Insider NM Politics

Insider New Mexico Politics

New Mexico politics are always interesting.   And especially with the change from the corrupt Richardson Democrat administration to the new Republican Governor-elect Susana Martinez.    One of her campaign themes is to clean up Santa Fe.    And based on what some of the Albuquerque, NM TV stations are running and stories we've heard out of Santa Fe in the last year of "Big Bill", it is a mess.     Add in the dramatic NM budget crunch (the shortfall was estimated at $300MM, but may actually be closer to $450MM) when the legislature gathers in January.    With the new Guv in town, less money means big changes.  

One of the best insider NM blogs is by Joe Monahan  http://www.joemonahansnewmexico.blogspot.com
This week he has been blogging on the changes in the NM House, as the Republicans picked up 8 seats and the Democrats cling to a narrow 37D to 33R majority.  While Speaker Lujan (R-Santa Fe) is still the Speaker nominee in January 2011, the numbers suggest that if all the R's and 3 Democrats formed a coalition, they could swing the vote away from Lujan as the Speaker.  Somewhere in the mix is empowered House Minority Leader Tom Taylor (R-Farmington), who has a much stronger hand with new Republican Governor and 8 new GOP members.  Plenty of blogger fogger.

Meanwhile, Lt. Governor John Sanchez will be in Farmington, NM right before Thanksgiving for part of the new Republican administration's "listening tour".  

(c) 2010, Jasper Welch, Four Corners Media, www.jasperwelch.org