Time for another timely and always highly anticipated edition of Reader Vox Populi. We start with that hot as a pistol race for state Senate District 15 in ABQ's NE Heights where Dem Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto faces a primary challenge from progressive Heather Berghmans.Reader Barbara Gay writes: I have worked within the Legislature for many years and had always respected Sen. Ortiz y Pino’s ..read more

Jeff ApodacaAn advocacy group called The New Mexico Project is unleashing vigorous attacks against the state's progressive Democrats and advocating for a field of conservative candidates in the June 4 primary. Their message is that the dominant progressives have failed to improve the state despite having the reins of power in Santa Fe and elsewhere and in the process have sidelined ..read more

New Mexico's 20 year waiting game with Virgin Galactic and Spaceport America may be about to end in a crash landing. The stock of billionaire Richard Branson's company dived below a dollar a share Monday, an all-time low. If the stock stays under a buck for 30 days it risks being delisted from the NASDAQ which would dramatically impact its ability to raise desperately needed funding. &nbsp ..read more

Sec. Haaland (Bush, Journal)It's true. Your blog is at the head of the parade when it comes to monitoring a possible 2026 Guv run by Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland. We're not shying away from that beat either as top state Democrats have been quietly chattering for months over Haaland's intentions. That includes a longtime Dem consultant with ties to Haaland who sends along this photo of a ..read more

Quezada Bernalillo County Commissioner Steven Michael Quezada, also an actor and comic, upstaged his fellow commissioners recently when he walked out of a commission meeting. We blogged about it and he responded:  It's important to recognize that the U.S. Constitution protects the minority party's voice through the Bill of Rights, ensuring everyone can freely express their opinions. Although ..read more

Call it the battle of the Democratic titans. Because it is. But it's not necessarily the candidates on the ballot. MLG and House Speaker Javier Martinez have a pleasant enough relationship but behind the scenes this primary season they are in a toe-to-toe battle in a key northern Democratic House Primary that could impact future state policy. The latest finance reports show that MLG has ..read more

Medina and KellerAPD Chief Harold Medina is leaving his job--but there's a catch. The Chief says he won't give up the reins to his controversial reign until December 2025. That just happens to coincide with the end of Mayor Tim Keller's second term in office. Keller says he plans to seek a third term next year and with Medina signaling that he will not be around for a third, the plan is ..read more

DomeniciNella Domenici is trying to shed the heavy baggage that would keep her from mounting a serious challenge to Dem US Senator Martin Heinrich but the Democrats are determined to make her carry the burdensome cargo right up until Election Day. The 63 year old first-time candidate is now trying to bump from the campaign trail both Trump and abortion, the two super-charged issues that have ..read more

Oh my. What could have been. Imagine this here and now it's happening right across our border:TSMC ’s Arizona subsidiary is set to receive up to $6.6 billion in U.S. government funding under a preliminary agreement announced by the Biden administration. The funding, under the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act, will support Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.’s more than $65 billion investment in ..read more

Speaker MartinezProgressives targeting high-profile conservative Democrats like Rep. Patty Lundstrom won't be getting any help from House Speaker Javier Martinez. In fact, his politiical arm sayys. Martinez and his Speaker Fund will be supporting all incumbent Democrats this primary cycle even as progressives try to enlarge their numbers by going after Lundstrom and others. That's not shocking ..read more