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Monday, June 15, 2009
Elections Notebook
Some of the dust kicked up on the campaign trail ...
Congressional prospects
Republican Jon Barela has passed the $5,000 Federal Election Commission fundraising and spending threshold, which forces him to register as a candidate for the Albuquerque-based 1st Congressional District.
Barela said Friday he is still evaluating a possible bid for the seat now held by freshman Rep. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., but expects to make announcement soon about whether he will seek the GOP nomination in June 2010.
Meanwhile, Adam Kokesh, a possible 3rd Congressional District candidate in northern New Mexico, said he could be nearing a decision to run in 2010.
Kokesh, a graphic designer and "activist" from Santa Fe, is not affiliated with a party yet but said he has raised about $20,000 so far.
Council gripes
Albuquerque City Council District 5 candidate Dan Lewis is staying on the offensive, sending out a letter critical of incumbent Michael Cadigan's decision not to use public financing for his campaign.
But instead of sending the mailer out to all district voters, Lewis sent it to the list of Cadigan contributors.
"You have already provided the funds to finance his attempt to get re-elected — you don't have to pay twice for his campaign expenses," Lewis said in the letter.
Cadigan vacated the mayoral race after failing to qualify for the financing, which requires signatures and $5 donations from 1 percent of registered voters in the city or, for councilors, the district. Cadigan supported the new public financing law as a councilor.
"Unfortunately, this is just more of the same — negative campaigning, personal attacks, no mention of issues that matter to voters," Cadigan said.
Crime buster
Mayoral candidate Richard Berry used his own experience with property crime as a segue into his agenda for crime in Albuquerque at a news conference last week at a towing business.
Berry unveiled his plan for a sharp reduction in property crime in front of a truck that had been stolen from his construction business, then abandoned and burned.
The plan included prioritizing property crime calls for Albuquerque police, upping the funding for prevention programs and cracking down on businesses that buy stolen property.
"We are in need of new solutions and new commitments if we are going to reduce property crime in Albuquerque," Berry said. "This is a quality of life issue. We need a mayor who will take this head on and get results."
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