Progressives target conservative state Senate Dems

The coronavirus pandemic and the virtual economic standstill it has induced could hamper a progressive coalition’s bid to unseat several influential New Mexico Senate Democrats in the June primary elections. A group called No Corporate Democrats launched a campaign last week to support primary candidates running against five Democratic senators, accusing the incumbents of favoring corporations over rural residents and criticizing them for blocking legislative initiatives on early childhood education and abortion. The five are some of the most influential senators in the New Mexico Legislature, including Senate President Pro Tem Mary Kay Papen and Sen. John Arthur Smith, chairman of the body’s Finance Committee. The group, which also includes Clemente Sanchez of Grants, Gabriel Ramos of Silver City and George Muñoz of Gallup, tends to be fiscally conservative and has opposed expensive legislative proposals. But longtime New Mexico pollster Brian Sanderoff said the looming downturn in the economy and state finances — driven by the state’s stay-at-home order, the closing of businesses and a huge drop in oil prices — could help those senators in the primary precisely because of their moderate stance. “I think the current political environment favors the more moderate and conservative Democratic incumbents over their more progressive challengers primarily due to the recent circumstances, which have led to a dramatic decline in state revenues,” Sanderoff said. The progressives’ message would likely be more successful in a year when revenue exceeds projections, rather than at a time when the state could have to mend a $1 billion to $2 billion budget hole for fiscal year 2021, the pollster said. “If we had all this additional surplus, then the progressive message that we’re not serving our children would have been that much more powerful,” Sanderoff said. “But now even our progressive governor will have to call a special session and trim back next year’s budget.” Fiscal prudence has been a priority of some of the senators over the years. Smith, for instance, repeatedly warned during this year’s legislative session that legislators were proposing to spend too much money. His Finance Committee, which also includes Muñoz as vice chairman, ultimately cut the House’s spending plan in high-visibility areas such as roads and teacher pay raises. Now, they may have tangible proof those were good decisions, given the massive revenue cliff the state could be facing. “I probably get kicked around by everybody that wants to spend more money,” said Smith, D-Deming, referring to other legislators. “But now they’re all calling me, wanting to know how we’re going to get out of this mess.”...MORE