U.S. ELECTIONS | Guide to the 2008 Election
31 January 2008
With Super Tuesday Nearing, Candidates Court New Mexico Voters
Southwestern state likely to see several highly competitive races in 2008
Washington – During the 2004 presidential primary, New Mexico was bustling with activity as Democrats competed in the state's nomination contest. But in the 2008 race, the political scene has been quiet – until now.
Assuming the state would nominate its "favorite son," Governor Bill Richardson, other Democratic candidates opted to spend little time or money campaigning in New Mexico. When Richardson dropped out January 10, the door to New Mexico’s delegates was suddenly open.
With New Mexico’s February 5 Democratic caucus only days away, Illinois Senator Barack Obama and New York Senator Hillary Clinton are moving staff members into the state. Both campaigns have set up offices in Albuquerque, the state's largest city and home to most New Mexico 1st voters.
The candidates are working on securing endorsements from New Mexico's politicians, but neither has gained what could be the most important endorsement – that of Richardson. So far, the governor and former presidential candidate has not endorsed anyone.
Local politicians are not the only ones campaigning around Albuquerque for the presidential candidates. On January 31, former President Bill Clinton visited the University of New Mexico to discuss his wife’s “solutions for America.” Meanwhile Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy, an Obama supporter, discussed immigration at the city’s National Hispanic Cultural Center. He gave some of his speech in Spanish to residents of a state whose constitution declare both English and Spanish are the state’s official languages.
The city is about to get another high-profile visitor: Obama plans to visit Albuquerque February 1 to hold an economic summit.
Those who do not attend the political events will have the opportunity to hear from the candidates in television ads that recently began running on local television stations. One Obama ad describes how he would improve early childhood education and another emphasizes his campaign theme of bringing change. Clinton hit the television airwaves with an ad about her proposals to improve the economy by freezing home foreclosures and providing tax relief to the middle class.
Even though the New Mexico Democratic nominating contest officially is called a caucus, it operates much like a primary. The polls in New Mexico are open for several hours; a voter casts his or her ballot and then leaves. Republicans will hold their primary in June.
COMPETIVE RACES ABOUND IN NEW MEXICO
Voters in the New Mexico 1st are unlikely to get a break from politics after the presidential caucus. Nearly every elected federal office will be on the ballot 2008.
Long-serving Senator Pete Domenici announced he would retire at the end of his term due to health reasons. All three of New Mexico’s U.S. House representatives – Republicans Heather Wilson and Steve Pearce, and Democrat Tom Udall – have announced they will seek Domenici's seat.
Because these members of the House of Representatives are competing for the Senate seat, New Mexico voters will be sending three new legislators to the U.S. House of Representatives.
There is already a crowded field of candidates seeking the New Mexico 1st congressional seat that Wilson currently holds.
On the Democratic side there is Robert Pidcock, an attorney running for his first elected office; Albuquerque City Councilor Martin Heinrich; and former state Health Secretary Michelle Lujan Grisham. Republicans Darren White, Bernalillo County Sheriff, and Joe Carraro, a state senator, are seeking their party's nomination.
Other politicians say they still are considering entering the congressional race, and one candidate already has dropped out – attorney Jon Adams moved to Santa Fe, where he will instead run for the New Mexico 3rd District seat.
"I can't imagine it not being a competitive contest," Lonna Atkeson, a political science professor at the University of New Mexico, said of the New Mexico 1st congressional race. Albuquerque residents are used to seeing a close race because Wilson usually faced tough competition. She won her last election by just 800 votes.
Congressional candidates will face off in primaries in June. However, unlike in most states, these candidates have an extra election in which they will have to participate – a March pre-primary convention. A 2007 state law mandates that a candidate must earn the support of at least 20 percent of the delegates participating in the pre-primary convention to earn a place on the primary ballot.
This fall, the bustle of political activity in New Mexico will not just be due to the congressional races – presidential candidates likely will visit as the general election nears.
With a diverse population that includes Hispanics, American Indians, scientists and ranchers, New Mexico is a swing state that could be won by either the Republican or the Democratic presidential candidate. In both 2000 and 2004, the vote difference between the candidates was smaller than any other state. For example, former Vice President Al Gore won the state by only 300 votes in 2000.
Additionally, New Mexico is a bellwether state, with a record of nearly always being won by the candidate who ultimately wins the presidency.
"Historically, [New Mexico] is a great place to be … with all this activity," Atkeson said. "And we only have five electoral votes."
