new mexico
wednesday volume 115
November 3, 2010
issue 51
The Independent Voice of UNM since 1895
CRIMSON COUNTRY
by Chelsea Erven and Ruben Hamming-Green news@dailylobo.com
Republican Democrat Undecided
I
n an optimistic atmosphere, New Mexico Republicans watched poll results roll in, and supporters celebrated a national Republican takeover Monday night at the Albuquerque Hilton. Susana Martinez rode national momentum and defeated Diane Denish in New Mexico’s governor’s race. “Tonight we have made history,” Martinez said in her victory speech in Las Cruces. While congratulating her opponent, Denish said during her concession speech that it’s going to take more than campaign advertisements and politico speak to bring change to the state. She said change requires hard work and party concessions. “We are in an era of bright cynicism, sound bites and catchy phrases without a whole lot of substance behind any of it,” she said. “I hope for all of us that we can break the cycle of attack-driven politics and have a real conversation about what is important. There is hard work to do, and it will require willingness to compromise on both sides of the aisle. It will demand civility and respect.” The night, though, wasn’t perfect for all Republicans. In the District 1 congressional race, Democrat Martin Heinrich edged Jon Barela by 6,139 votes. After early and absentee votes were announced, Barela had 687vote lead, and Republicans led in almost every office. “The evening is early, but with the early returns, it looks like we’re
No Race
2010 New Mexico Election Results State Voter Turnout – 587,859 Bernalillo County Voter Turnout – 198,538 U.S. House District 1 (D) Martin Heinrich – 51.7% (R) Jon Barela – 48.3% U.S. House District 2 (D) Harry Teague – 44.4% (R) Steve Pearce – 55.6% U.S. House District 3 (D) Ben R. Lujan – 56.6% (R) Thomas E. Mullins – 43.4% Governor (D) Diane Denish – 46.3% (R) Susana Martinez – 53.4% Results as of 2:15 a.m.
Design by Nathan New
slightly in the lead,” Barela told the Daily Lobo before final results came in. “If things continue to trend right, we’re going to do really well tonight.” At the Albuquerque Hilton, supporters watched numbers roll in, cheering each time a Republican gained the lead. “What do we want tonight? Republicans, Republicans, Republicans,” supporter Ron Toya said. Jaymie Roybal, ASUNM attorney general who showed up to the Democratic watch party, said she was optimistic about the results. “If that’s the product of the Republicans taking over the House of Representatives, then it’s not
completely negative,” Roybal said. Numbers eventually spiked, giving Republican Secretary of State candidate Dianna Duran a win. She became the first Republican to hold the office in 82 years. “The only word I have for tonight is just amazing,” Duran said. “This is a night for New Mexico. New Mexicans have taken back this office. We’ve lost control for so many years, but tonight the people have taken back control.” Brian Colón, the defeated nominee for Lt. Gov., said the fight is not over. “I’m going to rest tomorrow. I’m going to take the first day off I’ve had in 14 months,” Colón said. “But
“What do we want tonight? Republicans, Republicans, Republicans.” ~Ron Toya Supporter
Thursday, I’m going to wake up, and I’m going to be ready to fight for Democrats.” Supporter Jan Walton said she hopes the Republican gains Tuesday night are the first of many in getting the nation back on track. “It’s fantastic, just awesome,” she said. “I’m hoping for a total Republican realm. It’s a great night that is going to turn this country around.” At the state level, Martinez said she will look to do just that. “We need to move New Mexico in a new direction — a new direction in economic policy, so that small businesses ... the backbone of New Mexico are able to compete,” she said.
GOP snatches seats back by David Espo and Nico Colombant Associated Press
WASHINGTON -- Resurgent Republicans won control of the House and cut deeply into the Democrats’ majority in the Senate in momentous midterm elections shadowed by recession, ushering in a new era of divided government certain to complicate the final two years of President Barack Obama’s term. House Speaker-in-waiting John Boehner, voice breaking with emotion, declared shortly before midnight Tuesday that the results were “a repudiation of Washington, a repudiation of big government and a repudiation of politicians who refuse to listen to the people.” Obama monitored returns at the White House, then telephoned Boehner with congratulations in a call that underscored the power shift. Incomplete returns showed the GOP picked up at least 58 House seats - the biggest party turnover in more than 70 years - and led for seven more, far in excess of what was needed for a majority. Among the losers was Rep. Tom Perriello, a first-termer from Virginia for whom Obama campaigned just before the election.
On a night of triumph, Republicans gained at least six Senate seats, and tea party favorites Rand Paul in Kentucky, Mike Lee in Utah and Marco Rubio in Florida were among their winners. But Christine O’Donnell lost badly in Delaware, for a seat that Republican strategists once calculated would be theirs with ease. And they lost the nation’s most closely watched race, in Nevada, where Majority Leader Harry Reid won an especially costly and brutal campaign in a year filled with them. The GOP also wrested 10 governorships from the Democrats, Ohio and Pennsylvania among them, and gave two back, California and Hawaii. The conservative, grassroots, Tea Party movement, which has emerged over the past two years in American politics, scored big wins for the Republican Party in U.S. congressional and gubernatorial races. The first Tea Party favorite to be declared a winner Tuesday was Rand Paul, who emerged victorious as a Republican Senator-elect for the southern state of Kentucky. Paul, a first-time candidate, said what he called a “tea party tidal wave” was coming down on Washington with a message when new legislators take their seats in January. “It is a message that I will carry
with me on day one. It is a message of fiscal sanity, it is a message of limited constitutional government and balanced budgets,” he said. The Tea Party movement developed in earnest last year following an outcry against big government, taxes and President Barack Obama’s health care reform. Paul, an eye doctor, defeated Kentucky’s attorney general, Democrat Jack Conway. In his victory speech, Paul made clear where he stands on policies to reduce nearly 10 percent U.S. unemployment. “Government does not create jobs. Individual entrepreneurs, business men and women create jobs, but not the government,” he said. Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban exiles, is another Tea Party favorite who will be a new senator. He easily won a three way race in the southern state of Florida, which has been hit hard by high unemployment and a crumbling housing market. In his victory speech, Rubio said he believes America’s new legislators will play a crucial role in determining the country’s history. “It is about whether we are going to be the first generation of Americans to leave our children worse off than ourselves or the next generation that will allow them to inherit what they deserve,” he said.
William Faulkner / AP Photo Governor-elect Susana Martinez prepares to give her victory speech Tuesday night in Las Cruces. She beat out Democrat Diane Denish in New Mexico’s governor race.
DL
To complete our election coverage, we followed UNM alumnus and Valencia County Probate Judge candidate Christian T. Garcia through campaign stops and rallies. Visit our website for the multimedia piece.