WINNERS
Rebecca Vigil-Giron
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The state's former secretary of state must be breathing a sigh of relief. About two weeks ago, the inspector general for the US Election Assistance Commission yanked
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the federal auditors who had been pouring through the office's
records, attempting to determine
if $19.3 million in federal dollars were spent properly under Vigil-Giron's watch. Current Secretary of State Mary Herrera says she wants the audit to continue (to bolster her contention that the office is underfunded) and, oddly enough, so does Vigil-Giron. According to the feds, she'll get her wish in a few months.
Len Montoya
In the race to lead Santa Fe's most influential union, Len Montoya has come out firing against Robert Chavez, his predecessor as president of AFSCME local 3999. Montoya accuses Mayor David Coss of interfering in the union president's election by helping Chavez secure a new city job without any managerial duties, making him eligible for the race. The circumstantial evidence seems to be on Montoya's side. But since Coss is out of the country, he's unable to defend himself.
Brian Egolf
While the Democratic primary election is more than a year away, Santa Fe water lawyer Brian Egolf is already doing well in the all-important preprimary. That is, the race for campaign cash and early challenger positioning against incumbent state Sen. John Grubesic, D-Santa Fe. Said incumbent is looking weak, especially given a spate of run-ins with the police over the course of his first term, and Egolf is looking strong with $50,000 already in the bank compared to Grubesic's paltry $1,000.
LOSERS
Jeff Armijo
Jeff Armijo was once viewed as a Democratic up-and-comer. Now he finds himself accused of a crime. Last week, the former Democratic nominee for state auditor (who dropped out of his race amid scandalous rumors) was charged with false imprisonment and battery. Armijo is specifically accused by a 21-year-old former campaign volunteer of sexual advances, including unwanted touching, even holding the young woman to the floor against her will. Another woman filed a 2003 police report against Armijo alleging similar harassment, but Armijo wasn't charged in that case.
US Sen. Pete Domenici, R-NM
Pete Domenici has represented New Mexico in the US Senate longer than he can probably remember. Rumor mill to the contrary, Domenici is hobbling toward another six-year term. But make no mistake, the state's 75-year-old senior senator is vulnerable. Chief among his problems is the fallout from his infamous call to former US Attorney David Iglesias. Question is, who will tell that story in 30-second increments next year? No well-known Dem has stepped forward even though Domenici's approval rating slipped to 54 percent in the mid-April Survey USA phone poll.
Michelle Lujan Grisham
The ex-secretary of health under Gov. Richardson says the decision to leave was hers. So does the Guv's spokesman. She further says that she's leaving the department, not quite three years into the job, so that she can explore running for higher office, possibly a run for Congress. But why explore without the comfort of a paying job? While many laud Lujan Grisham for her efforts in state government, many others don't. Time will tell if her relationship with the powerful governor remains as strong as she says it is.
