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This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by editorial page staff and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Journal Endorsements in U.S. House Primaries



      2ND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
       Republican, Edward Tinsley III: Capitan rancher, lawyer, sometime Santa Fe resident and regional restaurateur Tinsley hopes to keep this southern district seat firmly in Republican hands.
       He has exhibited a determined work ethic that could do it. From making the sandwiches in his first Schlotzsky's sandwich shop in 1978 to running a working ranch, overseeing the 19-restaurant K-Bob's chain and helping oversee the Valles Caldera National Preserve as a trustee, Tinsley knows what it takes to balance needs and demands with an eye on healthy growth.
       He's strong on issues like securing the border, understanding that a fence works best in high-traffic areas but increased patrols and advanced technology are needed along the almost 2,000-mile stretch. He opposes amnesty for illegal immigrants but recognizes the value of temporary-worker visas. He's worked in oil and gas development but knows the importance of investing in wind, solar and nuclear energy. And while he says he will fight to increase funding at the state's national labs, he stresses the need to “diversify our interests.”
       Tinsley lost the 2002 nomination to Rep. Steve Pearce. Republican voters should send him on to the general election this time around.
      
       Democrat, Harry Teague: Hobbs businessman Teague isn't afraid of challenges. When he was 17 and his father fell ill, Teague dropped out of high school and went to work in the oil fields. He now owns Teaco Energy and employs about 250 people. When he served on the majority-Republican Lea County Commission, he ended up chairman.
       Now Teague is tackling another challenge, trying to break nearly three decades of Republican control over the southern New Mexico congressional seat. With a businessman's approach to problem-solving and the twang of the oil patch in his voice, Teague looks like a natural candidate to fill the shoes of Harold “Mud” Runnels, the conservative Democrat who represented the area until he died in office in 1980.
       Teague says the Iraq war has cost too much in lives and money, and he supports ending it “as soon as possible.” He opposes widespread barrier construction along the Mexican border, calling instead for an expanded guest-worker program. He says he will work to give all Americans the kind of health coverage that Congress has.
       The Journal endorses Harry Teague in the Democratic primary.
      
       3RD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
       Democrat, Ben R. Lujan: Voters can look to Lujan's record during four years on the state Public Regulation Commission. The PRC oversees a host of complex industries including telecommunications, insurance and power utilities. Now Lujan is running for the vacancy left as Tom Udall runs for the U.S. Senate.
       Lujan describes himself as a peacemaker who, as chairman, has succeeded in restoring some dignity to a scandal-plagued body. The Sierra Club, in endorsing Lujan, said he and the PRC have implemented some of the nation's most stringent renewable-energy requirements for utilities.
       What distinguishes him from a crowded field in the Democratic primary, Lujan says, is his willingness to “stand up to industry.” He counts title insurance reform among achievements; also hanging tough when it comes to requiring the state's biggest telecommunications company, Qwest, to honor commitments to improve infrastructure.
       During Lujan's tenure, the commission has made positive changes in how title insurance companies do business, while the real reform effort — which requires legislative action — has stalled. The Qwest deal was in the works before Lujan was elected but was approved with his support in March 2005.
       Lujan's career has no doubt benefited from his politically powerful father, House Speaker Ben Lujan. But if he continues to mature in Congress as he has on the PRC, he would represent the state and his district well.
      
       Republican, Marco Gonzales: A longtime aide to New Mexico's venerable Sen. Pete Domenici, Gonzales has logged almost as much time in the practice of public policy law with a prestigious New Mexico firm. He has degrees from two high-ranking private universities and counts, among his major personal accomplishments, working his way through both of those institutions.
       His years in Washington have given him an insider's grasp of the mechanics of our political system. He says that helping to reverse a Department of Defense decision to close Kirtland Air Force Base counts as one of his major professional achievements.
       Gonzales faces a tough run in the general election — registered Democrats outnumber Republicans in the 3rd District by a margin of 2-to-1. But he's a highly qualified candidate and, as he notes, 2008 is shaping up to be a year for massive electoral turnout and a pivotal role for independent voters and those thirsty for change.
       The Journal recommends that voters advance Gonzales to the general election as the Republican nominee.
      

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