***image3***Our picks for the 6.6.06 elections.
We're not superstitious, but it's hard to ignore the implications of an election that falls on the date: 6.6.06. Numerology notwithstanding, there was a certain hellish quality to this primary election season. For one, there were a lot of candidates. As is our tradition, SFR attempted to have all candidates in a given race
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come in for group endorsement interviews. Scheduling close to 30 candidates,
many of whom were traveling all over the state,
was
tricky. In the end,
all but
four
were interviewed;
of those four,
one
declined, one didn't show up and two said they were too busy.
But the truly
hellish component of this election is that it takes place in the shadow of the first trial of former state treasurer Robert Vigil. For state primary candidates, the legacy of the trial,
with
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its still-unanswered questions of corruption and malfeasance
in state government, permeated the issues of their races and accountability, integrity, ethics and reform were
recurrent themes.
This week, we provide SFR's picks and
attempt to explain the rationale behind them. The bulk
of these primary
elections are contests among Democrats, several of
whom will face Republican
challengers in November's general
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election.
Many of these races provided tough
choices for us. If the dark side of politics was on display in the
courthouse this spring, the bright side was the many qualified and enthusiastic candidates we interviewed. Whether you agree with our choices or not, participate in the process Tuesday, June 6 and vote.
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The Race:
Three Republicans say they're up to challenging US Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-NM, in the November general election. They are: State Sen. Joe Carraro, R-Bernalillo; Farmington doctor Allen McCulloch; and former Santa Fe city councilor David Pfeffer. Regardless of who wins, the November race will be a tough one. Bingaman has nearly 24 years in the Senate and close to 2 million bucks in campaign donations at last check. Overcoming this incumbent will be like when Gloria Tristani challenged US Sen. Pete Domenici, R-NM.
But, speaking of Domenici, whichever candidate does prevail in the June 6 primary will, at least, have five months or so to get their name out and prove their mettle in a general election. If Domenici decides not to run ever (he's announced he'll run in 2008), the 2006 Republican US Senate challenger could have a head start in mounting a campaign.
The Issues:
Immigration played strong in this race and all three candidates support securing and/or closing the border. Pfeffer also supports a census of illegal immigrants, although he expressly uses the term "illegal aliens." All the candidates are pro-life. All would support drilling in Otero Mesa under certain circumstances. None support pulling troops out of Iraq, although Carraro has publicly iterated views regarding the need to build greater coalitions to begin that process, as well as greater training of Iraqi troops to take over in the region.
Our Pick:
Our choice for this race is State Sen. Joe Carraro, R-Bernalillo. Although we prefer to interview all candidates for a race as a group, scheduling these statewide candidates together proved unfeasible. Carraro and Pfeffer came at different times, and McCulloch didn't show up at all. We administered our Pop Quiz series to all three and evaluated their responses in other media reports for this endorsement.
Carraro brings several strengths to this race. First, he has the most experience representing the state, in the Legislature (albeit with limited success). In the last session, Carraro introduced nearly 60 pieces of legislation-items like money for rural schools, mammogram vouchers for low-income women and money for a Martin Luther King, Jr., memorial in Bernalillo. In speaking with Carraro, we found him to be affable, talkative (that's an understatement) and relatively reasonable. Republicans would do well to have Carraro representing their interests in a general election. Pfeffer, on the other hand, sounds like an ideologue and his tenure on the City Council showed he was more interested in expressing his views than helping his city. We see no sign his candidacy for US Senate would play out any differently.
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Shirley Hooper
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The Race:
Four Democrats are vying for placement on the general election ballot. Two of them, Stephanie Gonzales and Shirley Hooper, are former secretaries of state. Mary Herrera is the Bernalillo County clerk. Letitia Montoya has run for this office before, as well as for the Legislature. Herrera, Montoya and Hooper participated in a group interview at SFR. Gonzales, due to a scheduling conflict, came in at a later date and had a separate interview. The winner of the primary will face Republican Vickie Perea in the general election.
The Issues:
Election accountability, paper ballots, a heightened role for the ethics division of the Secretary of State's Office, voter reform, such as same-day registration on Election Day and improved access to election information-all were part of this election discussion.
Our Pick:
We can't lie. We had a horrible time with this race and vacillated between Gonzales, Herrera and Hooper several times. All three are knowledgeable about the issues in this race and, we believe, all three essentially agree on the growing complexity of elections and the important need to educate and outreach to voters. In the case of Gonzales, we thought she could be a good pick as she was endorsed by voter-reform groups. We considered Mary Herrera because, as clerk for Bernalillo, she has the most current and immediate knowledge of elections and isn't afraid to criticize or speak out against popular ideas when she thinks they won't work.
But, in the end, we also thought it important to choose a Democrat who would provide the least amount of ammunition to Republicans come November, as this is a challenged race. State Republicans will clearly be looking to try to gain top-ranking offices, and those who have even been touched by scandal or questions will be the most vulnerable, with voters sick of both. In Gonzales' case, one look back only at her lieutenant governor run against Diane Denish to get a preview of what Republicans might bring up (charges of nepotism, the dismissal of an employee who accused Gonzales of improper use of office). In the case of Mary Herrera, she was an early voice against paper ballots, which will make her unpopular with some voter reform advocates, and her time at the Bernalillo Clerk's Office has hardly been problem free (Bernalillo's counting of provisional ballots in 2004 kept the state's vote hanging for nine days).
So it is Shirley Hooper, who has served both as Santa Fe County deputy clerk and secretary of state as well as county clerk in Lea. Hooper pledges to ensure implementation of the voter reforms already passed, to work for cleaning up ambiguities in the voter law and increased transparency for the public and the media.
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Tom Buckner
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The Race:
This office is currently held by Domingo Martinez, who is prevented from running for re-election due to term limits and is, instead, seeking the County Assessor's Office. Two Democrats, Jeff Armijo and Tom Buckner, are competing in the June 6 primary. The winner will face Republican Daniel Alvarez in the November general election.
The Issues:
The State Auditor's Office oversees the finances of all state agencies and contracts for the audits of those offices and oversees the audits. This office, because of the role it plays with the state's finances, has become of particular interest due to the Treasurer's Office scandal. Questions remain about whether or not the auditor's office needs improvements or more oversight in order to help protect state finances from mis-use or worse. The race also has been punctuated by attacks on Armijo's character, some of which relate to former and unpaid speeding tickets.
Our Pick:
Tom Buckner is the deputy superintendent of the State Regulation and Licensing Division. He also was the chief investigator for the AG's Medicaid fraud unit and proposes strengthening the fraud unit of the State Auditor's Office as well. He retired from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, where part of his work was investigating white-collar crime. He was chief financial officer for three commercial banks. He is, in other words, massively qualified to be state auditor. Speeding tickets aside, travel agency owner Jeff Armijo does not have this kind of financial background, not even close. And when it comes to this kind of position, we say: "show us the money background."
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Lemuel Martinez
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The Race:
Three able lawyers hope to win the primary and face Republican Jim Bibb in November. They are: former state legislator Gary King, former assistant attorney general Geno Zamora and current District Attorney for Sandoval, Cibola and Valencia Counties, Lemuel Martinez. The seat is open as AG Patricia Madrid can not run for re-election due to term limits and is, instead, challenging US Rep. Heather Wilson, R-NM, in the first congressional district.
The Issues:
The Robert Vigil trial was ongoing for much of this political season, and the allegations of scandal and misdoings permeated the AG's race. All the candidates discussed the need for greater pursuit of white-collar crime and ethics accountability at state government. DWI and drug laws, environmental issues and sexual predators also were topics of discussion.
Our Pick:
All three candidates bring smarts and experience to this race, and all three would likely make strong attorneys general. King's proposals include a law to require all sex abusers to wear GPS devices and, as a legislator, he was widely considered to have strong environmental interests, with a scientific background to boot. Geno Zamora has the charisma to not just become AG but to play AG on TV and he's proposed a public integrity commission. But Lemuel Martinez won us over with his elocution. The AG's office needs plans and proposals less than it needs a lawyer who will pursue criminals aggressively with the tools at hand. Martinez is that lawyer now. As Republicans make hay of the Democrats' state scandals come November (and they will), Democrats would be well served by a candidate who has an established record as a tough prosecutor. Martinez has recent and hands-on experience with the state's worst problems-DWI, drug crimes, violence.
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The Race:
Two Democrats, former land commissioners Jim Baca and Ray Powell, are facing off in the primary. The winner will challenge incumbent and Republican Pat Lyons, who won the seat four years ago in a bitter race against Art Trujillo and became the highest-ranking Republican in the state. Democrats hope to retake the seat.
The Issues:
The state land commissioner oversees the state's management of 9 million acres of land and 13 million oil, gas and mineral acres. The money made off these lands-approximately $473 million in the last fiscal year-benefits public institutions, such as hospitals and schools. Both Baca and Powell stress the need for better stewardship and pursual of renewable resources.
Our Pick:
This is a tough call. Both Powell and Baca are former land commissioners who served well and know the office, the issues and the state. Both provide hearty challenges to the current administration and intelligent criticism of Lyons' tenure. This is a race in which partisanship gives way to very real differences in party philosophies. The Republican administration, at the federal level, has been widely criticized for its environmental policies, and those policies don't trickle, they deluge, state practices as well-whether it's laws regarding drilling or endangered species.
Powell, a veterinarian, was elected twice to the office, and he always served professionally and with concern for both maximizing revenues and preservation. Nonetheless, our choice is Jim Baca. Following two terms as land commissioner, Baca was the director of the Bureau of Land Management under President Clinton. From there he was elected mayor of Albuquerque. He retired, this year, as a state natural resource trustee. We think Baca's experience at dealing with land issues on both a state and federal level will serve him well as he pits his credentials against the incumbent. Further, we don't use the word "pit" lightly. Baca is an environmental advocate who has what we believe will be the necessary aggressiveness to mount what will be a difficult general election race. Baca brings substantive and progressive plans for the office, including proposed constitutional amendments that would allow the public a voice on the future uses of state lands. He also will advocate for more funds to be spent in the field, where they are needed, to assess riparian and watershed needs.
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Ouida MacGregor
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The Race:
To discuss the race for Santa Fe's legislative seat requires a short trip down memory lane. Incumbent Luciano "Lucky" Varela announced, last November, that he would run for state treasurer to try to restore confidence in that office. In March, to the surprise of many, he announced he'd changed his mind and would run for re-election to the Legislature. Of the four potential candidates for what was thought to be an open seat, two subsequently dropped out. MacGregor, a former city councilor and now active volunteer, and CPA Andrew Perkins, treasurer for the Santa Fe County Democratic Party, remained. There is no Republican challenger in this race.
The Issues:
All three candidates participated in a lively group endorsement interview that, at times, was as much an open debate as it was a question-and-answer session. Topics ranged from the minimum wage to water to immigration to campaign finance and ethics reform. And we talked about the pros and cons of term limits.
Our Pick:
This race provided an interesting view into the power of incumbency. It's likely, had Varela not initially announced he would not run for re-election, that he would have been unopposed. None of the other legislators from Santa Fe drew a challenger and Varela usually does not. He's served the district for 20 years and, if we had to bet (not that we gamble), we think he'll probably be re-elected again. As a general rule, Varela is a good legislator for Santa Fe. As chairman of the legislative finance committee, he is in a powerful position at the capitol and he carries a lot of legislation for the area. But the discourse and energy of this race was, by far, the best of all the races we saw. Both Perkins and MacGregor are fired up. They are both smart, they have new ideas, they have new energy and, had they not seen a window of opportunity, they might not have run and that would have been everyone's loss. It's good to have choices.
Furthermore, no matter what Varela says his reasons were for deciding to run for re-election, for nearly six months he was ready to run for a different office. We think that shows he was ready to move on. And we remain uncomfortable with the reports of now-ousted insurance superintendent Eric Serna's fundraising party for Varela, even if Varela did return the money.
As for Perkins, we appreciate his smarts and candor, and hope to see him again in future races.
But MacGregor's campaign has been the best executed and she has extensive materials outlining her positions on everything from smart growth to schools to health care. She is a promoter and practitioner of water conservation, a veritable encyclopedia on the problems in public education and an unwavering advocate of universal healthcare. We believe her smarts and practicality will make her as effective in the Legislature as she was on the City Council.
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The Race:
Three judge hopefuls want to take the Magistrate Seat, Division 1, vacated by Bill Dimas, who will retire at the end of June. They are: retired Santa Fe police officer David Segura, political consultant Eli Senna and former Santa Fe County manager Roman Garcia, Jr. The winner in June will face Republican Margaret Garduño in November. In between that time, it remains to be seen if Gov. Bill Richardson will appoint the June primary winner to finish Dimas' term or one of the applicants who have applied for the job (the governor can fill vacant magistrate positions) to hold the job for several months. (Eli Senna is the only candidate who also has applied for the appointment.) All three are running for office for the first time.
The Issues:
What would a magistrate election be without a discussion of whether or not magistrate judges should have law degrees? All the candidates believe the court should remain a "people's court." Discussion of improvements to the court-extended hours, for example-along with a general consensus that DWI needs to be a priority at the Mag Court level punctuated this race.
Our Pick:
While all the candidates seem to have a decent understanding of the post, we believe former retired Santa Fe Police Department captain Segura brings the right temperament and experience to the job. He has first-hand knowledge of the crimes and scenarios that land citizens in Mag Court, but also says his understanding of the law enforcement side of the job will make him that much tougher on the police who bring these cases. Garcia also seems to have good intentions for the job, but Segura's knowledge of the arena stood out. As for Senna, although he had the information about this post, we were concerned that he did not appear to understand the potential problems of having someone who has worked on political campaigns, a "political operative," as he calls himself, in a judicial position. There have been more than enough problems with the local judiciary without looking for them.
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Greg Solano
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The Race:
Incumbent Greg Solano is finishing his first term and seeking re-election. Sgt. Linda Ortiz, also of the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Department, is challenging him in the June primary. There is no Republican on the general election ballot.
The Issues:
The county jail, which returned to county management last fall, was a topic of discussion. Solano, who advocated the move during his last campaign, maintains the county is improving conditions at the jail and says having it under local control is the right thing to do. Ortiz initially made public statements that she favored privatization, but the Journal Santa Fe subsequently reported Ortiz was rethinking that position. Ortiz, in her campaign, cited low morale at the Sheriff's Department as one reason for her run. Solano points to the increased salaries for his deputies and lack of vacancies as a rebuttal. The campaigns also have discussed DWI laws and other crimes in the area.
Our Pick:
We profiled Solano, both his life and first term, in a cover story in May. That story also included a section about Ortiz' challenge and contentions regarding Solano's tenure. Following that story, Ortiz declined to come in for an endorsement interview, which made it challenging to evaluate her for the office she seeks. It also was disconcerting. The media-and hopefully the public-should be wary of public officials, or public official hopefuls, who respond to articles they don't like with silence. It never bodes well. Solano, on the other hand, is likely one of the most accessible public officials in recent history. He keeps an online blog, is outspoken, returns all calls promptly, provides police reports quickly and without argument. He has been an active sheriff, pushing for not just public control of the jail, but DWI forfeiture laws. He writes grants to acquire technology for his department; initiated a project for counseling for his officers to address their jobs. He's willing to speak out, even when his views aren't popular, and even deputies who supported his opponents in the previous election say he's doing a good job. Universally popular? No. Deserving of a second term? No question.
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The Race:
Current Santa Fe County Chief Deputy Assessor Brian Baca, State Auditor Domingo Martinez and Robert Quintana are running for this post. They are unchallenged in the general election. Baca and Martinez came to SFR for a joint interview. Quintana, who was fired from his job as a field auditor for Santa Fe County several years ago, declined, citing a lack of time.
The Issues:
The Assessor's Office is a fairly nuts and bolts affair. The office appraises the value of properties in the county, sends out tax bills and prepares the county property tax roll. As with many of the races this season, this one was touched by the Robert Vigil trial. One of the witnesses in that case, Leo Sandoval, worked in the County Assessor's Office (he resigned). Martinez, in his role as state auditor, sounded alarms in the late 1990s over irregularities in the State Treasurer's Office and was sued by Vigil (the case was dismissed). We also discussed the need to have a complete inventory of properties in the county, new technologies to help serve taxpayers and equitable assessments. We also discussed the rising value of properties in Santa Fe.
Our Pick:
This was a close call. Both Baca and Martinez are knowledgeable and would, we believe, make strong county assessors. We choose Martinez because he has already proven his competence and integrity in one of the state's top posts.
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The Race:
Former City of Santa Fe attorney Mark Basham; Jacob "Jackie" Block; former County Probate judge Lily Gonzales (she served for 12 years); and private security employee Joe "Lightning" Montoya are four Dems contending for this race. There is no Republican, so winner takes all. This office is open as the previous Probate judge, Ann Yalman, was named to replace Fran Gallegos as Municipal judge.
The Issues:
It's Probate Court. The judge ushers through uncontested probates and marries people. Our three-way interview (Montoya said he was unavailable to come in for an interview and also did not respond to our Pop Quiz request, although he did submit his biography for our consideration) focused on the need for Probate judges to be accessible and comfortable with people.
Our Pick:
Although the opportunity for political gain in the Probate judge position is negligible, we still worried this race back and forth. When it came to knowledge about the ins and outs of probate, both Basham and Block were clearly the most qualified. Basham, in addition to being a former city attorney, also helped represent Wal-Mart and we wondered to ourselves if this should matter in our consideration of the race (we decided it shouldn't). Block is from a prominent political family (Jerome Block is his brother; his father is the former mayor of Española) and we wondered if that mattered (political politicians, what will they come up with next?)
We ultimately decided Block brought the right combination of credentials and smarts for the job. His work with the Senior Olympics, the State Agency on Aging, the New Mexico Senior Coalition and other groups make him a good choice to work with people finding their way through the probate and, often, grieving process.
Santa Fe Reporter