2019 Legislature

Raising the royalty cap for our oil and gas is REALLY important for New Mexico

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With less than a week to go until the 2019 Legislative session there’s already been a lot of exciting movement from New Mexico’s new (mostly) progressive majority at the state level. Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard made a big splash today with an Executive Order banning wildlife killing contests on state lands. That’s pretty great news! But Garcia Richard made
another announcement this week that we’re excited about as well: A
planned bill to increase the cap on royalties paid from oil and gas companies
from wells on state lands from 20 percent to 25 percent. What does that mean?

Blue Wave

Nationwide primary trends show Blue Wave is gathering. Oh, and Missouri voters REJECT RTW outright

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Yesterday was Election Day in Washington, Ohio, Michigan, Kansas, and Missouri and while not every progressive candidate won major landslide victories, across the country gains were made.  More women and people of color were running than ever before and their continued successes means that, while our federal system was created to take time to change, change is coming! One of the races progressive poll watchers are most excited for is Sharice Davids, who is a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation and an out lesbian. After winning her primary yesterday, she will face off against Representative Kevin Yoder (R) in Kansas’s Third Congressional District in November.  In Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer won a three-way primary that included two men of color.

Uncategorized

So that Russian spy that was just arrested? Turns out she lived with a guy that Steve Pearce may know

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For now, we know that Pearce likely knows Erickson, the man who lived with and connected a young Russian woman accused of using her influence to further financial and political sway between pro-gun Russian and US organizations and activists. What role Erickson has ever played for Pearce directly is unknown, but given the congressman’s deep pockets and generous donations from the NRA over the last decade, it’s certainly worth considering.

Congressman Pearce

New polling shows 90% of New Mexicans support for smart methane requirements

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As New Mexicans gather this morning to show their strong support for clean air and methane standards, Congressman Steve Pearce revealed his true colors again last night in Washington. His vote to strip funding for the implementation of federal methane requirements on the oil and gas industry wouldn’t just dirty New Mexico’s air, new polling shows it is also dramatically out of step with the will of 9 out of 10 New Mexicans. New polling data released just yesterday shows that the way you yourself probably feel about public lands is actually the way most folks feel about it. Overall the poll shows strong support for public lands in the west, that voters reject candidates who favor extraction over conservation, and common sense issues like the Methane Rule have broad support from either side of the aisle. It appears that Pearce didn’t get a chance to see the poll yesterday though before taking a vote to cut funding for enforcement of the Methane Rule. 89 percent of ALL New Mexicans support the rule, so it’s baffling that Pearce would vote against something with such clear interest to his constituents.

On the border: Protests, civil disobedience, and unending hope for separated families

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It’s been 10 days since the first big action took place in Tornillo Texas, where a small land port of entry has become of the burning hot focal points of the massive uprising against the inhumane separation of families detained by ICE, CBP, and Border Patrol. ProgressNow New Mexico has been down in Tornillo four times to bear witness to various actions from general protests, to visits from our state’s two Senators, to today’s acts of civil disobedience that shut down the port for over two hours. We’ve tried to cover as much live from Facebook as we could, taken pictures, and talked with folks who’ve worked to organize these events. While the Trump administration has continued to push its narrative of “zero tolerance” when it comes to immigration from south of the border, people from all walks of life have shown up and with increasing escalation, attempted to keep people’s focus on what matters: That children of all ages, and genders, are being housed in tents in 100+ degree weather with no actual plan of reuniting them with their families. We’ve learned that Trump only signed the Executive Order that supposedly ended family separation AFTER being turned down by at least two private corporations to build more additions onto the facility at Tornillo AND made it so that indefinite family detention is still a concept they’re willing to pursue.

Elections 2018

For Dems, Lt. Governor race is still a toss-up, but GOP and Libs are locked in

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ProgressNow New Mexico will be looking at some top-level races more in-depth over the next few weeks to bring our perspective to the key races we’re expecting to see in New Mexico this year. New Mexico is in the national spotlight as one of the “most likely to flip” states in terms of our governor’s race. Our series will focus on the offices that New Mexicans can vote for statewide. This is the third piece in our series. The position of Lt. Governor can seem pretty inglorious compared to other statewide positions with specific duties as Secretary of State or Attorney General.

Elections 2018

Alan Webber Announces Running for Santa Fe Mayor in his Interview with Richard Eeds

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With Santa Fe Mayor Javier Gonzales’ surprise announcement this month that he will not seek a second term, the March 2018 election to lead the capitol city is underway. 

Five candidates had already announced within days of Gonzales’ announcement.  According to the Santa Fe New Mexican: 
[School Board Member Kate] Noble joins three city councilors — Peter Ives, Joseph Maestas and Ron Trujillo — and school crossing guard Harvey Van Sickle, who is on the board of the nonprofit group Keep Santa Fe Beautiful, in the race for mayor, which could get more crowded. Today, former Fast Company magazine CEO and 2014 gubernatorial candidate Alan Webber became number six. 

He announced on Richard Eeds Santa Fe radio show. Listen below. 

Source: Alan Webber Announces Running for Mayor in his Interview with Richard Eeds