NM Primary voting today (Las Cruces, Santa Fe: living in, move, park)

[mike0421]

I wonder if I am the only registered Republican who voted for Ron Paul. He's not perfect, but better than John McCain, who I just couldn't vote for.

I know it's a political thread, but it is in concert with the NM primary, which is today. I think we are the last in the nation to vote in the primaries, with Montana and South Dakota.

I also cast my vote for Pearce over Wilson, knowing that neither has a snowballs chance in hell of defeating Udall.

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by mike0421

I wonder if I am the only registered Republican who voted for Ron Paul. He's not perfect, but better than John McCain, who I just couldn't vote for.

I know it's a political thread, but it is in concert with the NM primary, which is today. I think we are the last in the nation to vote in the primaries, with Montana and South Dakota.

I also cast my vote for Pearce over Wilson, knowing that neither has a snowballs chance in hell of defeating Udall.

That is the sinking feeling that I get, too....I got a whiney solicitation letter from Udall (poor me, they're picking on me) in the mail yesterday. I was tempted to send back the empty envelope, but since it is funded by us the taxpayers....I decided to refrain. I agree with you about McCain, too, but I still feel that the others will be far worse.

[yukon]

Why in heaven's name is NM voting so late in the primary season?

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by mike0421

I know it's a political thread, but it is in concert with the NM primary, which is today. I think we are the last in the nation to vote in the primaries, with Montana and South Dakota.

First off, this is the gratuitous, generic "moderator warning" (although no posts here have warranted that thus far) for everyone to keep this thread fairly civil and fairly non-political (or political only as it relates to the NM primary regionally).

Having gotten that in! ...

Yep, it is incredible that NM Repubs have such an amazingly late primary. Especially considering that the Dems now run much earlier. June 3rd meant a sliver of something - maybe - to the Dems this year, and even that is highly debatable (and if true, very rare), but this year meant about as much to the Repubs as hoping for snow in Las Cruces in July.

Originally Posted by mike0421

I also cast my vote for Pearce over Wilson, knowing that neither has a snowballs chance in hell of defeating Udall.

REALLY Mike??? I mean, REALLY???

See here, I do not want to spark any pro-Pearce/Wilson or pro-Udall debate, or any GOP v. Dem debate. Really, what I am trying to drive at is that I am honestly shocked that you say neither Wilson - who is a long-serving congressperson from the most heavily populated of the 3 districts in NM or Pearce (who I would think would have less popularity / name-recognition than Wilson state-wide but still was a long-serving congressman from a district with a bigger population than Udall's) would be on somewhat even playing ground with Udall.

I was in NM from 03-07, and I wasn't struck that Udall was all that especially popular in NM, especially in the more populace (and thus more important) Central or Southern sections of the state.

I guess I am just surprised Mike that you feel that neither Wilson or Pearce has much of a chance to beat Udall. Why is that? Again, leaving conservative v. liberal or GOP v. Dems aside...why wouldn't this race be very competitive?

[yukon]

For what it's worth, as someone new to the state, Udall has more name recognition with me than the other two.

[mike0421]

Originally Posted by EnjoyEP

First off, this is the gratuitous, generic "moderator warning" (although no posts here have warranted that thus far) for everyone to keep this thread fairly civil and fairly non-political (or political only as it relates to the NM primary regionally).

Having gotten that in! ...

Yep, it is incredible that NM Repubs have such an amazingly late primary. Especially considering that the Dems now run much earlier. June 3rd meant a sliver of something - maybe - to the Dems this year, and even that is highly debatable (and if true, very rare), but this year meant about as much to the Repubs as hoping for snow in Las Cruces in July.



REALLY Mike??? I mean, REALLY???

See here, I do not want to spark any pro-Pearce/Wilson or pro-Udall debate, or any GOP v. Dem debate. Really, what I am trying to drive at is that I am honestly shocked that you say neither Wilson - who is a long-serving congressperson from the most heavily populated of the 3 districts in NM or Pearce (who I would think would have less popularity / name-recognition than Wilson state-wide but still was a long-serving congressman from a district with a bigger population than Udall's) would be on somewhat even playing ground with Udall.

I was in NM from 03-07, and I wasn't struck that Udall was all that especially popular in NM, especially in the more populace (and thus more important) Central or Southern sections of the state.

I guess I am just surprised Mike that you feel that neither Wilson or Pearce has much of a chance to beat Udall. Why is that? Again, leaving conservative v. liberal or GOP v. Dems aside...why wouldn't this race be very competitive?

I hope I am wrong EnjoyEP, I really do, but my 3 + years living in NM has revealed the following about the populace here: economically very left of center, and socially conservative. However, the 'goodies' are going to trump the morality issues 4 times out of 5, when it comes to any voting group in any election. People vote pocket book. Democrats, in general, offer redistribution of wealth as a cornerstone of their platform. New Mexico has a very economically disparate population: an upper class, and a very high working class. However, many in the upper class here (Santa Fe/Taos comes to mind) are also heavily Democratic. The matrix therefore doesn't bode well for a Republican candidate if you have a slumping economy nationally, or at least, the perception of one.

[Zoidberg]

According to Wikipedia, here are NM's congressional districts, broken down by population:

District 1, 606400.
District 2, 606406.
District 3, 606240.

I wonder if Wikipedia counts people traveling on I-25 or I-40, adding and subtracting as they move between districts..

I think the Repub primary results could have easily been tilted the other way if central and northern NM had near as many other positions under serious contention the way they were in the south. Further, I think voter turnout is traditionally higher in district 2, and given that dist. 2 is the only district with a distinct Repub majority, that meant more votes to cast.

Given Udall's popularity and the far more broad appeal of a general election, the pollsters aren't giving Pearce much of a chance. Indeed, I believe many registered Republicans who are disenchanted with the party gave Pearce their vote because they believe he has less chance of winning against Udall.

[Towanda]

I also cast my vote for Pearce over Wilson, knowing that neither has a snowballs chance in hell of defeating Udall.

I have learned over a lifetime of political participation and observation, that we NEVER know for sure what is going to happen in any given election.

Indeed, I believe many registered Republicans who are disenchanted with the party gave Pearce their vote because they believe he has less chance of winning against Udall.

I disagree with this. I think Pearce got the vote because many conservatives are disenchanted with the party, but also because they saw the chance to vote for a conservative candidate, and they feel the party must get back to its conservative roots in order to have any chance in winning elections now or in the future. I can't see any Republican or Democrat voting for a candidate who they think has LESS chance of winning. Why do that?

Just my opinion.