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Thursday, November 05, 2009
Renewed Hope for GOP Hopefuls
By Michael Coleman
Journal Washington Bureau
New Mexico's Republican candidates for governor each celebrated GOP wins in the New Jersey and Virginia gubernatorial contests Tuesday the same way: by blasting out press releases on Wednesday.
Cracking down on corruption and reining in runaway spending were common themes among all three Republican contenders in New Mexico.
"Tonight's results in both New Jersey and Virginia demonstrate that voters across the country are concerned with massive deficits, increased taxes, and reckless fiscal policies," said Susana Martinez, the Doña Ana County district attorney. "The same holds true here in New Mexico where voters are fed up with the waste, fraud and abuse in state government and the runaway spending that has left our state bankrupt."
"Conservative values swept today as voters, angry at being ignored by an arrogant big government elite, threw out even the best funded incumbents," said Albuquerque businessman Doug Turner. "The only difference between today's outcome and where New Mexicans stand is that we have even more reason to change the balance of power because of how terribly plagued by corruption New Mexico has been as of late."
"Tonight's GOP victories in New Jersey and Virginia are testimony to Americans' desire for real leadership and commonsense values," said Allen Weh, former chairman of the New Mexico Republican Party and now a gubernatorial candidate. "A year from today, New Mexico voters will head to the polls to decide between a new direction for their future or eight more years of overspending and higher taxes. What is happening nationally is being felt right here at home."
With New Mexico mired in government corruption allegations and facing huge budget deficits, the Republicans understandably found something to cheer about in Tuesday's results. But it's worth noting that New Mexico is not Virginia or New Jersey and the 2010 election is still a year away.
BIDEN, PALIN COMING: Vice President Joe Biden will appear at the Hotel Andaluz in downtown Albuquerque on Monday to raise money for New Mexico Democratic Reps. Martin Heinrich and Harry Teague. Details were still sketchy Wednesday, but the New Mexico visit will mark the first for Biden since he assumed the vice presidency.
Meanwhile, former vice presidential candidate — and possible 2012 presidential contender — Sarah Palin will bring her book tour to Albuquerque sometime before mid-December. The Albuquerque date has not been set, but The Associated Press confirmed that she will stop in New Mexico's largest city to promote "Going Rogue," her new book, which comes out on Nov. 17. The book tour ends Dec. 10.
Other stops include Noblesville, Ind.; Washington, Pa.; and Rochester, N.Y.
"She wants to be unconventional. She is unconventional," HarperCollins spokeswoman Tina Andreadis told the AP on Wednesday, referring to Palin's decision to skip some major cities, such as New York and Los Angeles. "She feels like this is where her fans are, and Harper feels this is where she'll sell the most books."
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