The race for the governor's seat in New Mexico between Democrat Diane Denish and Republican Susana Martinez is a statistical dead heat, according to polling data from Rasmussen Reports and Magellan Strategies. Both polls show the difference between the two gubernatorial candidates falling within the margin of error. Martinez is benefiting from the unpopularity of the current Democratic governor, Bill Richardson, who is prohibited from running for re-election by New Mexico's term limit rules.
Candidates for Governor of New Mexico (four-year term)
Candidate: Diane Denish
Party: Democrat
Political experience: Denish has served as lieutenant governor under Richardson since 2002, an office that presides over the New Mexico state senate. She has also previously served as chair of the Democratic Party of New Mexico. She serves on numerous state caucuses and boards, including the Spaceport Commission.
Professional experience: Denish founded a market research and fund-raising business called The Target Group, according Project Vote Smart and Denish's campaign website biography. She owned the company for 12 years.
Key issues: The Denish campaign's latest political ad focuses on issues of concern to New Mexico's families. She says she will clean up corruption in state government, work with the federal government to ensure border security and bring jobs back to New Mexico with tax cuts and regulatory reform for small businesses. She proposes to help the New Mexican workforce largely by enacting education reform with a focus on skills that translate to jobs. Another key issue is her commitment to preserve the state's water sources, which she calls "New Mexico's most valuable resource." Lowering the cost of health care and increasing its accessibility for the poorest families in New Mexico are also among her priorities.
Endorsements: Among key endorsements listed by Denish's campaign website are the National Education Association of New Mexico; the New Mexico Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO; the American Federation State, County and Municipal Employees; Animal Protection Voters; and a number of labor unions across the state.
Denish's 2010 election prospects: Because accusations of financial scandals rocked the governor's office and brought Richardson's popularity crashing down, according to a poll conducted by Public Policy Polling in February, Denish must convince New Mexico voters she is not part of the outgoing problem, but that she brings a strong commitment to restoring integrity to the governor's office. Although New Mexico is a Democratic stronghold, the Magellan Strategies poll conducted in late June showed 20 percent of self-declared Democratic voters supporting Denish's Republican opponent. To win the 2010 governor's race, Denish must bring a majority of these Democrats back to the fold and motivate Democrats in general to match the fervor of the anti-establishment crowd.
Candidate: Susana Martinez
Party: Republican
Political experience: First elected to the position of district attorney for the state's 3rd judicial district in 1996, Martinez has been re-elected three times. She ran unopposed in her most recent bid.
Professional experience: Other than her work as district attorney and a job as a security guard for her parents' business while attending school, no other professional experience is listed on Martinez's campaign website.
Key issues: The Martinez campaign is highlighting her crime-fighting experience as district attorney and is pledging to "end 'pay to play' and other corruption in government." She is pro-life and supports gun-rights issues. Like her opponent, Martinez vows to lower taxes and reduce bureaucracy to encourage business growth and jobs in New Mexico. She says on her website that she wants to reduce health care costs and increase accessibility without the help of the federal government. On immigration, Martinez is promising to repeal state laws that she says make New Mexico more attractive for dangerous illegal immigrants, while acknowledging that border security is ultimately a federal responsibility.
Endorsements: The biggest name to provide an official endorsement for the Martinez campaign is former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, who attended a rally with Martinez on May 16 to declare her support. Martinez's website also lists an endorsement from the Albuquerque Police Officer's Association.
Martinez's 2010 election prospects: New Mexico is traditionally a heavily Democratic state with 53 percent of votes cast by Democrats, according to Magellan Strategies polling data. However, Gov. Richardson's unpopularity feeds this year's national anti-incumbency sentiment. As a result, Martinez, who has worked to link Denish to Richardson, is benefiting from the backlash. Despite this, the race is deadlocked as of the latest poll results. Martinez will need to continue her anti-establishment theme while looking for a strong turnout from the state's Republican minority.
The Magellan Strategies poll also shows that as of June, Martinez was pulling support from 20 percent of New Mexico Democrats who say they are likely to vote in November; she must keep that block on her side to win.
Key differences between Diane Denish and Susana Martinez
As a Republican, Martinez follows traditional party issues with her stance on abortion, gun rights and smaller government. Denish's campaign website has a section devoted to traditional Democratic issues, such as protecting the environment and promoting clean energy.
In a state that has supported immigration rights, including a law that allows illegal immigrants to obtain a state driver's license, Martinez is taking a strong stand against illegal immigrants. Denish highlights her work with the Department of Homeland Security to get additional funding and resources for New Mexico's border security.
On health care, both candidates support similar policies that include providing tax credits to small businesses for worker coverage and encouraging individuals to take responsibility for their own health care. Both promise to clean up state government.
Both candidates seek to cast doubt about the other's resolve to reform government corruption. Martinez is tying Denish to the unpopular governor and his alleged "pay-to-play" scheme by constantly referring to the Richardson/Denish administration. Denish responds by pointing out that Martinez used federal border-security funds to provide lavish "Wall Street-style bonuses for her top lawyers and political allies."
New Mexico at a glance: New Mexico voted for President Obama over Sen. John McCain in the 2008 election, giving him 57 percent of the state's popular vote, according to Rasmussen Reports. More than two million people live in New Mexico, with 44.9 percent identifying as Hispanic or Latino. Despite this, New Mexico has a lower than national average percentage of residents born in a foreign country. 2008 Census data shows 17 percent of the state's population below the poverty line compared to 13.2 percent nationally.
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