A new Senator

For third time in my 32 years, New Mexico will have a new senator with Jeff Bingaman retiring as his term expires at the end of 2012. Bingaman happened to be the first new Senator New Mexico has had during my lifetime and when his term expires, will have served in the US Senate for 30 years. The announcement came last week, just before Bingaman’s kabuki theatre grilling this week of the New Mexico Gas Company following delivery problems stemming from recent freezing temperatures not seen in New Mexico in more than two decades. What was most striking of the announcement was the initial response of shock expressed by local and national news agencies. It could be surprising to learn that an entrenched senator would budge from such a lofty perch but one should not be shocked that someone approaching their 68th birthday would elect to retire. Anyway, the only sentiment that I can attribute to Senator Bingaman is that he helped to solidify my positions that direct elections of senators was a mistake and the lack of term limits for any elected office is an atrocity.

To Bingaman’s eventual replacement the state democrat party sanctioned a survey with a ton of candidates resulting in a lot of support for US Representative Martin Heinrich, who has proven to be worthy as Bingaman’s intellectual and political heir, and I don’t mean that as a compliment. Heinrich is ambitious and regarded as a good fund raiser, but these are not positive attributes when discussing political creatures. Heinrich’s positions, statements, votes and responses prove that he is a liberal, progressive, whatever-they-use-next, democrat politician who represents the interests of those whom he agrees with or is beholden to for financial support.

In New Mexico politics, name recognition is an immense factor and if the democrats don’t nominate from the recent retread trio of Martin Chavez, Bill Richardson (laugh) or Diane Denish it seems a good chance that Heinrich could win the nomination as the congressman from the State’s single largest urban area. This could be a good thing if he proves to be unelectable to statewide office or a bad thing if he proves to be electable. Electing Heinrich would be a mistake and ensure more of the same patronage spending tied to the perpetual money machine made up of public sector unions, the state’s large federal presence and the democrat party, ensuring a senator that represents the narrow interests of Nob Hill.

Truth is, any democrat selected to run for senator would be the same, leaving it to the Republican’s to nominate a responsible legislator, able to represent New Mexico’s interests in the US Senate instead of lobbying for handouts that benefit their paymasters. Former representative Heather Wilson would be an excellent senator as an intelligent and accomplished person who had a great record as a house member and was heralded by her constituents when they contacted her whether or not they agreed with her positions. Unfortunately for Wilson, she was almost constantly attacked by political hacks for personal reasons and after five terms in the house there may be a fatigue factor.

While Wilson holds the edge over other candidates in regard to experience our recent gubernatorial race has provided a candidate who has useful experience and has the stage presence that could lead to election. I stated on this very blog that Doug Turner should have run for US House against Heinrich last year instead of running for Governor and an open senate seat provides an opportunity for another chance at public office. Turner works in the private sector. He was a part of Governor Gary Johnson’s campaigns and administrations. He is a clear conservative and excellent speaker. Jon Barela, who ran unsuccessfully against Heinrich last fall, is also mentioned and proved to be a worthy candidate, but he just did not do well enough to expect that he could succeed in a statewide race.

If anything is going to change, both in our state and in our country then we need responsible lawmakers. Governor Martinez has started moving things in the right direction for New Mexico; Mayor Berry has done the same for Albuquerque. Former Senator Domenici was a nice enough person but in the last 18 years of his 36 year reign in the US Senate became a creature of Washington politics, ‘doing’ things for New Mexico is not bringing home the pork, it was past time for him to retire in 2009 and likewise it’s past time for Jeff Bingaman to retire. The democrats will treat the seat as their birthright and the only way to win will be to nominate a conservative with thick skin and an ability to effectively convey ideas, that person should be Doug Turner, if he desires to run that is.