For the Nov. 7 New Mexico general election, SFR will call up candidates to test their knowledge. The rules for Pop Quiz are as follows: No research allowed and if they call back later with the right answer, too bad. To see who answered correctly (or came closest), check out our answer key below.
Questions:
1. Name the New Mexico-based energy company that holds more oil and gas leases than any other company in the Western United States.
2. Aside from public schools, what institution was the single largest beneficiary of Land Grant Permanent Fund distributions during the 2005 fiscal year?
3. New Mexico is the country's leading producer of what mineral, and what is that mineral primarily used for?
4. Who was the first Commissioner of Public Lands in New Mexico?
5. Which of the following threatened or endangered New Mexico species would you associate with your opponent-the Rio Grande silvery minnow, the Mexican gray wolf or the New Mexican ridge-nosed rattlesnake?
6. How often do you read your opponent's blog and what praise or criticism can you offer?
7. What, if any, problems do you see with a candidate for Land Commissioner accepting campaign donations from companies that do business with the State Land Office?
8. What role do you see renewable energy playing in New Mexico's future?
Answers:
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Jim Baca (Democrat), 61, is a State Natural Resource Trustee and former state land commissioner.
1. That would be the Yates Company.
2. The New Mexico Military Institute.
3. I believe it's potash and it's used for fertilizer.
4. I think it was Justiniano Baca but I don't know.
5. Probably the silvery minnow. He has to wiggle around a lot.
6. I've read it a couple of times, but the last time I read it he hadn't done an entry since last August. Blogs aren't any good unless you put something on them just about every day.
7. The problem is that they lose their independence. They always feel pressure to return something for what they got. It's very hard to remain independent in a situation like that.
8. I think it'll have a major role. [Alternative energy] will have to replace revenues from oil and gas at some point 20 to 30 years down the road. If we don't set up an alternative energy division to ride that wave now, we're going to miss out on it.
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Patrick Lyons (Republican), 52, is the New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands.
1. Yates Petroleum. No, let's see…based in New Mexico? Yeah, that's it.
2. The New Mexico Military Institute.
3. Potash, and it's used for fertilizer.
4. Alfred Keen.
5. The snake.
6. I don't do Internet very much so I've never looked at it. The second answer is he's pretty good about doing a blog. I'm too busy working two jobs, taking care of the family and being outside to sit around looking at a computer screen.
7. I don't see any problem with that. It has to be instilled in you whether you're going to be credible, up-front and honest. It's the kind of person you are, not who gives you contributions.
8. I see it playing a huge role in New Mexico's future. We're the first Commissioner's Office to do wind energy, solar…biomass, and we want to see these things increase tenfold. It not only creates good, clean energy but it also creates economic development, and we really need the jobs bad out there.
SFR Key
1. The Yates Petroleum/Harvey E Yates Company (based in Artesia) holds more oil and gas leases than any other company in the West.
2. Apart from public schools, the New Mexico Military Institute received the largest amount ($15.8 million) of Land Grant Permanent Fund distributions during the 2005 fiscal year.
3. New Mexico is the nation's leading producer of potash, which is primarily used for fertilizer and the manufacture of glass and soap.
4. Alpheus A Keen was appointed the first territorial Commissioner of Public Lands in 1899, 13 years before New Mexico became a state. The first commissioner after statehood was Robert Ervien.
