New Mexico: Case Study for the Interior West
The Interior West is an important part of the country for Democrats this year. New Mexico is the ultimate swing state in the region. It was the closest (in margin) in both the 2000 and 2004 presidential contests. Every Congressional seat is open in 2008, as is the Senate seat of retiring Republican Pete Domenici. The west has important regional issues: water, public lands, fire, remote rural areas, large Native American and Hispanic populations and more. Speakers include the Democratic candidates for NM-01 and NM-03.
Martin Heinrich is the Democratic candidate for Congress in New Mexico's District 1. He is a former City Council president of Albuquerque. While on the Council, Martin spearheaded measures to crack down on crime, raise the minimum wage, create jobs and make New Mexico a leader in renewable energy. He served as Executive Director of the Cottonwood Gulch Foundation, and founded a consulting firm serving not-for-profit and education clients. Martin also served as Governor Richardson's Natural Resources Trustee, and worked to allocate funds to clean up contaminated land. Martin is very active in land use planning and conservation policy.
Ben Ray Luján is the Democratic nominee in New Mexico's 3rd Congressional District. As a New Mexico Public Regulation Commissioner and former chairman, Ben is a strong proponent of renewable energy production and protecting Western land. Ben fought to require utility companies to expand their use of renewable energy, making New Mexico a leader in renewable energy development. When the Bush administration refused to address global warming, Ben joined with his colleagues to create regional solutions to global warming that protect Western land. In Congress, Ben will continue to fight to develop renewable energy and protect Western land.
Denise Fort is an attorney, a water and natural resources specialist and a member of the Faculty of the University of New Mexico School of Law in Albuquerque, where she has also served as Director of UNM's interdisciplinary Water Resources graduate program.
Paul N. "Pete" McCloskey, 4th generation California Republican (since 1850). Born 1927, served in Congress, 1967-82. Co-Chair, First Earth Day, 1970. Challenged Nixon, 1972. Primary, New Hampshire seeking end to Vietnam War, got one delegate from New Mexico, Manuel Lujan. First floor speech suggesting Nixon impeachment, 1973. Lawyer. Returned to challenge Richard Pombo in Republican primary in 2006. Former Marine rifle platoon leader in Korea, two Purple Hearts, Navy Cross and Silver Star. Author, four books. Taught legal ethics, Stanford and Santa Clara Law Schools. Became a Democrat, 2007.
