Grant County Democratic Party
Obama leads in New Mexico - PPP
http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/2011/06/obama-leads-in-new-mexico.html Barack Obama's popularity in New Mexico is on the decline but he still appears to be in pretty good shape to win the state again in 2012. 50% of voters in the state approve of the job Obama's doing to 44% who disapprove. When PPP polled New Mexico in February Obama was at a 55/40 spread. Since then he's seen a significant decline in his standing with independents, from 60% giving him good marks to just 49%. And he's also seen a more modest drop with Democrats, from 77% pleased with his performance to 72%. Obama's still a strong favorite against any of the serious Republican candidates for President though. Only Mitt Romney fares significantly better than John McCain did in 2008 when he lost the state by 15 points. He trails the President by 7 points at 49-42. Obama blows away the rest of the field- he leads Michele Bachmann and Tim Pawlenty by 15 points each at 52-37 and 51-36 respectively, has a 16 point advantage over Herman Cain at 52-36, and trounces Sarah Palin by 20 points at 56-36. The New Mexico numbers are another data point to just how much more electable Romney is than the rest of the Republican field right now- an 8 point gap between how he does against Obama compared to any other GOP hopeful is significant and we've seen something similar in our national polling too. Romney does the best of the serious Republican candidates in the state but one GOP candidate who is an asterisk in national polling actually comes closer to Obama than he does- the state's former Governor Gary Johnson who trails by only 3 points at 46-43. Although Obama leads the rest of the Republican candidates by 16-26 points with independents, Johnson actually tops the President with that voter group at 46-37. He also picks up more than 20% of the Democratic vote. Johnson's unusually popular for a Republican...with voters who aren't Republicans...his problem is the primary voters who hold the key to the nomination. Numbers we'll release tomorrow show he's not doing terribly well on that front even in his home state. Out of the Bush 2004/Obama 2008 states New Mexico seems the least likely to flip back to the Republicans in 2012.
Obama leads in New Mexico
85 DAYS OF CRICKETS
For Immediate Release
June 28, 2011
Contact: Shripal Shah, (202) 485-3129
85 DAYS OF CRICKETS: HEATHER WILSON & JOHN SANCHEZ STILL REFUSE TO STAND UP AGAINST THE REPUBLICAN PLAN TO END MEDICARE FOR 12 WEEKS
85 Days Since Republicans Unveiled The Radical Plan To Cut End Medicare For 21,400 New Mexico Seniors
75 Days Since House Republicans Voted To Force New Mexico Seniors To Pay $4,755 More Annually For Health Care
35 Days Since Senate Republicans Voted To Slash Nursing Home Care For New Mexico Seniors
21 Days Since Republican Leaders in D.C. Urged Wilson, Sanchez To Get On Board With Republican Medicare Plan
It's been 85 days since Republicans in Washington D.C. unveiled their radical plan to privatize Medicare in favor of tax cuts for Big Oil and millionaires but for 12 weeks, Heather Wilson and John Sanchez have refused to stand up against his/her party’s attacks on seniors and the middle class. While Senate Republicans voted to cut Medicare benefits for 21,400 New Mexico seniors, Heather Wilson and John Sanchez are showing their true colors by standing against New Mexico seniors, and their silence is deafening.
"New Mexicans simply don’t want Republicans to privatize Medicare and force New Mexico seniors to pay on average $4,755 more each year healthcare, but for 85 days, Heather Wilson and John Sanchez have refused to speak out against the Republican plan,” said Shripal Shah, spokesman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. “John Sanchez and Heather Wilson’s decision to sit on the sidelines while Republicans in Washington voted to cut Medicare benefits for 21,400 New Mexico seniors and give billion dollar tax breaks to their special interest friends tells New Mexicans everything they need to know about who Heather Wilson and John Sanchez will fight for in Washington, and it’s most definitely not seniors or the middle class."
For nearly three months, Heather Wilson and John Sanchez have refused to denounce their party's extreme plan to end Medicare, sending a chilling message to New Mexico seniors and the middle class. Over the past three months, Republicans in Washington have unveiled their dangerous plan to privatize Medicare, voted on it twice and even seen their leaders demand that Republican candidates get on board. All the while, Wilson and Sanchez have done nothing to demonstrate that they can be trusted to protect Medicare from privatization.
"When it comes to New Mexico seniors, Heather Wilson and John Sanchez have made it crystal clear that they simply can't be trusted in any way, shape or form," Shah added.
Background:
Wall Street Journal: GOP Plan Would “End Medicare.” According to the Wall Street Journal, “The plan would essentially end Medicare, which now pays most of the health-care bills for 48 million elderly and disabled Americans, as a program that directly pays those bills.” [Wall Street Journal, 4/04/11]
House GOP Leader Cantor: Senate Candidates Should Support Plan. When asked at a town hall meeting yesterday if Senate candidates should support the Republican plan that ends Medicare in order to preserve tax breaks for the rich and oil companies, House Majority Leader Canter answered, "Yes... I believe that the proposal that we've put forward is a credible plan to reduce spending and to reform the system so that we can see a return to prosperity." [Associated Press, 6/8/11]
“Neither Of The Top Republican Contenders Have Rushed To Thoroughly Embrace The Ryan Plan — But Neither Joined The Democrats In Bashing It.” [Santa Fe New Mexican, 5/30/11]
Sanchez: Budget is a “Very Good Start.” Lt. Gov. John Sanchez, in an email statement, said, "I haven't seen a perfect budget solution yet, but Paul Ryan's is a very good start. We must rein in government spending. It is immoral to spend money we don't have." He declined to state what he would have preferred to see in the plan. [Santa Fe New Mexican, 5/30/11]
Wilson: I Give Ryan “A Lot of Credit.” Former U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson, when asked about the plan, said, "The greatest threat to seniors is to do nothing to save it, which is the Democratic plan. ... I don't agree with everything in the Ryan plan, but I give him a lot of credit for trying to have a serious debate about saving Medicare. Democrats have not offered one single idea to save Medicare." [Santa Fe New Mexican, 5/30/11]
National Journal: Both Campaigns in New Mexico Refused to Comment on GOP Budget. “In New Mexico, the campaign of former Rep. Heather Wilson did not comment when asked by Hotline On Call where she stood. Wilson's main GOP opponent, Lt. Gov. John Sanchez, when pressed in an interview Tuesday over whether he would vote for the measure, declined to commit to a yes or no vote.” [National Journal, 5/26/11]
Wilson Refused To Say Whether She Would Have Supported The Republican Budget. In May 2011, Bloomberg News reported that Wilson has refused to say whether she would have supported the Republican proposal to replace Medicare with a subsidy helping senior citizens buy private health insurance if she was in office. [Bloomberg News, 5/27/11]
Wilson “Praised The Ryan Budget Plan, While Not Embracing All Aspects Of The Medicare Proposal.” In May 2011, the Las Cruces Sun-News reported that in a meeting with the paper’s editorial board, Wilson “praised the Ryan budget plan, while not embracing all aspects of the Medicare proposal.” [Las Cruces Sun-News, 5/28/11]
The Republican plan to end Medicare will increase out-of-pocket health care costs for a typical 65 year-old New Mexico senior by $4,755 in 2022 – more than double the cost under current law. [DPCC Fact Sheet]
In New Mexico, more than 21,400 seniors would pay $12 million more for prescription drugs in 2012 alone under the Republican plan. [DPCC Fact Sheet]
In New Mexico, the Republican plan could cut $4.5 billion in federal health care funding for seniors and the disabled through Medicaid, including life-saving nursing home care.
ICYMI: Martinez: "They Are Not Unconstitutional, We Researched the Issue..." Wrong Again.
ICYMI: Martinez: "They Are Not Unconstitutional, We Researched the Issue..." Wrong Again In Case You Missed It... Susana Martinez is on tape defending her attempted power grab through line-item vetoes - which was struck down yesterday by a unanimous vote in the NM Supreme Court - as perfectly legal. That's right, in this interview from May 19, 2011 by New Mexico's Watchdog, Susana can be seen defending her abuse of power through line item vetoes when she answers a question about her actions by saying, "...they are not unconstitutional, we researched the issue..." We just have one question: As a prosecutor - especially one who built her political career on her legal skills and who never lets us forget it - shouldn't Martinez have the legal knowledge necessary to know better? Check here for the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFkW27LsL5U See below for some of the coverage on Susana's 3rd rebuke by New Mexico's Supreme Court in just 6 months: Analysis: Court reins in governor testing power limit - Santa Fe New Mexican Please also see our statement: Susana Martinez Still Batting .000
Court Throws Out Gov.’s Line-Item Veto - Albuquerque Journal
Legislators vs. Martinez: Court strikes down veto - Las Cruces Sun-News
Susana Martinez Overstepped Authority With Line-Item Veto: New Mexico State Supreme Court - Huffington Post
NM Supreme Court Unanimously Rules Against Susana Martinez's Line Item Veto on Housing Authority Funding - Democracy for New Mexico
Court: Martinez veto went too far - AP
Susana Martinez Still Batting .000
Susana Martinez Still Batting .000
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Scott Forrester
June 22, 2011 505-934-5681
Albuquerque - Today the New Mexico Supreme Court voted 5-0 that Susana Martinez illegally vetoed a bill by changing the amount of money that Legislators approved for a housing project. Below is a statement from Javier Gonzales, Democratic Party of New Mexico Chairman, on Susana Martinez's simple lack of ability to following the law and continued broken promises:
ICYMI: Democrats question scope of review
Democrats question scope of review
By Milan Simonich Santa Fe Bureau
Posted: 06/19/2011 10:24:32 PM MDT
Las Cruces Sun News URL: http://www.lcsun-news.com/las_cruces-news/ci_18313019
SANTA FE - Democrats on a legislative committee made Secretary of State Dianna Duran the butt of jokes and criticism Friday, saying she had mishandled an investigation into voter fraud.
Duran, a Republican, has forwarded 64,000 voter records to state police so its investigators can help determine whether any laws were broken.
Those under investigation account for about 5 percent of New Mexico's 1.16 million registered voters.
State Sen. Cisco McSorley, D-Albuquerque, told fellow members of the Courts, Corrections and Justice Committee that the massive scope of Duran's investigation shocked him. He questioned her logic and her tactics.
"I sure don't think this is a public-safety issue," McSorley said of Duran's decision to involve police.
He said New Mexico's 33 county clerks, who supervise elections, were "more than capable" of helping Duran determine if any election laws were violated.
Most of all, McSorley said, Duran's decision to call on police to review 64,000 records was a bad use of valuable resources.
"I cannot remember one documented case of voter fraud," he said.
Neither could anybody else on the committee.
Duran, in an earlier interview, said she felt obligated to turn over to police the cases that she considered "questionable" or that needed "further review."
Her staff began checking voter records in March. At that juncture, Duran told state legislators that she had suspicions about 37 voters.
Red flags were raised, she said, when her staff compared voter registration rolls to the state driver's license records of foreign nationals. Illegal immigrants can obtain a New Mexico driver's license, but cannot vote because they are not U.S. citizens.
But the so-called foreign national database includes many people who indeed are U.S. citizens. Years ago, they may have obtained their driver's licenses with passports rather than Social Security cards, so they landed in the foreign database.
Duran would not say how her investigation had ballooned from 37 cases to tens of thousands, but legislators said they think they know.
State Rep. Antonio Maestas, D-Albuquerque, said small variations of voters' names or initials probably would explain almost all 64,000 cases.
Maestas even predicted that he was on Duran's list of suspicious voters. The reason, he said, was that he had generally stopped using his given first name of Antonio in favor of his nickname of "Moe" Maestas.
State Sen. Clint Harden, R-Clovis, agreed that many voters' names vary slightly from one piece of identification to another. To demonstrate his point, Harden pulled out his driver's license, concealed-carry permit, credit card and voter identification card. Some identify him as a "junior" but others do not, he said.
Sen. Mary Jane Garcia, D-Do a Ana, said Duran's maneuver reminded her of a voter investigation that targeted Democrats during the administration of former Republican governor Gary Johnson.
"It got laughed out of court," Garcia said.
McSorley suggested that the committee might want to call Duran and Gorden Eden, secretary of the Department of Public Safety, to shed light on why they handled the cases this way.
One Republican on the 17-member committee, Rep. Thomas Anderson of Albuquerque, publicly supported Duran for launching the investigation.
"The secretary of state was handed a problem that wasn't of her making," he said of apparent discrepancies in voter identifications. "We should not criticize her for that part of her effort."
If the investigation finds fraud in even 1 percent of the cases, that would be substantial wrongdoing involving 640 people, Anderson said.
Former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias, a Republican, spent more than a year looking into voter fraud allegations in New Mexico. In the end, Iglesias said, he had not a single case to prosecute.
Santa Fe Bureau Chief Milan Simonich can be reached at msimonich@tnmnp.com or 505-820-6898. His blog is at nmcapitolreport.com.
Martinez Turns a Deaf Ear to New Mexico's Uninsured
Martinez Turns a Deaf Ear to New Mexico's Uninsured
Albuquerque, NM - Earlier this week, Governor Susana Martinez signed a letter with other Republican governors calling for the repeal of Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
If it wasn’t already clear, it is now. When Governor Susana Martinez called for the repeal of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, she made it painfully obvious she is no friend to New Mexicans who can’t afford to see a doctor when they get sick.
Javier Gonzales, Chairman of the Democratic Party of New Mexico, released the following statement:
"Healthcare reform is a great start to fixing some pretty ugly flaws in a broken healthcare system, including the rising healthcare costs and falling access to health insurance affect us all: families, small businesses, seniors and children."
"By signing on to this blatantly partisan letter signed only by Republican Governors, Susana makes it clear she thinks we were better off when a child receiving life-saving cancer treatment could be cut off at anytime or a child with pre-existing conditions were being denied coverage in ever-increasing numbers. In these tough economic times New Mexicans are searching for solutions to our problems not backward thinking that got us into this mess."
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NM GOP Begins Summer With Junkyard Brawl
John Sanchez's recent decision to run for the US Senate has riled NM Republicans into a junk yard brawl - check it out:
First punch: Statement from Susana Martinez on John Sanchez's arrival to the Senate run - 5/24/2011
“I wish all of the candidates for the U.S. Senate well and do not intend to make an endorsement in the Republican primary at this time.
“It is Lt. Governor Sanchez's decision to pursue what he believes is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to run for the Senate. However, it is my responsibility to keep my word to the people of New Mexico by pursuing the reform agenda I promised and delivering the results they deserve. To prevent this race from becoming a distraction, Lt. Governor Sanchez will not be given responsibilitiesin my administration beyond the select few provided for in the state Constitution."
Second Punch: From Abq Chief Public Safety Office Darren White's Twitter Account: @darrenpwhite - 5/24/2011
"The way I read it, Gov Martinez just told Lt Gov Sanchez "thanks for nothing." Ouch! @thenewmexican: ow.ly/1cQw7X”
Third Punch: Statement from Heather Wilson for Senate reacting to John Sanchez's announcement- 5/24/2011
"We welcome Lt. Governor Sanchez into the race and look forward to contrasting Heather Wilson's conservative record with his invented one. On issue after issue John Sanchez is not who he says he is, and Republican voters will be quick to figure that out."
Fourth Punch: Statement from State Senator Kent Cravens asking John Sanchez to resign - 5/24/2011
"I have had the privilege of speaking with folks from all over the state regarding the duties and obligations of the office of Lt. Governor both statutory and implied. The most important of these duties is for the Lt. Governor to promote healthy dialogue between the Governor’s office (the executive branch) and the legislature all for the benefit of our constituents. As a senator I am disappointed that this critical communication link has been severed by our Lt. Governor seeking another office after so short a time in his current office."
Fifth Punch: John Sanchez responds to Susana Martinez's statement on his role as Lt. Gov - 5/25/2011
In an interview with The Fix, Sanchez responded, "You probably would have to ask either the governor or her staff to expound on that."
Sixth Punch: Susana Martinez shows up as "surprise guest of Heather's" at the Economic Forum breakfast - 5/25/2011:
Click here and here for the amusing photos.
When will the next punch be thrown? Your guess is as good as mine, but stay tuned....
ICYMI: Is Heather Wilson Manufacturing Support?
Is Heather Wilson Manufacturing Support?
Albuquerque, NM - U.S. Senate Candidate Heather Wilson on Friday listed Rudy Jaramillo, Mayor of Belen, as an endorser of her campaign for the United States Senate. However the ABQ Journal reports no such endorsement occurred. Scott Forrester, Executive Director of the Democratic Party of New Mexico, released the following statement regarding the false endorsement:
"This is a very troubling action by a person running for the United States Senate. Heather Wilson and her campaign should do a better job of vetting their endorsements. This says everything about the type of campaign she is running," said Scott Forrester. "Heather Wilson’s actions bring into question all of her prior endorsements and whether she is just manufacturing support."
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Tuesday, May 24, 2011
By Sean Olson
Of the Journal
NEVER MIND: Republican Senate candidate Heather Wilson seemed to have pulled a coup Friday, when her campaign sent out a statement that included news of an endorsement from Belen Mayor Rudy Jaramillo, a Democrat.
Problem was, the endorsement was news to Jaramillo.
"I haven't endorsed anybody. I have made no endorsement of Heather Wilson," Jaramillo said Monday. "I don't even know where that came from at all."
Jaramillo said he never received a call from Wilson's campaign and was never asked if he would endorse the former U.S. representative.
After a Journal inquiry about the endorsement, Wilson provided this statement:
"There was apparently a miscommunication with Mayor Rudy Jaramillo of Belen. We are removing his name from our list of endorsers," Wilson said.
Aside from the statement, officials with Wilson's campaign had no further comment Monday.
URL: http://www.abqjournal.com/news/state/24239443766newsstate05-24-11.htm#ix...
STATEMENT: DPNM Chairman Javier Gonzales on Lt. Gov. John Sanchez's Entrance into the U.S. Senate Race
For Immediate Release Contact: Scott Forrester
May 24, 2011 505 934 5681
The following is a statement from Javier Gonzales, Chairman of the Democratic Party of New Mexico, on Lt. Guv John Sanchez's Entrance into the U.S. Senate Race:
"John Sanchez's entry into this field is a weak and desperate attempt by the Republican Party to placate the Tea party's extreme right wing agenda. The biggest question now is which one will be the first to support Paul Ryan and Speaker John Boehner's plan to end Medicare for New Mexico's Senior Citizens and balance the budget on the backs of working class New Mexicans. New Mexicans will not forget Heather WIlson's ethical lapses or John Sanchez's use of undocumented workers at his roofing company. Neither John Sanchez nor Heather Wilson are the right choice to fill Jeff Bingaman's shoes," said Chairman Javier Gonzales. "The race to the right between Heather Wilson and John Sanchez has begun and New Mexican's will have none of it. When the time comes New Mexico will overwhelmingly reject a Tea Party Senator."
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Judy Baker Elected Treasurer of the National Federation of Democratic Women
Doña
Ana County Democratic Party
P.O. Box 16144
Las Cruces, NM 88004-6144
(575) 524-4444
For Immediate Release
For more information contact:
Stephen Jones (575)526-5636
email: srsjones825@gmail.com
photo: Judy Baker
Judy
Baker Elected Treasurer of the National Federation of Democratic Women
Judy Baker of Las Cruces has been elected as
national treasurer of the National Federation of Democratic Women, a nationwide
organization affiliated with the Democratic National Committee, the governing
body of the Democratic Party. Baker was elected by delegates at the
Federation's national convention which was held in Washington, D.C. from May 18
through May 22.
Baker, who lives in Las Cruces, and has long been
active in New Mexico state and local political and issue campaigns, and is also
President of the Doña Ana County Democratic Women, the local affiliate of the
national Federation, and she sits on the State Central Committee of the
Democratic Party of New Mexico.
The National Federation of Democratic Women is an open
membership organization with a New Mexico affiliate and local chapters in both Bernalillo
and Doña Ana Counties.
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