Rep. Joe Cervantes said that only two words explain the reason he couldn't get enough votes to topple House Speaker Ben Lujan: "Tea Party."
Lujan was re-elected with 36 votes. House Republican Leader Tom Taylor of Farmington, nominated symbolically as is the usual practice for the minority party, got 33 votes. Rep. Andy Nunez, D-Hatch, a Cervantes supporter, voted "present."
Many last week were predicting that Cervantes would have enough votes from Republicans and southern Democrats to win the speakership. But most of that talked stopped yesterday when news broke that several tea party organizations were urging Republicans not to back a coalition effort for Cervantes.
Taylor, talking to reporters after the vote, said he didn't believe the tea party opposition was the main reason for the failure of the coalition was that more Republicans were thinking of the political advantage of keeping Lujan in the position rather than the "policy' advantages.
"He's the status quo," Taylor said of Lujan. "There was a risk with Cervantes that we could have passed some great legislation and there'd be a lovefest in the Legislature. ... It would be harder to run a negative campaign."
If it wasn't obvious from his statement, Taylor acknowledged that he had been leaning toward supporting Cervantes.
New House Republican Don Bratton agreed with Taylor's analysis. "I look at things from a policy standpoint," he said.
Jerry Clark of the Las Cruces Sons of Liberty, a group that split off from the Las Cruces Tea Party last year, said his group agreed with the tea party opposition to Cervantes.
"We're from Las Cruces and we know Jose as a progressive," he said of Cervantes. "We thought Republicans should stand their ground. Even if Jose is an improvement over Ben Lujan, he's not really an improvement." He noted that Cervantes has voted for the "motor voter" law which makes it easier to get driver's licenses and against requiring picture identification for voting.
"We want Republicans to draw a line in the sand," he said.
Lujan, in his speech after the winning re-election, didn't mention the Cervantes challenge.
Showing posts with label Joe Cervantes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Joe Cervantes. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Has The Tea Party Saved Ben Lujan?
I spoke with Rep. Andy Nunez, D-Hatch this morning. He wasn't sounding nearly as optimistic as he has in the last couple of weeks.
Ironically, former Gov. Gary Johnson, who spoke at the Tea Party rally outside the Roundhouse this morning, told reporters he thinks that backing Cervantes would be good for "change." He recalled how in 2001 Senate Republicans united with a handful fo Democrats to oust Manny Aragon as Senate president pro tem.
We should know in a couple of hours.
Johnson's speech to the Tea Party was well received, especially his talk about tax cuts and shrinking government. But not everyone there was enthusiastic what Johnson had to say about issues such as immigration (Johnson favors work permits for Mexicans and opposes building a border fence), the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and, of course, marijuana legalization.
One audience member came up and had a short and heated -- though ultimately civil -- discussion with Johnson about the issue. Whatever you think of the issue or Johnson, I find it refreshing to see politicians facing their critics and debating like this.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Tom Taylor on the Speakership Battle
As Taylor told me when I talked to him late last week, Taylor wouldn't make any predictions as to how the House Republicans would vote and wouldn't say how he'd vote himself. "All I can say it's very close," he said. Taylor said the speaker's race will be "an 18th-hour decision."
There's a podcast of the show HERE. (Taylor comes on about 30 minutes into the segment and starts talking about the speaker's race about at the 35-minute mark.)
My latest story is HERE
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Speaker Lujan Hangs In ... At Least For Now
A version of this will be published in The Santa Fe New Mexican
November 21, 2010
A majority of state House Democrats voted Saturday to reject a challenge from a Las Cruces lawmaker and keep House Speaker Ben Lujan of Nambe in what’s been called the most powerful position in the state Legislature. But the battle might not be over.
Lujan’s challenger, Rep. Joe Cervantes , though he lost on Saturday, has not rejected the idea of forming a coalition with House Republicans to win the speaker’s post when the Legislature convenes Jan. 18.
And some of his supporters from southern New Mexico indicated Saturday they might support such a coalition.
“The voters told us they wanted change,” Cervantes told reporters following the near-four-hour caucus meeting behind closed doors at the state Capitol.
One change brought by this month’s election is a loss of eight Democrats in the House. There will be 37 Democrats and 33 Republicans in the chamber when the new Legislature starts next year .
Cervantes, a lawyer by profession, declined to say directly whether he’d pursue a coalition. Saturday, he said was a day to congratulate Lujan for his victory. But asked if he had closed the door to trying to build a coalition with the House Republicans, Cervantes said, “You never close the door to anything.”
A House member since 2001, Cervantes declined to tell reporters how many of the Democrats had voted for him Saturday. Caucus votes traditionally are kept secret.
As Cervantes was making his way out of the building, Lujan called to him and asked him to “keep in touch.”
Lujan said he believes it’s important for Democrats to keep an experienced leader in the speaker’s chair because of the state’s budget crisis and revenue shortfalls.
A former iron worker, Lujan was first elected to the House in 1974. He has been speaker since 2001.
Lujan, who was Gov. Bill Richardson’s most important ally in the Legislature, noted there will be a new Republican governor when Susana Martinez takes office. He said a leadership battle would create unnecessary rancor and animosity that would detract from doing important legislative work.
Lujan downplayed any party disunity. “As far as I could see today we, like a family, expressed some concerns,” he said. “To me it seemed like a family getting together and ironing things out.”
But two of Cervantes’ supporters said after the vote that building a coalition with Republicans might be the best course.
Rep. Mary Helen Garcia of Las Cruces — who is Cervantes’ aunt — was clearly disappointed that the insurgency had failed Saturday. “As usual, the North and Albuquerque controls everything,” she told reporters.
Indeed some have seen the Cervantes challenge as a possible power shift from the northern part of the state to the south. Gov.-elect Martinez also is from Las Cruces. However, Cervantes told a reporter last week that such talk has been overblown.
Garcia said she’d encourage Cervantes to continue his challenge. She said Cervantes had worked with Martinez. “He knows she is a bold leader, but he can be very bold himself.” Garcia said.
Rep. Andy Nunez of Hatch, who nominated Cervantes Saturday, said he probably would support forming a coalition with Republicans for Cervantes to win the speakership.
Like Cervantes, Nunez said the voters indicated they wanted change. He said he didn’t want the state House to be like the U.S. House of Representatives, which kept Nancy Pelosi as their leader despite major Democratic losses in the elections.
But it’s not certain whether Republicans are eager to back a Democrat for speaker in a coalition. Earlier this week House GOP Whip Keith Gardner of Roswell said that Republican House members have not yet committed to backing anyone for speaker. “We want to see what the options are,” he said.
Nunez, who is chairman of the House Water & Natural Resources Committee. Asked if he thought he could lose that chairmanship by backing Cervantes, he said, “It depends on who wins in January.”
Lujan, however, later told reporters he wouldn’t seek retribution against those who supported Cervantes.
Four years ago, after Cervantes backed an unsuccessful challenge against Lujan by Majority Floor Leader Kenny Martinez of Grants, Lujan removed Cervantes as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.
The speaker appoints committee members and influences the outcome of legislation by deciding which bills are referred to which committees and which bills get floor hearings.
Besides the Speaker’s position, House Democrats voted to keep Kenny Martinez as majority floor leader and Sheryl Williams Stapleton of Albuquerque as majority whip. Patricia Lundstrom of Gallup was elected caucus chairwoman. She replaces John Heaton of Carlsbad, who was defeated in the general election.
November 21, 2010
A majority of state House Democrats voted Saturday to reject a challenge from a Las Cruces lawmaker and keep House Speaker Ben Lujan of Nambe in what’s been called the most powerful position in the state Legislature. But the battle might not be over.
Lujan’s challenger, Rep. Joe Cervantes , though he lost on Saturday, has not rejected the idea of forming a coalition with House Republicans to win the speaker’s post when the Legislature convenes Jan. 18.
And some of his supporters from southern New Mexico indicated Saturday they might support such a coalition.
“The voters told us they wanted change,” Cervantes told reporters following the near-four-hour caucus meeting behind closed doors at the state Capitol.
One change brought by this month’s election is a loss of eight Democrats in the House. There will be 37 Democrats and 33 Republicans in the chamber when the new Legislature starts next year .
Cervantes, a lawyer by profession, declined to say directly whether he’d pursue a coalition. Saturday, he said was a day to congratulate Lujan for his victory. But asked if he had closed the door to trying to build a coalition with the House Republicans, Cervantes said, “You never close the door to anything.”
A House member since 2001, Cervantes declined to tell reporters how many of the Democrats had voted for him Saturday. Caucus votes traditionally are kept secret.
As Cervantes was making his way out of the building, Lujan called to him and asked him to “keep in touch.”
Lujan said he believes it’s important for Democrats to keep an experienced leader in the speaker’s chair because of the state’s budget crisis and revenue shortfalls.
A former iron worker, Lujan was first elected to the House in 1974. He has been speaker since 2001.
Lujan, who was Gov. Bill Richardson’s most important ally in the Legislature, noted there will be a new Republican governor when Susana Martinez takes office. He said a leadership battle would create unnecessary rancor and animosity that would detract from doing important legislative work.
Lujan downplayed any party disunity. “As far as I could see today we, like a family, expressed some concerns,” he said. “To me it seemed like a family getting together and ironing things out.”
But two of Cervantes’ supporters said after the vote that building a coalition with Republicans might be the best course.
Rep. Mary Helen Garcia of Las Cruces — who is Cervantes’ aunt — was clearly disappointed that the insurgency had failed Saturday. “As usual, the North and Albuquerque controls everything,” she told reporters.
Indeed some have seen the Cervantes challenge as a possible power shift from the northern part of the state to the south. Gov.-elect Martinez also is from Las Cruces. However, Cervantes told a reporter last week that such talk has been overblown.
Garcia said she’d encourage Cervantes to continue his challenge. She said Cervantes had worked with Martinez. “He knows she is a bold leader, but he can be very bold himself.” Garcia said.
Rep. Andy Nunez of Hatch, who nominated Cervantes Saturday, said he probably would support forming a coalition with Republicans for Cervantes to win the speakership.
Like Cervantes, Nunez said the voters indicated they wanted change. He said he didn’t want the state House to be like the U.S. House of Representatives, which kept Nancy Pelosi as their leader despite major Democratic losses in the elections.
But it’s not certain whether Republicans are eager to back a Democrat for speaker in a coalition. Earlier this week House GOP Whip Keith Gardner of Roswell said that Republican House members have not yet committed to backing anyone for speaker. “We want to see what the options are,” he said.
Nunez, who is chairman of the House Water & Natural Resources Committee. Asked if he thought he could lose that chairmanship by backing Cervantes, he said, “It depends on who wins in January.”
Lujan, however, later told reporters he wouldn’t seek retribution against those who supported Cervantes.
Four years ago, after Cervantes backed an unsuccessful challenge against Lujan by Majority Floor Leader Kenny Martinez of Grants, Lujan removed Cervantes as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.
The speaker appoints committee members and influences the outcome of legislation by deciding which bills are referred to which committees and which bills get floor hearings.
Besides the Speaker’s position, House Democrats voted to keep Kenny Martinez as majority floor leader and Sheryl Williams Stapleton of Albuquerque as majority whip. Patricia Lundstrom of Gallup was elected caucus chairwoman. She replaces John Heaton of Carlsbad, who was defeated in the general election.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Another Dem Representative Backing Cervantes
I just talked to Rep. Donna Irwin, D-Deming, a few minutes ago. She said if Rep. Joe Cervantes, D-Las Cruces, decides to run for House Speaker against current Speaker Ben Lujan, she'll support him.
"In the past, I supported Kenny Martinez for Speaker," she said. "You probably recall that I nominated him. I think it's time for a new speaker. Joseph is my office mate and I think he'd be a great choice for speaker."
After a little game of telephone tag yesterday, I finally connected with Cervantes. He answered "no comment" as to whether he's running.
Earlier today, Heath Haussamen quoted Rep. Andy Nunez, D-Hatch, saying that there’s no one more qualified for the job than Cervantes.
I also ran into Rep. Jim Trujillo, D-Santa Fe. He said nobody's called him about a possible challenge to Lujan. "I think everyone knows that I'd support the speaker," Trujillo said.
"In the past, I supported Kenny Martinez for Speaker," she said. "You probably recall that I nominated him. I think it's time for a new speaker. Joseph is my office mate and I think he'd be a great choice for speaker."
After a little game of telephone tag yesterday, I finally connected with Cervantes. He answered "no comment" as to whether he's running.
Earlier today, Heath Haussamen quoted Rep. Andy Nunez, D-Hatch, saying that there’s no one more qualified for the job than Cervantes.
I also ran into Rep. Jim Trujillo, D-Santa Fe. He said nobody's called him about a possible challenge to Lujan. "I think everyone knows that I'd support the speaker," Trujillo said.
Will Cervantes Challenge Lujan For Speaker?
Well, I dunno.Cervantes didn't return my phone calls Monday before I left work.
House Speaker Ben Lujan did. He told me he and Cervantes met on Friday.
He said they talked about the election and some of the Democrats who lost last Tuesday. (Republicans picked up eight seats total according to unofficial results.)
The House Democrats have scheduled a caucus on Nov. 20. Obviously, we'll know by then if there's a challenge.However, I suspect there will be rumors of a coalition all the way up to Jan. 18, when the Legislature returns.
Stay tuned.My story in today's New Mexican is HERE
3 p.m. Tuesday: This post has been corrected: It originally said Cervantes didn't return my call. However, I later realized that he did leave a message for me on my work phone after I'd written the story and left the office.
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