, there appeared to be more Democratic supporters waiting for the elevator than the total attendance back at the Marriott.
The mood was electric as Dems laughed, hugged and hooted in the hotel's cavernous ballroom. They had reason to celebrate, as state party chairman and election night emcee Jon Wertheim predicted that Democrats were well on their way to a historic showing.
"Everything looks good right now," Wertheim told SFR. "The turnout looks good. We're feeling pretty upbeat about all of the races right now."
Virtually every major state Democratic politician and prominent benefactor was present, along with droves of friends, family members and supporters. And, one by one, statewide races were being called in the Democrats' favor. One of the victors, US Rep. Tom Udall (D-NM) took to the stage and whipped the crowd into a frenzy with a rousing victory speech after handily defeating Republican challenger Ron Dolin.
"I love my district! I love my constituents!" Udall gushed. "I'm so excited to return to Washington to fight for you!"
Udall then announced his ambitious plans to tackle everything from raising the minimum wage, funding
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stem cell research and expanding prescription drug coverage to buttressing student loan programs, adopting 9.11 Commission recommendations and "dismantling" the influence of lobbyists over legislators.
"What do you think of that agenda?!" Udall shouted.
The crowd went wild.
"We Are Family" played in the background (for the first of what seemed like 1,247 spins of the night) as the results came down in favor of Democrats like Gary King (attorney general), Hector Balderas (state auditor), James Lewis (state treasurer) and Mary Herrera (secretary of state).
The atmosphere took a turn toward Mardi Gras as word shot through the crowd that Democrats had seized control of the US House of Representatives with the Senate a couple of slots away.
"I'm very excited about getting the Democrats back," state Rep. Ben Lujan (D-Santa Fe) told SFR. "This has been a great night."
Gov. Richardson-looking healthy and surrounded by an abnormally large security detail-put the cherry on top when he took the stage amid thunderous applause.
"Thank you, New Mexico!" Thank you, Democrats!" Richardson yelled hoarsely. "The voice of New Mexico has spoken: We need to take our country back!"
As Richardson delivered enthusiastic congratulations to the candidates, supporters, staff, friends, family members and everyone else short of the chef who made the roast beef sandwiches for the party, members of the crowd murmured about the prospect that Richardson would seize the moment to announce his candidacy for president. He didn't. But he did leave the stage with a playful "The best is yet to come."
But as the night went on and the crowd slowly dwindled, the best was still undecided. Those who remained
were still waiting for the final feather in the cap, a Congressional
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victory by Patricia Madrid over Republican incumbent Heather Wilson in the state's most contentious race.
Madrid finally made an appearance even as it became clear no victor would be announced for hours, if not days. The crowd shouted, "Patsy! Patsy! Patsy!" for a solid two minutes before Madrid grasped the microphone.
"I'm very proud to call my supporters 'rowdy,'" Madrid quipped. "A great thing has happened in our country tonight. I know the hour is late, but we're cautiously optimistic. We have not been behind once tonight, and I'm hoping it stays that way."
Even as Madrid thanked her supporters, her lead had begun to slip into a deficit (as of Wednesday morning, Wilson was hanging on to a 1,000-vote lead). But as the clock struck midnight, the ballroom was filled with the theme music for the epic Democratic victory:
"We Are the Champions."
