Thoughts From Sam

This past weekend over 500 New Mexico Democrats attended our first “Rising Star” Dinner, which was a sold out extravaganza. Congressman Jaoquin Castro spoke strongly and eloquently about how Democrats are slowly but surely turning America ‘blue.’ The next day, close to 300 Dems attended our Fall SCC meeting which conducted important business, listened to potential 2014 candidates and adjourned early!

The big news was the announcement from Bernalillo County Clerk Maggie Toulouse Oliver-she is running for the Democratic nomination for Secretary of State. Finally, New Mexicans will have a chance to elect a competent, qualified individual that will be inclusive and committed to the enfranchisement of all voters rather than the repeated attempts to restrict and diminish the right to vote pushed  by the New Mexico Republican Party. 

Secretary of State Duran has been a disaster. From her first days in office, she has done everything possible to restrict, discourage and diminish the voting rights of New Mexicans.  Questioned by state legislators, Ms. Duran consistently blames lack of funds for any question she doesn’t want to answer. Usually staffed by at least one lackey, she instructs them to repeat the same “there’s no money” theme so that legislators will give up and move on to another question.

Like most Republicans and especially Governor Martinez, Ms. Duran is obsessed with voting fraud, clearly not the case in New Mexico. First there were 64,000 instances of “alleged” voter fraud turned over to state police. Then, when those wild, unsupported claims went nowhere, she moved on to the next urgent crisis: creating a new division to oversee elections and hiring the most extreme partisan hack available, former Senator Rod Adair. Now Ms. Duran is giving him the job overseeing outreach to Native Americans in New Mexico. Really? Seriously? 

Once again, Secretary of State Duran and Governor Martinez are on the wrong side of history. DPNM is building a future that will sweep them and the Republican Party aside so that all New Mexicans can have honesty and integrity in the election process.