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Not Very Enchanting, Is It?

Domenici’s expected retirement opens up some interesting possibilities in New Mexican politics.  RCP notes that a political unknown and businessman from Santa Fe, Don Wiviott, has started a campaign for Senate on the Democratic side.  If either Udall or Madrid gets into the race, Wiviott’s chances are basically nil.  Since Wiviott prides himself on being a […]

Domenici’s expected retirement opens up some interesting possibilities in New Mexican politics.  RCP notes that a political unknown and businessman from Santa Fe, Don Wiviott, has started a campaign for Senate on the Democratic side.  If either Udall or Madrid gets into the race, Wiviott’s chances are basically nil.  Since Wiviott prides himself on being a “green-friendly” businessman, there is always the possibility that he might switch and try to run as a Green if he was unsatisfied with the eventual nominee.  The New Mexico Green Party is quite strong as third parties go and it has created problems for state and federal Democratic candidates in the past.  Even without Wiviott, the Greens might make trouble.  Most of the Greens’ glory days were back in the ’90s before 2000 shocked many Democrats into resisting the impulse to split the vote on the left, but they could still play spoiler.  A lot of funny ideas float around in northern New Mexico.  A weak or unacceptable Democratic nominee could invite a significant Green candidacy that could manage to save the Republicans a seat.  I expect the state GOP is starting to think about how it can encourage a Green revival.

As I have said elsewhere, the New Mexico Democrats would be fools to nominate Patricia Madrid.  Whatever people may say, I have the impression that Patricia Madrid couldn’t find her way out of a paper bag (and I say this as someone who reluctantly voted for her last year).  Not only did she interfere in the Vigil bribery case and nearly sabotage the federal case against him (which Iglesias was busily messing up on the U.S. Attorney’s end), which makes her judgement and her ethics as questionable as those of Heather Wilson, but she stood mute, stupefied, by a simple question about whether she would vote for tax increases.  From what I’ve heard from people back home, this was the moment that saved Wilson from defeat.  She’s not very good in debates, while Wilson is honed and actually quite smart.  I’m sorry to say that Wilson would have a decent chance to save the seat if the Democrats pursued the Madrid option.

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