There are 5 candidates who have announced that they are seeking the Republican nomination for Governor in 2022. Those candidates in the order of their announcements are:

SANDOVAL COUNTY COMMISSIONER JAY BLOCK

On April 18, 2021 Sandoval County Commissioner Jay Block announced he is running for the Republican nomination for Governor. Block, a retired lieutenant colonel who spent 21 years the Air Force and moved to Rio Rancho in 2015.

Block has fully aligned himself with former President Donald Trump. In his announcement he said he is in favor of defunding abortion services and restoring qualified immunity for police officers.

In his announcement video Block said:

“This is a movement of shared values. … It’s time Michelle Lujan Grisham is out of office so we can start a new era of prosperity for New Mexicans.”

Block has already gotten nasty with his remarks about the Governor when he said:

“Michelle is proud of where New Mexico stands today. Michelle is proud New Mexico ranks last in education. Michelle is proud New Mexico ranks first in child poverty.”

Before Block pops off about New Mexico being last in education and ranking first in child poverty laying all the blame on Governor Lujan Grisham, someone needs to educate him that Lujan Grisham has been in office for two and a half years. For the full 8 years before her, Republican Governor “She Who Shall Not Be Named” destroyed New Mexico’s public education system with her Education Secretary Skandera.

On Friday, July 20, 2018, Santa Fe District Court Judge Sarah Singleton, after a weeklong trial, ruled that the state of New Mexico is violating the constitutional rights of at-risk students by failing to provide them with a sufficient education. The court ruling was a confirmation of what went on for the last 8 years with the state’s at-risk children under the Republican Martinez Administration.

A link to a related blog article entitled “The Scandals and Failures of Governor Susana Martinez” is here:

https://www.petedinelli.com/2018/12/31/the-scandals-and-failures-of-governor-susana-martinez/

The former Republican Governor made sure cuts were made to many social programs to help children in poverty and she also destroyed the state’s mental health care system by forcing 8 mental health care providers out of business by making false allegations of fraud with the Attorney General finding no wrongdoing.

It’s likely the only shared values New Mexico voters will have with Block is that he has no business being Governor of the state.

https://www.koat.com/article/race-for-governor-of-new-mexico-heating-up/36974820

KAREN BEDONIE

On April 25, 2021, Republican and retired teacher Karen Bedonie of Farmington announced she is running for the Republican nomination for Governor. Her announcement video featured photographs of Bedonie holding a rife, posing with law enforcers, her husband, and her family, and portrayed her campaign’s focuses on a family, faith, and freedoms-based message.

In her announcement Bedonie said:

“I am a woman of courage and I have worked tirelessly to formulate a liberating plan for the beautiful state of New Mexico. … I believe the Second Amendment of the Constitution is absolute, written so beautifully that the builders of this nation installed these rights to withstand tyranny and the trampling of our liberties and freedoms. As a mother of five daughters, we will bear arms to protect ourselves. Missing, murdered, and indigenous women is real and is also unresolved.”

When Boudine says she has worked “tirelessly to formulate a liberating plan” what she ostensibly means is arming every New Mexico resident with handguns and rifles so that we can shoot to kill our problems of poverty, education and unemployment as the problems continue to fester.

https://pinonpost.com/karen-bedonie-announces-candidacy-for-new-mexico-governor/

GREG ZANETTI

On June 14, Republican Greg Zanetti announced his campaign. Zanetti is a former Bernalillo County Republican Chairman and a former New Mexico National Guard Brigadier General who now works in the business of wealth management. He has said in the past that he does not intend to get vaccinated for covid. With respect to the Governor, Zanetti had this to say:

“We had this autocratic governor come down and impose all these rules where we shut down businesses, locked down the kids, we shut the state down, and as the facts changed and we learned more about COVID, she didn’t adjust.”

Zanetti is one of those candidates for public office who always has a smile on his face and a grin in his voice but very little understanding of the needs and concerns of average New Mexicans. How could Zanetti understand the needs of the average New Mexican when he works in the business of wealth management in one of the poorest state’s in the United States.

Surprisingly, Republican conservative Zanetti is distancing himself from Der Führer of his party and former president Donald Trump and said:

“This isn’t about Donald Trump. It’s not about one person, it’s about a bigger message.”

Ostensibly, Zanetti did not get the memo from New Mexico Republican Party Chairman Steve Pierce that the Republican Party in the state and nationally are very much in lock step with Trump.

TIM WALSH

On June 30, Albuquerque retired teacher Tim Walsh, age 74, announced he is running for the Republican nominations for Governor. Walsh previously worked as an education adviser to former Republican Governor Gary Johnson and describes himself as the same type politically as Johnson. That likely means being nothing but a libertarian who has decided to become a Republican but who smokes cannabis without telling anyone until he gets termed out.

In his announcement Walsh said if elected Governor he would push to overhaul the state’s public pension funds to a 401(k) model to address unfunded liabilities and do away with the state’s high-profile film incentive program.

Now that’s the winning message, talk about 401 (k) ‘s to attract voters’ living paycheck to pay check who have no idea if the pensions they have paid into for 30 years will be around. Walsh also said he would push to eliminate the Rail Runner commuter train and the state’s involvement in Spaceport America, both legacies of former Democratic Governor Bill Richardson’s administration.

Walsh was nowhere to be seen at Spaceport America on July 11 when Richard Branson took off successfully in his Virgin Galactic vehicle launching the space age tourism travel industry. Seeing the ZIA symbol on the side Branson’s vehicle was truly a source of pride. As far as doing away with the high-profile film incentive programs, Walsh no doubt wants to make sure that NETFLEX and NBC are forced to leave the state now that they have committed to invest and are investing billions in New Mexico’s economy and creating jobs over the next 10 years with the New Mexico film industry emerging as a production juggernaut.

https://www.abqjournal.com/2405298/gop-candidate-tim-walsh-announces-gubernatorial-bid.html

REBECCA DOW

On July 7, three term Republican State Representative Rebecca Dow of Truth or Consequences announced that she is running for the Republican nomination for Governor. In her announcement, she vowed to address “hard truths” related to the state’s high unemployment rate, low education rankings and chronic child welfare issues. She is a former early child care professional.

Dow, like the other Republican Governor candidates also immediately attacked Governor Lujan Grisham and described the governor as a “power hungry” career politician whose policies have hurt New Mexico and said:

“As a state, we have never experienced more dire conditions than we are currently struggling through right now.”

Dow is as conservative as they come. She consistently votes against all Democratic-backed bills in the legislature including to legalize recreational cannabis for adult users, voting against private employers to provide mandatory paid sick leave for employees. She also voted against a bill to repeal the 1960 archaic state abortion ban.

Being a 3 term state representative means Dow was in office while Republican Governor “She Who Shall Not Be Named” was destroying the state’s education system, mental health care system and made severe cuts in social services to children. Things got so bad with the state’s education system under the former Republican Governor that a State Court found that children’s rights to education were being denied and ordered sweeping changes mandating millions to be spent.

Dow is one of those Republicans who only becomes concerned with State issues when Democrats begin to clean up the elephant dung left by Republican predecessors. Someone should politely tell Dow to move to Texas where her “gun dotting family values” would better fit in.

https://www.abqjournal.com/2407179/state-rep-rebecca-dow-announces-gubernatorial-bid.html

Louie Sanchez

On Sunday, August 1, Louie Sanchez, 56, announced in a news release that he is the sixth Republican to run to unseat Democratic Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham. Sanchez is a medical sales representative and is one of the co-owners of Calibers shooting range in Albuquerque. In his news release announcement, he said if elected he will work to reduce crime, improve education and decrease poverty. According to Sanchez, he hopes to stand out as a conservative Hispanic in a crowded Republican field. Sanchez ran for the United States Senate last year in the Republican primary and lost to Mark Ronchetti who went on to lose to Democrat Ben Ray Lujan.

It is clear that Sanchez is trying to downplay that he is a Republican when he says in his announcement:

“We don’t have to continue to argue over who is Democrat or Republican, because we don’t have a Democrat or Republican problem, we have a Michelle Lujan Grisham problem. ”

The problem Sanchez has is that it’s doubtful he can even win the Republican nomination, let alone beat an incumbent Democrat in a statewide race.

https://www.abqjournal.com/2415471/sanche-zjoins-gop-field-for-governor.html

MAJORITY OF NEW MEXICO VOTERS RESIDE IN 4 COUNTIES

New Mexico has a total of 33 counties. The June 30, 2021 tabulation from the New Mexico Secretary of State show that the majority of New Mexico voters reside in the 3 most urbanized counties of Bernalillo County, Dona Ana County and Santa Fe County and the far less urbanized county of Sandoval County which comes in as the 4th highest county with registered voters.

The counties of Bernalillo County, Dona Ana County and Santa Fe County are by far the most progressive in the state, while Sandoval would be considered more moderate still with a solid democratic majority of 44,796 ( 42.5 %) Democrats to 35,455 (33.7 %) Republicans.

As of June 30, 2021, New Mexico has 1,344,209 registered voters. 811,780, or well over half, reside in the 4 counties. The breakdown by party affiliation is as follows:

TOTAL MEXICO REGISTERED VOTERS: 1,344,209

DEMOCRATIC: 603,593 ( 44.9 %)
REPUBLICAN: 418,240 (31.1 %)
NO PARTY/INDEPENDENT: 295,004 ( 21.9 %)
LIBERTARIAN: 13,015 (1.0 %)
Other: 14,357 (1.1 %)

FIRST TIER VOTER REGISTRATION COUNTIES

There are 33 counties within the State of New Mexico. Only 4 of those counties have registration numbers of 105,000 or more. Combined those 4 counties have 811,780 of the 1,344,209 registered voters. All 4 of the counties have registered Democrats out pacing registered Republicans by healthy margins.

Following is the breakdown of the first-tier counties population of registered voters:

1. BERNALILLO COUNTY

TOTAL BERNALILLO COUNTY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 445,728

DEMOCRATIC: 209,681 (47.0 %)
REPUBLICAN: 123,632 (27.7 %)
LIBERTARIAN: 4,810 (1.1 %)
NO PARTY/INDEPENDENT: (102,855) 23.1 %
Other: 4,750

2. DONA ANA COUNTY

TOTAL DONA ANA COUNTY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 128,961

DEMOCRATIC 58,644 (45.5 %)
REPUBLICAN 34,081 ( 26.4 %)
LIBERTARIAN 1,338 (1.0 %)
NO PARTY/INDEPENDENT: 33,714 ( 26.1 %)
Other: 1,184

3. SANTA FE COUNTY

TOTAL SANTA FE COUNTY VOTER REGISTRATION NUMBER: 108,236

DEMOCRATIC: 68,909 (63.7 %)
REPUBLICAN: 16,485 (15.2%)
LIBERTARIAN: 854 (0.8 %)
NO PARTY/INDEPENDENT: 20,999 (19.4 %)
Other: 989

4. SANDOVAL COUNTY

TOTAL SANDOVAL COUNTY VOTER REGISTRATION NUMBER: 105,304
DEMOCRATIC: 44,796 ( 42.5 %)
REPUBLICAN: 35,455 (33.7 %)
LIBERTARIAN: 1,154 (1.1 %)
NO PARTY/INDEPENDENT: 22,983 (21.8 %)
Other: 916

EDITOR’S NOTE: The breakdown of second and third tier county registration of registered voters can be found in the postscript to this article.

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

In a recent KOAT 7 news report, respected political analyst and pollster Brian Sanderoff said of the Republican running for Governor:

“Although the Republicans have … strong candidates already announced in the Republican primary, we may see more big names enter the race, only time will tell”

https://www.koat.com/article/the-race-is-on-for-governor-of-new-mexico/36960716#

Brian Sanderoff and his company “Research and Polling” over many decades has become the best and most accurate pollster in New Mexico. Sanderoff is being exceptionally kind when he says the Republicans have strong candidates and we may see more big names. The fact is that there are really “no big names” in the Republican Party unless you want to count Steve Pierce, former Lieutenant John Sanchez and former Republican Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry. The Republican Party needs to reach out to Bernalillo County Sheriff Manny Gonzalez to change his party affiliation to Republican so that he can run for Governor if he loses the Mayor’s race which is becoming more likely than not. In other words, the Republican players bench is as lean as it gets.

Further Republicans do not win elections in New Mexico statewide unless Democrats simply do not vote or become so angry, they decide to vote Republican. The party registrations numbers and past elections support that premise.

In 2018 when elected to her first 4-year term, Michelle Lujan Grisham won with 57.2% of the vote (398,368) to 42.8% of the vote (298,091) cast for Steve Pearce. A 100,000 margin in New Mexico votes is a blowout win. She succeeded a Republican Governor who left office after 8 years with one of the lowest approval ratings of any Governor.

In 2020 New Mexico was won by President Joe Biden by a 10.79% margin of victory. Biden won the popular vote securing 501,614 votes (54.29%) to Trump’s 401, 894 (43.50%), a huge difference by anyone’s standards.

DECEPTIVE PLOYS

One deceptive ploy always used by Republicans running for New Mexico Governor is that they can “work across party lines”. Republican Sandoval County Commissioner Jay Block is already using that ploy to get Democratic support. Block does not realize that working across party lines is something the New Mexico Republican party does not want to hear, not in the age of Trump and with Steve Pierce as head of the New Mexico Republican Party. The New Mexico Republican Party is nothing but shell of its former self, with the Democratic Party having commanding majorities in both the NM State House and Senate. Democrats have no need for a Republican Governor to work across party lines, so there is no need to elect one.

Republicans have been elected Governor acting as mavericks or populists such as Republicans Governors Dave Cargo and Gary Johnson to get elected. Others Republicans get elected after a Democrat Governor becomes so unpopular that Democrats decide to vote Republican. This happened when they voted for Republican Gary Caruthers to succeed Democrat Toney Anaya who to this day left office with the lowest approval rating of any Governor. Anaya became so unpopular in large part because he commuted New Mexico’s entire death row inmates to life imprisonment and urged the abolition of capital punishment because it is “immoral and anti-God.”

Three term Democratic Governor Bruce King lost to maverick Libertarian turned Republican Gary Johnson when King simply did not realize he had overstayed his welcome.

Then there is Republican Governor “She Who Shall Not Be Named” succeeding Democrat Bill Richardson after his 8 years of “pay to play” scandals as he ran for President. Even then, both Governors left office extremely unpopular.

RUNNING IN THE SHADOW OF DER FÜHRER TRUMP

Virtually all 6 of the Republican candidates for Governor are right wing conservatives. All 5 have the same philosophy of government as former President Trump and State Republican Party Chairman Steve Pierce. Greg Zanetti distancing himself from Der Führer Trump in all likely has doomed his candidacy for the nomination from the get go.

Der Fuhrer Trump is increasing his profile and beginning to hold his rally’s again and concentrating on those within the party he has targeted as not supporting him. Watch for Trump to campaign for Republican Congress woman Yvette Harrell in 2022. It will be interesting to see if the Republican nominee for Governor will even show up to be photographed with him.

Former Republican Governor “She Who Shall Not Be Named” learned the hard way when she crossed Trump by not endorsing him. On May 26, 2015, appearing at a campaign rally in Albuquerque, Der Führer Trump unleashed a blistering assault on the former Republican Governor who skipped the event, by saying she was “not doing the job.” Trump faulted her by falsely asserting she was allowing Syrian refugees to settle in the state, and blamed her for Albuquerque’s unemployment numbers as well as the increase in the number of New Mexico residents on food stamps.

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/26/us/politics/donald-trump-gov-susana-martinez-new-mexico.html

At this point in time, the biggest hope that all 6 Republican candidates have if they are the Republican nominee, is that Governor Lujan Grisham will be viewed with nothing but extreme hostility destroying her support within the Democratic party as was the case with Toney Anaya and Bill Richardson. That is probably wishful thinking on their part, especially in the age of Trump.

According to a recent poll, Governor Lujan Grisham has an 50% overall approval rating and a 32% disapproval rating which should not be surprising at this point in time for a Governor that has shown real leadership making difficult decisions and who has been very effective in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.

Governor Lujan Grisham has a 80% approval rating amongst Democrats. She has a 59% approval rating dealing with the pandemic and the 49% approval rating dealing with the economy. Her 50% overall approval rating in all likely will increase as the state begins to reopen and things get back to normal.

The link to the full poll is here:

https://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=3247819a-cbc2-4164-8a9c-8cf1f865c23e

All 5 of the Republican candidates are in all likely running for a nomination not worth much come November, 2022, unless of course if Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham does something really stupid and pardons serial rapists doing time.
__________________

POSTSCRIPT

The breakdown of second and third tier numbers of registered voters are as follows:

SECOND TIER VOTER REGISTRATION COUNTIES

The second-tier voter registration counties consist of 7 counties with registration of 77,227 (San Juan County) and drops to 34,332 (Eddy county). Following is the breakdown:

5. SAN JUAN COUNTY

TOTAL VOTER SAN JUAN COUNTY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 77,227
DEMOCRATIC: 21,889 (28.3 %)
REPUBLICAN: 35,347 (45.8 %)
LIBERTARIAN 805: (1.0 %)
NO PARTY/INDEPENDENT: 18,255 (23.6 %)
Other: 931

6. VALENCIA COUNTY

TOTAL VALENCIA COUNTY VOTER REGISTRATION NUMBER: 45,981

DEMOCRATIC: 18,560 40.4 %
REPUBLICAN: 16,841 36.6 %
LIBERTARIAN: 424 0.9 %
NO PARTY/INDEPENDENT: 9,563 20.8 %
Other: 593

7. MCKINLEY COUNTY

TOTAL MCKINLEY COUNTY VOTER REGISTRATION: 44,905

DEMOCRATIC: 26,889 (59.9 %)
REPUBLICAN: 7,108 (15.8 %)
LIBERTARIAN: 206 (0.5 %)
NO PARTY/INDEPENDENT: 10,068 (22.4 %)
Other: 634

8. LEA COUNTY

TOTAL LEA COUNTY VOTER REGISTRATION: 37,105

DEMOCRATIC: 8,011 (21.6 %)
REPUBLICAN: 19,543 (52.7%)
LIBERTARIAN: 292 (0.8 %)
NO PARTY/INDEPENDENT: 8,817 (23.8 %)
Other: 442

9. OTERO COUNTY

TOTAL OTERO COUNTY VOTER REGISTRATION: 36,535

DEMOCRATIC: 10,016 (27.4 %)
REPUBLICAN: 16,491 (45.1 %)
LIBERTARIAN: 424 (1.2%)
NO PARTY/INDEPENDENT: 9,116 (25.0 %)
Other: 488

10. CHÁVEZ COUNTRY

TOTAL CHAVEZ COUNTY VOTER REGISTRATION: 34,896
DEMOCRATIC: 9,422 ( 27.0 %)
REPUBLICAN: 17,503 (50.2 %)
LIBERTARIAN: 314 (0.9 %)
NO PARTY/INDEPENDENT: 7,060 (20.2 %)
Other: 597

11. EDDY COUNTY

TOTAL EDDY COUNTY VOTER REGISTRATION: 34,332
DEMOCRATIC: 9,286 (27.0 %)
REPUBLICAN: 18,016 (52.5 %)
LIBERTARIAN: 307 (0.9 %)
NO PARTY/INDEPENDENT: 6,353 (18.5 %)
Other: 370

THIRD TIER VOTER REGISTRATION COUNTIES

There are 22 third tier counties that have voter registrations numbers with a wide range in the numbers oF registered voters. On the high end is Rio Arriba County with 25,460 total registered voters, Taos County with 25,369 total registered voters. On the low end is Mora County with 3,682 total registered voters to Catron County with 3,005 total registered voters, to Union County with 2,535 total registered voters with Harding County having the lowest total registered voters with only 667.

The link to the New Mexico Secretary of State statistics on registered voters by county is here:

https://realfileee3072ab0d43456cb15a51f7d82c77a2.s3.amazonaws.com/09fa6745-7389-49e6-bf53-0fe6d2362e95?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAJBKPT2UF7EZ6B7YA&Expires=1626241090&Signature=6zv84D4R9ZqUAhMJHDpDAP6LZy8%3D&response-content-disposition=inline%3B%20filename%3D%22Statewide_06-30-2021.pdf%22&response-content-type=application%2Fpdf

In a letter dated July 9, Albuquerque City Clerk Ethan Watson notified Bernalillo County Sheriff Manuel Gonzales’ that the city was denying his campaign $661,00 in public financing for his mayoral campaign. The City Clerk cited questions about potential misconduct in the qualifying process and told Gonzales he could not confirm that Gonzales had complied with the city’s Open and Ethical Election Code and associated regulations. The Clerk also noted 2 ethics complaints Mayor Tim Keller’s reelection campaign filed against Gonzales last month.

City Clerk Watson wrote in the letter to Gonzales:

“The Office of the City Clerk has not reached this decision based on the mere fact that complaints were filed. … The decision instead is based on the conclusion that the evidence submitted to date prevents the Office from certifying that you are entitled to receive $661,309.25 from the Open and Ethical Elections Fund. The Office of the City Clerk cannot provide that certification on the record as it stands today because of the obligation all officials have to safeguard public funds.”

The Gonzales’ for Mayor campaign was quick to respond by alleging that City Clerk Watson was “coerced” by Mayor Tim Keller to deny the public financing. The Gonzales campaign had this to say in a statement,:

“For Tim Keller’s handpicked city clerk to deny our campaign public financing after citizens submitted more than enough qualifying contributions demonstrates a stunning level of arrogance and contempt for the voters of Albuquerque.”

GONZALES APPEALS

According to the city clerk’s letter to Gonzales, he has three business days to appeal the City’s Clerk Decision or until Wednesday Jul 14. Such and appeal will mandate a hearing before a City hearing officer.

On Monday, July 12, Manny Gonzales filed an appeal of the Albuquerque city clerk’s decision to deny him public financing for his mayoral campaign. The matter will be assigned to a city hearing officer. The Gonzales campaign will have the burden of providing evidence to demonstrate the Clerk’s decision was improper.

The city hearing officer must conduct a hearing within five days. The hearing officer will have 3 days after the proceeding to issue a ruling. The parties then have the right to appeal the hearing officer ruling in state District Court.

https://www.abqjournal.com/2409070/gonzales-appeals-denial-of-financial-backing-ex-action-by-city-clerk-has-no-effect-on-the-mayoral-ballot.html

GONZALES AND KELLER BOTH SUBMITTED MORE THAN 3,779 QUALIFYING $5.00 DONATIONS

From April 17 to June 19, 2021, publicly financed candidates for Mayor were required to gather both 3,000 nominating petition signatures from registered voters within the City. Candidates for Mayor were also required to collect 3,779 qualifying donations of $5.00 from Albuquerque registered voters in order to qualify for $661,309.25 in public financing. It is the responsibility of the City Clerk to review and verify all petitions signatures and qualifying $5 donations and confirm those included in the total numbers required are in fact registered voters.

On June 18, the Albuquerque City Clerk posted on the City Clerk’s web site the following tabulations for Tim Keller and Manny Gonzales as to verified nominating petition signatures and $5.00 public finance qualifying donations:

MAYOR TIM KELLER

Required Petition Signatures: 3,000
Verified Petition Signatures: 4,189
Rejected Petition Signatures: 607
Remaining Petition Signatures Needed: – 0 –
Percentage of Verified Petition Signatures Met: 100%

Required $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 3,779
Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 4,057
Rejected $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 328
Remaining $5.00 Qualifying Contributions Needed: -0-
Percentage of Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 100%

SHERIFF MANNY GONZALES

Required Petition Signatures: 3,000
Verified Petition Signatures: 3,757
Rejected Petition Signatures: 745
Remaining Petition Signatures Needed: – 0 –
Percentage of Verified Petition Signatures Met: 100%

Required $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 3,779
Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 4,106
Rejected $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 573
Remaining $5.00 Qualifying Contributions Needed: -9-
Percentage of Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 100%
Based on the June 18 posted numbers, both Keller and Gonzales qualified to be on the ballot as well as qualified for public financing.

City Clerk Watson has certified Keller for public financing.

RATIONALE FOR DENYING GONZALES PUBLIC FINANCING

The July 9 letter from the City Clerk to Manny Gonzales makes reference to the 2 ethics complaints filed against Manny Gonzales by the Keller campaign.

The Keller campaign has filed two ethics complaints. They allege widespread fraud and forgery. Gonzales’ campaign is accused of illegally signing the names of more than 140 people, claiming they signed the documents to help with his financing.

The first ethics complaint includes a written statement from a voter who said Gonzales told him he did not have to submit a $5 contribution and that the Gonzales campaign would pay it for him.

The second ethics complaint alleges Gonzales’ campaign forged voter signatures on qualifying public finance receipts. The complaint cites disparities between signatures on $5 contribution receipts and the same voters’ signatures from other places, including on the petition to get Gonzales’ name on the ballot.

The Keller campaign has submitted to the City Clerk 149 examples of alleged forgeries on documents submitted to the City Clerk. The Keller campaign also filed signed statements from upwards of 40 people contacted by a private investigator hired by Keller campaign. Most of those contacted said the signatures on Gonzales’ nominating petition was theirs and half confirmed they had contributed $5 to Gonzales’ public financing effort. Nearly all said signatures on the $5 public finance receipts were not their legitimate signature.

The Gonzales campaign denied all wrongdoing but is accusing the city clerk of trying to “silence the political opposition” and said in a statement:

“What this is really about is that Tim Keller knows that he will lose if voters are able to hear from both campaigns”

The Gonzales campaign said that Gonzales submitted hundreds more $5 contributions than necessary to qualify for public financing, and the ethics complaints involve what it deemed a “small handful of alleged invalid” contributions.

The links to quoted news source material are here:

https://www.abqjournal.com/2407951/gonzales-bid-for-public-financing-denied.html

https://www.kob.com/new-mexico-news/city-clerk-blocks-manny-gonzales-bid-for-public-financing-following-fraud-forgery-claims/6166686/?cat=500

https://www.koat.com/article/sheriff-manny-gonzales-denied-campaign-financing-for-mayor/36986156

CITY RULES AND REGULATIONS GIVING CITY CLERK AUTHORITY NOT TO CERTIFY

It was in 2018 that the New Mexico legislature enacted the State Local Election Act that realigned all municipal elections and local election to be held on the November general election ballot. In the past, Albuquerque’s municipal elections were held on the first Tuesday of October and now must be held in November. In 2018, the City Council also passed election reforms empowering the city clerk’s office to promulgate rules and regulations.

On September 21, 2020 and October 2, 2020, City Clerk Ethan Watson and the Chief Administrative Officer Sarita Nair, respectively, sign off on regulations for the City Clerk to administer the “Open and Ethical Elections Code” (OEEC) for the 2021 municipal elections.

The link to those regulations is here:

https://www.cabq.gov/vote/documents/2021-regulations-for-the-open-and-ethical-election-code.pdf

It is PART C of the regulations entitled QUALIFYING PERIOD AND QUALIFYING CONTRIBUTIONS that outlines the certification process relating to the $5 qualifying donations for all the candidates.

Paragraph 15 entitled “Certification of Participating Candidates for Public Financing” provides in part as follows:

“The City Clerk shall certify as a Participating Candidate, all Applicant Candidates who meet the requirements of the OEEC and submit an Application for Certification.

c. An Applicant Candidate whose certification has been denied may appeal the Clerk’s determination [withing 3 business days.]

KELLER ACCUSES GONZALES OF CRIME

Mayor Keller for his part said in a statement the evidence shows Gonzales’ campaign “engaged in intentional and widespread fraud” through forging voter signatures and he added:

“As the former State Auditor, where we investigated and uncovered cases of fraud and misuse of taxpayer dollars, I know a scam when I see it”

Keller campaign manager Neri Holguin said the Gonzales’ campaign did not make the kind of simple mistakes often made in the process and said:

“This is deliberate, this is systemic, this is widespread.”

HEARING ON 2 ETHICS COMPLAINTS SCHEDULED

Both ethics complaints against Gonzales will be heard by the City’s Board of Ethics and Campaign Practices. The first complaint is scheduled for a hearing on July 16. The forgery complaint is scheduled for a hearing on July 22. The Board of Ethics and Campaign Practices that has the authority to levy fines, issue written findings of censure and even disqualify a candidate from running or holding office.

KELLER AND CAMPAIGN MANAGER NO STRANGER TO ETHICS VIOLATIONS

Four years ago when then New Mexico State Auditor Tim Keller ran his successful campaign for Mayor, he was the only candidate out of 8 candidates to qualify for public fiancé. Keller had two separate ethics charges filed against him.

One complaint filed against Tim Keller’s campaign involved the allegation that “cash donations” for political consulting were reported as “in-kind” donations. The Election Board of Ethics and Campaign Practices ruled that the cash contributions were in fact an ethical violation. Ultimately, Keller was found guilty by a unanimous vote of the City Board of Ethics. Rules and Regulations and he was not penalized before or after the complaint was formally heard.

A link to a related news article is here:

“Ethics board: Keller violated rule with ‘in-kind’ donations, NM Political Report, November 13, 2017”

https://nmpoliticalreport.com/2017/11/13/ethics-board-keller-violated-rule-with-in-kind-donations

A second more serious complaint file in 2017 against the Keller campaign was that the Keller Campaign for Mayor committee was coordinating their campaign and expenditures with ABQ Forward Together. Neri Holguin, Keller’s 2021 campaign manager was the chairperson “ABQ Forward Together”, the progressive measured finance committee that was formed specifically to raise money to promote progressive Tim Keller for Mayor in 2017. “ABQ Forward Together” raised over $663,000 for Keller’s 2017 bid for Mayor as Keller qualified for public financing and given $340,000 for his 2017 campaign for Mayor.

In 2021, Neri Olguin is the campaign manager for Tim Keller’s re-elction bid and another measured finance committee has been set up by Keller supporters. On April 26, one measured finance committees was formed to support Mayor Tim Keller’s bid for a second 4 year term identified as “ BUILD BACK ‘BURQUE”. Chairperson for “Build Back ‘Burque” is Michelle Mayorga, a highly experience progressive fund raiser and treasurer is the former Democrat Party Treasurer Robert Lara.

KELLER SIGNS OFF ON CITY SELLING HISTORICAL BUILDING TO HIS SUPPORTERS

On June 7, it was reported the City Council voted to approve the sale of the historic Rosenwald Building for $360,000 in a “private bid” to build condos. In 2009, the city had purchased the historic 42,000-square-foot building for $1.7 million. The city sold the Rosenwald Building to someone who made a $50,000 donation to Mayor Keller’s charitable foundation and $15,000 in donations to the measured finance committee promoting Keller for a second term. The sale also includes a 14-year lease by the city of 1,100 square feet for an APD police substation.

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

Given Mayor Tim Keller’s own history of ethical indiscretions, it is simply amazing Keller is so self-righteous and does not know when to simply shut up and says:

“As the former State Auditor, where we investigated and uncovered cases of fraud and misuse of taxpayer dollars, I know a scam when I see it.”

The only finding of fraud, misuse of taxpayer dollars or of a “scam” is that made by candidate Mayor Tim Keller and his campaign manager, both who have been embroiled in questionable and unethical campaign practices in the past.

The City’s Board of Ethics and Campaign Practices needs to have the two hearings on the ethics complaints and ferret out the truth and to examine the actual evidence. Keller and his campaign have the burden of proof and Gonzales must be afforded and opportunity to respond. It’s called due process of law, something State Auditor Keller never understood as he always went after the the headlines instead.

CITY CLERK’S AUTHORITY TO DENY PUBLIC FINANCING AFTER VERIFYING DONATIONS

At first blush, it appears that the City Clerk does indeed have authority to deny Gonzales the $661,000 in public finance. The rules and regulations for the election say the city clerk shall determine whether the candidate has “been found to have made a materially false statement in a report … submitted to the City Clerk” and “been found to have submitted any fraudulent Qualifying Contributions or any falsified acknowledgement forms for Qualifying Contributions or Seed Money Contributions.”

The rules are also clear “if the Clerk makes any of the findings … the Clerk shall not certify the Applicant Candidate as a Participating Candidate.” In other words, City Clerk Ethan Watson was doing his job.

It will be very difficult at best for candidate Manny Gonzales to say that he and his campaign made innocent or administrative mistakes when it comes to collection of the $5 donations in that it is mandatory that the candidate and the campaign manager must meet with the city clerk prior to then election process wherein the City Clerk goes over in detail all the rules and regulations. After the meeting, the candidate must also sign a statement they have read the rules and regulations and understand them.

What complicates all of this is that on June 18, City Clerk posted on the city web site it had reviewed and verified that Gonzales submitted more than the required 3,000 signatures and more than the 3,771 qualifying donations. At issue is whether the City Clerk has the authority to deny public financing after the City Clerk found and posted that enough $5 donations were submitted ostensibly without fraud nor forgeries and before there is a decision made by the City Board of Elections and Campaign Practices as to any fraud.

WHO WILL REPRESENT DE FACTO REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR MAYOR MANNY GONZALES?

It is more likely than not that this whole fiasco will wind up in State District Court. Political observers have already labeled Manny Gonzales as the de facto Republican candidate for Mayor in part because Republican Political operative Jay Mc Clusky is managing the Gonzales campaign. The Keller campaign has already noted that major donors to the Gonzales measured finance committees and the $5 qualifying donations are predominately Republicans.

The go to attorneys representing many Republican causes in the past have been former Supreme Court Justice Paul Kennedy, former Republican National Committee Member Pat Rogers, former State Senator Mickey Barnett and even Blair Dunn. If any one of these experienced and well-known Republican trial attorneys in fact represent Gonzalez in court, it will be a confirmation of just how much the Republican party has gotten involved with the 2021 Mayor’s race.

If the matter in fact winds up in State District Court, then and only then will the general public actually learn what happened. Until then, Mayor Keller would be wise to simply keep his mouth shut, not comment on the proceeding and let the City Clerk and Board of Ethics do their jobs without his outside interference in the media.

This is a guest opinion column written by Rudolfo Carrillo submitted for publication on this blog.

Rudolfo Carrillo is a native New Mexican and was the news and music editor at Weekly Alibi from August 2015 until March 2020, where he used the pen name “August March” to write about Albuquerque culture, history and politics. He is a graduate of the University of New Mexico’s fine arts program. His award-winning writing and analysis have been featured at international academic conferences, in notable literary journals as well as in local media outlets like the Albuquerque Journal. His latest work can be read at Infinity Report with the link here:

http://infinityreport.blogspot.com/

EDITOR’S DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed in this article are those of Rudolfo Carrillo and do not necessarily reflect those of the political blog www.petedinelli.com. Rudolfo Carrillo was not compensated for his guest column.

“MEDIA REPORTS KELLER’S PROPAGANDA AS NEWS IN MAYOR’S RACE”

“The fact that traditional media outlets are not effectively covering local political happenings—keeping up to date on the local meat being ground into policy as well as the taste of the resulting civic sausage—becomes clear with just a quick glance at Burque’s vast media machine.

The story itself is sure to make the local chamber of commerce happy and business owners across town may come to Keller’s side, as his spokespeople and AG Hector Balderas acknowledged that the growing tide of violence in the city has finally reached into retail, connecting itself to property crime, and, ultimately, organized crime, too.

TIP OF ICEBERG

That may seem like a good start toward changing things, crime-wise, in Albuquerque. But although the article goes to great lengths to show how shoplifting is just the tip of the iceberg, even leading into the story by stating that the AG and APD have asserted that “organized retail crime” is a driver of violence across the city” such ideas fly in the face of progressive thinking about crime, violence and their origins/consequences.

https://alibi.com/news/57567/Year-One.htmlLong]

APPOINTING A CHIEF WITH A NEFARIOUS PAST

Further, when asked directly during his candidate interview in April 2017—by the same reporter—“How are you going to address the crime issue,” Keller’s response seems leagues away from where he stands today when Keller said:

Other important controversies courted by the current administration have failed to gain traction with the local media, as Keller presses a performative style that includes super-serious press conferences about things his public relations people think will matter to an electorate that is increasingly economically divided between the poor and the affluent. While the latter is bound to be reassured by Keller’s affect, the former, the working class, are yet to be convinced.

“BIASNESS'” AND FLUFF OVER SUBSTANCE

Over at a local newsweekly [The Paper] —run by a city councilor whose own connection to police-related gun violence is, at the very least, an eyebrow raiser—coverage of Keller’s work and criticism of his administration’s policy challenges is lacking. A dearth of experienced reporters, an over-reliance on the AP wire and a taste for gotcha journalism has resulted in a surprisingly unfocused site.

And this Saturday morning, just as it was almost safe to find and state a conclusion about all this mierda, Keller and crew find themselves embroiled in their biggest battle yet. It’s a controversy that could further bolster his campaign, but could also prove to be his undoing.

POLITICAL PROPAGANDA REPORTED AS NEWS

Mayoral candidate and Keller nemesis Manny Gonzales was denied public campaign financing by the city clerk, a Keller appointee. What’s unclear, though, is whether clerk Ethan Watson has the authority to make such a call prior to the case being heard by a city election ethics panel.

And those words, folks, are just accusations. They may be well-founded, they may come from “experts”, but haven’t been proven as fact; the panel hearing the charges won’t meet until later this month.

POT CALLING THE KETTLE BLACK

As for legal precedent in the case, well, there is none. When candidate Keller faced ethics complaints related to in-kind donations in 2017—ultimately being found guilty by a unanimous vote of the City of Albuquerque Board of Ethics Rules and Regulations—he was not penalized before or after the complaint was formally heard.

https://www.abqjournal.com/1478217/sheriffs-visit-to-trump-white-house-draws-ire.html]

FAILURE TO ADDRESS CONTROVERSIES

Certainly, Keller—and his handlers, good intentioned as they are—need to come clean with regards to the controversies still swirling around city hall. That includes addressing issues like crime, homelessness and violence—as well as continuing personnel issues—in a substantive, progressive manner that avoids performative acts. That’s what the candidate promised voters in 2017, after all.

Finally, it must be the job of the local press to render such matters transparent. As it is, local political bloggers are carrying the weight—providing a vision that needs to be shared by widely read and disseminated outlets in order to be truly effective. To do otherwise, as is apparently de rigueur in 2021, is a disservice to the citizens of this town.”

POSTSCRIPT

Links to 3 related blog article comparing the records of Keller and Gonzales are here:

Abq Journal Guest Column: “Abq Needs Choices for Mayor, Not lesser of 2 Evils”

Der Führer Trump’s Favorite Democrat Sherriff Manny Gonzales Runs For Mayor; A DINO And Law Enforcement Dinosaur

Mayor Tim Keller’s Record Of Broken Promises, Failures And High Murder Rates As He Seeks A Second Term

“When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. … .They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.”

Former President Donald Trump
2015 Announcement for President

Since the day he announced he was running for president, Trump has made vilification of immigration the signature part of his platform and agenda. He promised to build a wall that Mexico would pay for and he failed miserably on that promise one he became presidents. He had the federal government focus on replacing existing structures, already paid for by U.S. taxpayers, and diverted funds from other federal construction projects. As Republicans continue to tie themselves to Trump politically, they are now echoing the former president in calling for restrictive immigration policies and enhanced border security.

In typical inflammatory rhetoric, Trump said at his first rally since leaving the White House:

“Illegal aliens are overrunning their borders. Nobody’s ever seen anything like it. Our poor borders, they were so perfect. They were so good.”

DER FÜHRER TRUMP’S TRIP TO THE BORDER

On June 30, former president Donald Trump traveled to the U.S.-Mexico border to assail President Joe Biden’s reversal of many of his policies on immigration, including the border wall he started and claimed that Mexico would pay for it, which never happened. Immigration is perceived by Republicans as once again emerging as a weakness for Democrats in the midterm elections.

During his June 30 border visit, Der Führer Trump launched into grievance-filled rants as he re-litigated the results of the 2020 election with false claims of voter fraud. Trump introduced the more than two dozen House Republicans who traveled to see him at the border. Conspicuously absent was that both Texas United States Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn did not attend the event.

Trump is starting up his political rallies again ahead of the 2022 midterms. His trip to the border reflected the extent to which he is focused on settling scores against political opponents and positioning himself for a potential run for president in 2024.

As is always the case, Trump focused on himself and he took credit for solving the border problem and argued his administration’s policies were so successful that the issue of immigration did not factor into November’s election. Trump criticized the Biden administration for not finishing the wall while lamenting the reality that the barrier was not painted black. The color black is one of Trump’s long-standing preferences for the wall because he believes it would make the structure too hot for people to climb. Der Führer Trump lamented and said:

“Everything could have been completed. … It would have been painted [black], not sitting there, rotting and rusting. It would have been perfect. … We did a hell of a job. … Now we have an open, really dangerous border.”

Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott attended the border visit with Trump. Abbott is said to be running for President if Trump does not. Abbot is seeking to inherit the tough-on-immigration mantle from Trump and is one of the leading proponents for of a border wall. Abbot for his part praised Trump and had this to say:

“One of the things that he did better than anything else and definitely better than any other president is he stepped up and he secured our border, and kept Texans and Americans safe. … We have a sick country. It’s sick in elections, and it’s sick on the border.”

Texas Governor Gregg Abbot proclaimed his state will finish the boarder wall at an estimated cost of at least $26.5 million per mile and ignore the breakdown of the Texas “power grid” this past winter resulting in millions going without power and freezing.

https://www.texastribune.org/2021/06/16/texas-border-wall-greg-abbott/

REPUBLICANS SICK PUBLICITY STUNT

House Republicans visited the border the night before Trump’s visit to witness crossings in La Joya, Texas. The Republicans were seen taking photos of unaccompanied children. No offer of help to them, but taking photos’ of desperate people they could use to exploit for political gain, which is about as sick as it gets. They later slammed the Biden administration for what they said was a “humanitarian crisis”.

Congressional Republicans got out of their vehicles and briefly accompanied migrants traveling along a gravel road after crossing the Rio Grande. Some were children joined by their mothers, while others traveled alone. Reps. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) and Mary Miller (R-Ill.) exited their vehicles to walk with the migrants, asking them questions that were translated by a Spanish-speaking member of the media who was covering the trip. This group said they were from Guatemala and planned to surrender themselves to border patrol agents.

The Republicans are expected to cite their emotional moment as they hammer the Biden administration for policies, they say have escalated a dangerous environment at the border, including empowering drug cartels and putting unaccompanied migrant children at risk. But Democrats aren’t shrinking from that fight, pushing back hard against a Trump immigration legacy widely derided for its separation of migrant families at the border.

https://www.politico.com/news/2021/06/30/house-republicans-migrants-trump-border-497190

Republican Indiana Congressman Jim Banks, the chair of the Republican Study Committee who led the House Republicans’ June 30 trip to the border, had this to say about immigration:

“It’s one of a number of issues that show a stark difference between the Trump policies and the failures on President Biden’s watch that are creating a recipe for a red wave, historic 2010-like election where Republicans are going to win back the majority in the midterm by a landslide because of the border crisis. ”

Republican U.S. representative for North Carolina Madison Cawthorn, said the visit reaffirmed his belief that the border needed to be closed. He said nothing about how the unaccompanied children should be handled but only that the border should be closed.

PRESIDENT BIDEN’S APPROACH TO BORDER CRISIS

The Biden administration has struggled to find its footing on the immigration and asylum seekers at the border. The Biden Administration has had difficulty dealing with the surge of unaccompanied minors crossing the border, as shelters became overwhelmed and officials strained to process the influx of children. The situation at the border has improved somewhat but the administration has not rescinded the Trump-era public health rule that allows the United States to expel migrants, including people seeking asylum, during the coronavirus pandemic.

What President Joe Biden has done is to task Vice President Kamala Harris with working to address the root causes of migration. Biden has sought to reverse the Trump administration’s approach to immigration on many fronts including canceling construction contracts for further walls at the border. The Biden Administration has worked to rebuild the asylum system and has focused on addressing poverty and violence in the Northern Triangle countries of El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala as a way to stem migration.

A link to quoted news sources are here:

https://www.politico.com/news/2021/06/30/house-republicans-migrants-trump-border-497190

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/trump-pans-bidens-immigration-policies-during-trip-to-southern-border/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-border-visit/2021/06/30/8c5165ac-d91c-11eb-8fb8-aea56b785b00_story.html

DEBUNKING LIES ON IMMIGRATION AND ASYLUM SEEKERS

Ever since Der Führer Trump descended down from his escalator in Trump Tower to announce his candidacy for President, many lies have been spread by him and his cult like supporters. Following are the big 7 of lies:

LIE 1: IMMIGRANTS ARE BRINGING A CRIME WAVE TO THE UNITED STATES

THE TRUTH:

Decades of research has shown that immigrants are less likely to commit serious crimes than native-born citizens.

Research also shows that high rates of immigration are associated with lower rates of violent crime and property crime. This holds true for both documented and undocumented immigrants.
From 1990 – 2013, immigration in the United States increased significantly, including the number of undocumented immigrants, which more than tripled. During that time, the violent crime rate in this country declined 48%.

The reasons for lower crime rates among immigrants are not fully understood. One theory is that people who choose the intense emotional and social sacrifice that comes with migrating are less likely to engage in risky or criminal behavior that would put their new lives in danger. Another theory is that immigrants revitalize neighborhoods and generate economic growth, which helps decrease the crime rate.

RESEARCH SOURCES:

American Immigration Council:
https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/criminalization-immigration-united-states

Cato Institute:
https://www.cato.org/publications/immigration-reform-bulletin/criminal-immigrants-their-numbers-demographics-countries#

https://www.cato.org/blog/illegal-immigrants-crime-assessing-evidence

LIE 2: UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS ARE RECEIVING EXTENSIVE PUBLIC BENEFITS

THE TRUTH:

Undocumented immigrants do not qualify for welfare, food stamps, Medicaid or most other public benefits.

Most government assistance programs require proof of legal immigration status and even legal immigrants cannot receive many benefits until they have been in the United States for more than five years.

Undocumented immigrants can receive schooling and emergency medical care. A recent report by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce states that “economists view expenditures on healthcare and education for children as investments that pay off later, when those children become workers and taxpayers.”

Numerous studies have found that immigrants pay more in taxes than they receive in government services and benefits.

Legal immigrants use federal public benefit programs at lower rates than U.S.-born citizens.

RESEARCH SOURCES:

U.S. Chamber of Commerce:
https://www.uschamber.com/sites/default/files/documents/files/022851_mythsfacts_2016_report_final.pdf

American Immigration Council:
https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/addressing-common-questions-immigration

National Immigration Forum:
https://immigrationforum.org/article/fact-sheet-immigrants-and-public-benefits/#:~:text=Undocumented%20immigrants%2C%20including%20DACA%20holders,SSI)%2C%20and%20Temporary%20Assistance%20for

Cato Institute:
https://www.cato.org/immigration-research-policy-brief/immigration-welfare-state-immigrant-native-use-rates-benefit

LIE 3: UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS DON’T PAY TAXES

THE TRUTH:

Households led by immigrants contributed a total of $308.6 billion in federal taxes and $150 billion in combined state and local taxes in 2018.

Undocumented immigrants are taxpayers – they pay sales and property taxes and many pay income taxes. Undocumented immigrants in the United States paid an estimated $20.1 billion in federal taxes and $11.8 billion in combined state and local taxes in 2018.

The Social Security Administration estimates that undocumented immigrants contribute about $12 billion each year to the cash flow of the program without receiving benefits in return because of their status.

In New York, undocumented immigrants contribute over $1.4 billion in state and local taxes annually.

In 2015, 4.4 million people paid $23.6 billion in total taxes using an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). An ITIN is a tax-processing number issued by the IRS to ensure that people can pay taxes even if they do not have a Social Security number.

DACA recipients and those who meet DACA eligibility requirements paid an estimated $1.7 billion in combined state and local taxes in 2018.

RESEARCH SOURCES:

The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy
https://itep.org/immigration/

Social Security Administration
https://www.ssa.gov/oact/NOTES/pdf_notes/note151.pdf

American Immigration Council,
https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/immigrants-in-the-united-states?emci=02adcc5c-9502-eb11-96f5-00155d03affc&emdi=35821c27-9802-eb11-96f5-00155d03affc&ceid=7428810

Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy
https://itep.org/state-local-tax-contributions-of-young-undocumented-immigrants/

American Immigration Council
https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/sites/default/files/research/immigrants_in_new_york.pdf

https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/facts-about-individual-taxpayer-identification-number-itin

LIE 4: IMMIGRANTS TAKE JOBS FROM NATIVE-BORN RESIDENTS

THE TRUTH:

Immigrants do not generally compete with U.S. born workers. Instead, immigrants usually compete with the migrants who came before them.

Many immigrants with legal authorization to work here are highly skilled and sought after by U.S. companies because of shortages in the native-born skill base. Economists find that highly skilled immigrants have a significant positive impact on creating new jobs in the United States.

Undocumented immigrants often fill the lowest rung of employment in construction, agriculture and domestic services. Studies show that low-skilled immigrant workers and low-skilled native-born workers take on very different jobs, with native-born workers taking jobs that require work authorization and English language skills.

RESEARCH SOURCES:

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine:
https://www.nap.edu/catalog/23550/the-economic-and-fiscal-consequences-of-immigration

Urban Institute:
https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/immigrant-and-native-workers-compete-different-low-skilled-jobs

Cato Institute
https://www.cato.org/blog/three-reasons-why-immigrants-arent-going-take-job

LIE 5: UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS SHOULD HAVE “WAITED IN LINE” OUTSIDE THE U.S. IN ORDER TO IMMIGRATE HERE OR SHOULD HAVE “FIXED” THEIR STATUS AFTER ENTERING.

THE TRUTH:

(The below was written by the source ”NEIGHBORS LINK” before the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, there are more significantly more restrictions on U.S. Visas and Entry.)

THE LAW CREATES NARROW CATEGORIES OF ELIGIBILITY

Most people immigrate to the United States through one of three routes: family relationships, job offers, or humanitarian grounds. Both family and employment-based immigration are limited to specific situations and relationships. Humanitarian protection is only available to certain categories of people. All three routes are expensive, complicated and narrow. Most immigrants do not have the necessary family or employment relationships and often cannot get humanitarian protection. Therefore, even if immigrants have family and jobs in the U.S. or are fleeing persecution back home, these three routes may not be available to them.

EVEN ELIGIBLE IMMIGRANTS FACE SIGNIFICANT OBSTACLES

Immigrants eligible for one of the three routes often face significant obstacles. Under the law, no country can receive more than seven percent of the visas available each year. Therefore, people from countries such as Mexico, China, India and the Philippines, who often have U.S. citizen family members and are most interested in immigrating to the United States, usually have a very long wait. Often this can exceed twenty years depending on their family tie and country of origin.

IMMIGRANTS ALREADY IN THE U.S. OFTEN HAVE NO LEGAL WAY TO CORRECT THEIR STATUS

Once somebody has entered the United States without authorization or has overstayed their visa, the law typically prohibits them from getting legal status within the United States. To get status, an immigrant will usually have to leave the U.S. first and return to their country of origin. When this happens, they may be banned from returning to the United States for up to ten years. This is true even if they are married to a U.S. citizen and have U.S. citizen children. The limited exceptions to this rule only apply for select groups of people.

THE RULES HAVE CHANGED DRAMATICALLY

Immigration law has changed dramatically over the past 100 years. It has become extremely complex and confusing. Most of the people who immigrated to the United States more than 75 years ago would likely not be eligible under our current laws.

Sources:

American Immigration Council
https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/why-don%E2%80%99t-they-just-get-line
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services

https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-eligibility-categories

LIE 6: UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS ARE STRESSING OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS

THE TRUTH:

Children of undocumented immigrants made up 7.3% of the U.S. school population in 2014. Most of these children (5.9%) were born in the U.S. and are citizens. The rest (1.3%) are undocumented immigrants themselves. In New York, children of undocumented immigrants make up 6% of the total K-12 school population.

The Supreme Court ruled in 1982 that children, regardless of immigration status, must have access to public elementary and secondary education. The Court found that the harm imposed on our entire society by denying undocumented children from public schools was far greater than any resources saved from excluding them.

Our entire country benefits from well-educated children. As our population ages, it is expected that today’s immigrant children in elementary school will be an important part of the workforce in the coming decades.

There is significant opportunity in increased diversity in our schools. Research shows that increased racial, socioeconomic and ethnic diversity in classrooms provides students with a range of cognitive and social benefits.

RESEARCH SOURCES:

American Immigration Council
https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/plyler-v-doe-public-education-immigrant-students

Pew Research Center
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/11/17/children-of-unauthorized-immigrants-represent-rising-share-of-k-12-students/

The Century Foundation
https://tcf.org/content/report/how-racially-diverse-schools-and-classrooms-can-benefit-all-students/

Harvard Education Letter
https://www.hepg.org/hel-home/issues/27_2/helarticle/dual-language-programs-on-the-rise

LIE 7: IMMIGRANTS ARE NOT LEARNING ENGLISH

THE TRUTH:

Immigrants in the United States today are actually learning English slightly faster than their predecessors. Sixty-six percent of immigrants who speak a foreign language at home can also speak English “very well” or “well,” according to a study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.

In many parts of the country, the demand for English as a Second Language classes is far greater than the services available.

The most significant determinant of whether or not immigrants learn a new language is their age at the time of entry. Immigrants who arrive as young children learn a second language quickly while adults find it much more challenging.

Pew Research Center found that unauthorized immigrants in the United States are better at speaking English and more educated than they were a decade ago.

89% of native born Hispanics in the U.S. speak English well.

Pew Research Center
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/05/23/u-s-undocumented-immigrants-are-more-proficient-in-english-more-educated-than-a-decade-ago/

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine
https://www.nap.edu/catalog/21746/the-integration-of-immigrants-into-american-society

Migration Policy Institute
https://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/immigrants-united-states-how-well-are-they-integrating-society

Pew Research Center
https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/2015/05/12/english-proficiency-on-the-rise-among-latinos/

“NEIGHBORS LINK”

The above quoted source material and links to research was done by Neighbors Link. “Neighbors Link” opened in 2001 in the State of New York. It provides education, employment and legal services for immigrant families. The Neighbors Link mission is to strengthen the whole community through the healthy integration of immigrants. Their mission is achieved by filling a service gap for new immigrant families, offering education and empowerment programs, involving longer-term residents in volunteer opportunities and creating substantive partnerships with other local organizations.

https://www.neighborslink.org/about-us

The link to the source material is here
https://www.neighborslink.org/issues/immigration-myths-and-realities

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

Der Führer Trump’s biggest legacy as President of the United State will be his disgraceful “seeds of racism” he spread for all the world to see for the full 4 years he was in office. Trump is still going strong after losing the election. Trump empowered white supremist by never fully condemning their racism, such as the time when he said “there are good people on both sides” after a woman was run down by a white supremist in Charlottesville, Va. Der Führer Trump never misses and opportunity to show off his own racism to his most fervent defenders who have no problem with it, such as the two political shills who sent this blog their hate emails.

The truth, something that Trump has always been hostile to, is that the border is not open as Trump and the Republicans claim. The Biden administration is quickly expelling a majority of migrants under a public health order that’s been in place now since the beginning of the pandemic.

Many of the adult migrants who are being expelled are quickly turning around and crossing the border again which is what is making the numbers look bigger than they really are. The number of families and migrant children arriving at the border has actually been declining somewhat in recent months. The numbers are high , but not historically high necessarily.

https://www.npr.org/2021/06/27/1010760883/trump-heads-to-u-s-mexico-border-days-after-kamala-harris-trip

The seeds of Trump’s racism sewn as President are bearing fruit today as we see an increase in violence against Asian Americans. It is Trump who continues to call the Corona Virus the China Virus. Scores of Asian Americans nationwide have reported being targeted in verbal and physical attacks linked to coronavirus fears. Harvey Dong, a lecturer in Asian American and Asian diaspora studies has said “It’s racist and it creates xenophobia. … It’s a very dangerous situation.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/03/20/coronavirus-trump-chinese-virus/

KELLER VERSUS GONZALES

From April 17 to June 19, 2021, publicly financed candidates for Mayor were required to gather both 3,000 signatures from registered voters within the City and 3,779 qualifying donations of $5.00. In the 2021 municipal election, candidates for Mayor who qualify for public finance will be given $661,309.25. Both incumbent Mayor Tim Keller and Sheriff Manny Gonzales have secured more than the required 3,000 qualifying signatures to be placed on the ballot and secured more than the 3,779 qualifying $5.00 donations. Candidate for Mayor Patrick Ben Sais has failed to secure the required number of signatures and donations, but he still has the option to continue as a write in, privately financed candidate.

No one has announced as a privately finance candidate for Mayor. From June 8 to August 10, 2021, Privately Finance Candidates for Mayor must gather more than 3,000 signatures from registered voters within the City to be placed on the ballot.

CITY COUNCIL

From May 31 to July 5, 2021, all City Council candidates seeking public fiancé were required to collect $5.00 qualifying donations and gather 500 qualifying signatures from registered voters within the district they are seeking to represent. The number of qualifying donations required and the amount of public financing given vary in each city council district based on the population of registered voters.

EDITOR’S NOTE: While the City Clerk’s Office verifies petition signatures for the city, the City Clerk’s Office does not determine which candidates will be on the November 2 ballot. Because of the change in state law, city elections were held on the first Tuesday in October and now appear on the November general election ballot. It is the County Clerk that determines who is placed on the ballot. by the County Clerk’s Office. When a candidate meets the City Clerks threshold of petition signatures, the signatures are then forwarded to County Clerk who will let notify the city clerk who has qualified for the ballot after the County Clerk’s process. The City Clerk will delivering the petitions to the County Clerk on July 8 and the County Clerk will have three business days to tell the city clerk their determination as to who will appear on the ballot.

On July 7, the City Clerk posted the processed petition signatures and $5.00 qualifying donations in each of the city council districts.

DISTRICT 1 CITY COUNCIL

Both incumbent LAN SENA and LOUIE SANCHEZ have qualified for both the ballot and public finance.

City Council District 1 candidates who qualify for public finance will be given $41,027.

LAN SENA (Incumbent)

Required Petition Signatures: 500
Verified Petition Signatures: 668
Rejected Petition Signatures:61
Remaining Petition Signatures Needed: -0-
Percentage of Verified Petition Signatures Met: 100%

Required $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 411
Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 477
Rejected $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 72
Remaining $5.00 Qualifying Contributions Needed: -0-
Percentage of Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 100%

LOUIE SANCHEZ

Required Petition Signatures: 500
Verified Petition Signatures: 622
Rejected Petition Signatures: 144
Remaining Petition Signatures Needed: -0-
Percentage of Verified Petition Signatures Met: 100%

Required $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 411
Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 477
Rejected $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 72
Remaining $5.00 Qualifying Contributions Needed: -0-
Percentage of Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 100%

DISTRICT 3 CITY COUNCIL

City Council District 3 candidates who qualify for public finance will be given $40,000

Incumbent city councilor KLARISSA PENA has qualified for both the ballot and public finance. Challengers BENJAMIN TELLES and ANTHONY ZAMORA have both failed to gather the qualifying number of nominating signatures and qualifying $5.00 donations resulting in City Councilor Pena being the only one on the ballot. Both BENJAMIN TELLES and ANTHONY ZAMORA can run as write in candidates and others can run as private finance candidates.

KLARISSA PENA (Incumbent)

Required Petition Signatures: 500
Verified Petition Signatures: 613
Rejected Petition Signatures: 148
Remaining Petition Signatures Needed: -0-
Percentage of Verified Petition Signatures Met: 100%

Required $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 315
Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 342
Rejected $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 52
Remaining $5.00 Qualifying Contributions Needed: 0
Percentage of Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 100%

BENJAMIN TELLES

Required Petition Signatures: 500
Verified Petition Signatures: 75
Rejected Petition Signatures: 58
Remaining Petition Signatures Needed: 425
Percentage of Verified Petition Signatures Met: 15%

Required $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 315
Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 16
Rejected $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 4
Remaining $5.00 Qualifying Contributions Needed: 299
Percentage of Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 5%

ANTHONY ZAMORA

Required Petition Signatures: 500
Verified Petition Signatures: 286
Rejected Petition Signatures: 141
Remaining Petition Signatures Needed: 214
Percentage of Verified Petition Signatures Met: 57%

Required $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 315
Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 41
Rejected $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 2
Remaining $5.00 Qualifying Contributions Needed: 274
Percentage of Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 13%

DISTRICT 5 CITY COUNCIL

Incumbent CYNTHIA BORREGO and former City Councilor DAN LEWIS have both qualified for the ballot and public finance. Candidate PHILLIP RAMIREZ did collect the qualifying number of petition signatures and qualified for the ballot. Philip Ramirez did not qualify for public financing, but switched his financing status from public financing to private financing during the qualifying period.

City Council District 5 candidates who qualify for public finance will be given: $50,489.

CYNTHIA BORREGO (Incumbent)

Required Petition Signatures: 500
Verified Petition Signatures: 573
Rejected Petition Signatures: 244
Remaining Petition Signatures Needed: -0-
Percentage of Verified Petition Signatures Met: 100%

Required $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 505
Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 522
Rejected $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 78
Remaining $5.00 Qualifying Contributions Needed: -0-
Percentage of Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 100%

DAN LEWIS

Required Petition Signatures: 500
Verified Petition Signatures: 550
Rejected Petition Signatures: 31
Remaining Petition Signatures Needed: -0-
Percentage of Verified Petition Signatures Met: 100%

Required $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 505
Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 552
Rejected $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 22
Remaining $5.00 Qualifying Contributions Needed: -0-
Percentage of Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 100%

PHILLIP RAMIREZ

Required Petition Signatures: 500
Verified Petition Signatures: 556
Rejected Petition Signatures: 112
Remaining Petition Signatures Needed: -0-
Percentage of Verified Petition Signatures Met: 100%

Required $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 505
Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 7
Rejected $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: -0-
Remaining $5.00 Qualifying Contributions Needed: 498
Percentage of Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 1%

DISTRICT 7 CITY COUNCIL

Candidates TAMMY FIEBELKORN and TRAVIS KELLERMAN have both qualified for the ballot and public finance. Candidates EMILIE DE ANGELIS, MAURO WALDEN-MONTOYA and ANDRES VALDEZ, SR have qualified for the ballot collecting 500 signatures but failed to gather the number of qualifying $5.00 donations. Candidates Walden-Montoya and Valdez switched to private financing during the qualifying period and therefore will appear on the ballot. Candidate De Angelis can still run as a privately financed candidate.

City Council District 7 candidates who qualify for public finance will be given $44,194.

EMILIE DE ANGELIS

Required Petition Signatures: 500
Verified Petition Signatures: 530
Rejected Petition Signatures: 94
Remaining Petition Signatures Needed: -0-
Percentage of Verified Petition Signatures Met: 100%

Required $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 442
Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 120
Rejected $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 12
Remaining $5.00 Qualifying Contributions Needed: 322
Percentage of Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 27%

TAMMY FIEBELKORN

Required Petition Signatures: 500
Verified Petition Signatures: 661
Rejected Petition Signatures: 64
Remaining Petition Signatures Needed: -0-
Percentage of Verified Petition Signatures Met: 100%

Required $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 442
Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 493
Rejected $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 15
Remaining $5.00 Qualifying Contributions Needed: -0-
Percentage of Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 100%

TRAVIS KELLERMAN

Required Petition Signatures: 500
Verified Petition Signatures: 629
Rejected Petition Signatures: 76
Remaining Petition Signatures Needed: -0-
Percentage of Verified Petition Signatures Met: 100%

Required $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 442
Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 493
Rejected $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 15
Remaining $5.00 Qualifying Contributions Needed: -0-
Percentage of Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 100%

MAURO WALDEN-MONTOYA

Required Petition Signatures: 500
Verified Petition Signatures: 640
Rejected Petition Signatures: 127
Remaining Petition Signatures Needed: -0-
Percentage of Verified Petition Signatures Met: 100%

Required $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 442
Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 126
Rejected $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 5
Remaining $5.00 Qualifying Contributions Needed: 316
Percentage of Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 29%

ANDRES VALDEZ SR

Required Petition Signatures: 500
Verified Petition Signatures: 524
Rejected Petition Signatures: 100
Remaining Petition Signatures Needed: -0-
Percentage of Verified Petition Signatures Met: 100%

Required $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 442
Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 221
Rejected $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 31
Remaining $5.00 Qualifying Contributions Needed: 221
Percentage of Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 50%

DISTRICT 9 CITY COUNCIL

Both ROB GRILLEY,JR and RENEE GROUT have qualified for the ballot and public finance.

City Council District 9 candidates who qualify for public finance will be given $41,791.

ROB GRILLEY JR

Required Petition Signatures: 500
Verified Petition Signatures: 608
Rejected Petition Signatures: 28
Remaining Petition Signatures Needed: -0-
Percentage of Verified Petition Signatures Met: 100%

Required $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 418
Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 444
Rejected $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 7
Remaining $5.00 Qualifying Contributions Needed: -0-
Percentage of Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 100%

RENEE GROUT

Required Petition Signatures: 500
Verified Petition Signatures: 617
Rejected Petition Signatures: 97
Remaining Petition Signatures Needed: -0-
Percentage of Verified Petition Signatures Met: 100%

Required $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 418
Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 452
Rejected $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 55
Remaining $5.00 Qualifying Contributions Needed: -0-
Percentage of Verified $5.00 Qualifying Contributions: 100%

https://www.cabq.gov/vote/candidate-information/2021-candidates/petition-qualifying-contribution-tally-1

PRIVATELY FINANCED CANDIDATES FOR MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL

From June 8 to August 10, 2021, Privately Finance Candidates for Mayor must gather more than 3,000 signatures from registered voters within the City.

From July 6 to August 10, 2021, Privately Financed Candidates for City Council must gather more than 500 signatures from registered voters within the district the candidate wishes to represent.

Following is the listing of the 6 privately financed candidates running for city council seeking the 500 qualifying petition signatures:

District 1: Dan Serano
District 5: Phillip Ramirez
District 7: Lori Robertson and Andres Patrick Valdez, Sr.
District 9: Anddrew Lipman and Byron Powdrell

COMMENTARY

Congratulations to all those city councilor candidates who have made the ballot! Good luck, best wishes and thank you for running for public office.

On June 3, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham made it official that she is running for a second 4-year term. Protesters showed up and yelled into bullhorns. Some criticized her response to the COVID-19 pandemic while still others held anti-vaccination signs while at least one protester held a sign that compared Lujan Grisham to Adolf Hitler.

The Governor’s announcement speech was very short and she said:

“I’m sorry that we picked the same location that the QAnon lizard people meeting was at. … We’re gonna protect New Mexico and no amount of noise will deter, intimidate or create a vacuum in leadership. That makes a difference for every single New Mexican this day, and every day.”

Every governor since then has won a second term.

Links to related news coverage are here:

https://nmpoliticalreport.com/2021/06/03/1211436/

https://www.koat.com/article/gov-michelle-lujan-grisham-will-run-for-re-election/36623018

FIRST POLL SINCE ANNOUNCEMENT

On June 30, KOB 4 published the results of the first poll taken on the Governor’s approval rating. The report was prepared by KOB 4 reporter Chris Ramirez. Below is the Channel 4 news report followed by links to the news story and poll data:

KOB 4 partnered with the non-partisan polling company Survey USA to gauge New Mexicans’ opinions on a variety of important issues, including the governor’s job performance.

“On coronavirus, she is just really high in approval, but on crime, she doesn’t have approval above 50 percent,” Atkeson said. “It’s telling me that there are all these specific issues and people are saying I’m really on coronavirus, but I’m not so high on these other things and that is what is pushing her down and creating so much uncertainty. “

The link to the Channel 4 news story is here:

https://www.kob.com/new-mexico-news/poll-gov-lujan-grisham-has-50-approval-rating/6158319/

The link to the full poll is here:

https://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=3247819a-cbc2-4164-8a9c-8cf1f865c23e

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

In 2018 when elected to her first 4 year term, Michelle Lujan Grisham won with 57.2% of the vote (398,368) to 42.8% of the vote (298,091) cast for Steve Pearce. A more than 100,000 margin in votes is a blowout win.

A 50% overall approval rating and a 32% disapproval rating should not be surprising at this point in time for a Governor that has shown real leadership making difficult decisions and who has been very effective in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. The 59% approval rating dealing with the pandemic and the 49% approval rating dealing with the economy in all likely will increase as the state begins to reopen and things get back to normal.

Low approval ratings of 40% in both crime and policing issues is what Governors’ and Mayors’ across the country are dealing with as violent crime is a national trend. However, Governor Lujan Grisham has not totally ignored the issue and in fact has gotten behind legislation to deal with the issue, something that will be fleshed out as her bid for a second term gains full speed in the months ahead.

The one constituency that the Governor appears to need to work on is her 47% approval rating among Hispanics. 30% of Hispanics disapprove and 23% saying they were not sure of her job performance.

With an 80% approval rating from people who identify as Democrats, it is more likely than not Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham will have no opposition in the Democratic primary, and if so, it will be weak at best.

NASTY REPUBLICAN OPPOSITION

The race for New Mexico governor is a year and a half away. Two Republican candidates have announced their bid and have already gone negative.

SANDOVAL COUNTY COMMISSIONER JAY BLOCK

On April 18, 2021 Sandoval County Commissioner Jay Block announced he running for the Republican nomination for governor. Block, a retired lieutenant colonel who spent 21 years the Air Force and moved to Rio Rancho in 2015. Block has aligned himself with former President Donald Trump. In his announcement he said he is in favor of defunding abortion services and restoring qualified immunity for police officers.

In his announcement video Block said:

“This is a movement of shared values. … It’s time Michelle Lujan Grisham is out of office so we can start a new era of prosperity for New Mexicans.”

Block has already gotten nasty with his remarks about the Governor when he said:

“Michelle is proud of where New Mexico stands today. Michelle is proud New Mexico ranks last in education. Michelle is proud New Mexico ranks first in child poverty.”

GREG ZANETTI

On June 14, Republican Greg Zanetti announced his campaign. Zanetti is a former Bernalillo County Republican Chairman and a former New Mexico National Guard Brigadier General who now works in the business of wealth management. He has said in the past that he does not intend to get vaccinated for covid. With respect to the Governor, Zanetti had this to say:

“We had this autocratic governor come down and impose all these rules where we shut down businesses, locked down the kids, we shut the state down, and as the facts changed and we learned more about COVID, she didn’t adjust.”

Surprisingly, Republican conservative Zanetti is distancing himself from Der Führer of his party and former president Donald Trump and said:

“This isn’t about Donald Trump. It’s not about one person, it’s about a bigger message.”

Ostensibly, Zanetti did not get the memo from New Mexico Republican Party Chairman Steve Pierce that the Republican Party in the state and nationally are very much in lock step with Trump.

Former Republican Governor “She Who Shall Not Be Named” learned the hard way when she crossed Trump by not endorsing him. On May 26, 2015, appearing at a campaign rally in Albuquerque, Der Führer Trump unleashed a blistering assault on the former Republican Governor who skipped the event, by saying she was “not doing the job.” Trump faulted her by falsely asserting she was allowing Syrian refugees to settle in the state, and blamed her for Albuquerque’s unemployment numbers as well as the increase in the number of New Mexico residents on food stamps.

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/26/us/politics/donald-trump-gov-susana-martinez-new-mexico.html