Early Voting Rally on the West Side of Albuquerque

Today the Martin Heinrich for Congress team sponsored a rally for getting out the early vote. It was held at Twisters on Coors here on the West Side of Albuquerque, about ten minutes from my house.

Early voting began about a week ago but only at the County Office; today the polls opened up around town. So about one hour after the polls opened, I went to my nearest one and voted with great joy. This afternoon I headed to the rally. What fun to meet so many people that I had voted for just hours earlier!

Martin Heinrich addressing the crowd

Alex Russell, candidate for NM House, District 29

NM State Treasurer, James B. Lewis

Bernalillo County Assessor, Karen Montoya

NM House Rep. Rick Miera, District 11

Brian Colón, candidate for Lt. Governor of NM
Current Lt. Governor and candidate for Governor
Diane Denish's husband Herb behind Brian

Bernalillo County Sheriff Manuel Gonzales III and
Ray Powell, former Land Commissioner and candidate to return to the post

Ken Sanchez, President of the ABQ City Council

Antonio "Moe" Maestas, NM House Rep., District 16 (on the right)

NM Attorney General, Gary King

NM Secretary of State, Mary Herrera

Michelle Lujan Grisham, candidate for Bernalillo
County Commissioner, District 1

United States Senator Tom Udall, NM

U. S. Representative Martin Heinrich, NM-01

Willow Misty Parks for Probate Judge

Our Team in Washington DC
Senator Tom Udall and Rep. Martin Heinrich

As Congressman Ben Ray Lujan's office reminds us:

Martin is the first Democrat in history to represent the critical swing-district in Central New Mexico and we need to keep him there. But special interests from Iowa, Tennessee and Washington, D.C are spending over $2 million to replace him with someone that will toe their line. We can’t let them win!

You can see the kinds of issues Martin Heinrich fights for here.

--the BB

We don't need no stinking corporate toadies in my district

Barela wants to snatch NM-01 from Martin Heinrich, our terrific Congressman. Barela's people were the ones who called me last week with the most obnoxious push poll designed to link Martin with big spending and Nancy Pelosi. They got an earful from me. Vile creatures.



If you live in Albuquerque, vote Martin Heinrich for Congress on November 2.

He's a solid progressive working for New Mexico families.

UPDATE:
Susankay noted in the comments that "Martin does not distance himself from HealthCare Reform or other courageous stands." Very true. I just got a notice today that "he signed [a letter] with 45 other House members to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi urging that the Congress vote on permanent tax cuts for the middle-class before adjournment in October. "

I had written, asking him to do so. While I doubt that I made the difference, I am very pleased to see him take a stand for working folk, refusing to let the Goopers or waffling Senate Dems brush this off.

--the BB

A magical day - with political eye candy

You've already seen the sunrise here this morning. I started the day very slowly. Reading, blogging, wanting to but not taking a nap. (Mea culpa, +Maya!)


This was the immediately-post-sunrise view from my bedroom looking toward the west mesa. The little notch in the mesa in the center of the photo is where the road rises up from the valley onto the mesa (where those photos in earlier posts of vast expanses were taken).

Then I drove to Corrales for a late lunch. While driving to Bill's I counted yard signs for McCain and Obama. I saw two more McCain signs than Obama signs in that particular stretch of Corrales Road and the side street. Bill told me that as one goes further north the Obama signs predominate, matching Susankay's observation in a comment earlier.

Lunch at the Indigo Crow with cottonwoods turned golden

Toward the end of the meal light breezes sent leaves fluttering down. Yes, the Land of Enchantment works its spell. I had a delicious beef and gorgonzola sandwich and we split crême brulée for dessert.

I did a bit of shopping then headed to the South Valley Obama headquarters to feel the excitement. I know, very voyeuristic of me. I got a great Obama poster that is now in the guest bedroom window looking out to the street and an Obama sweatshirt.

Martin Heinrich and Obama-Biden stickers on my car

Veterans for Obama

¡Obámanos!

Campaign for Change New Mexico

Yes, here is the local hotspot. It was about 4 o'clock on the Saturday afternoon before the election and the place was swarming with volunteers. All ages were represented but the demographic was decidedly young. I would guess that this election may be the first or second in which many of those present could vote.

Tom Udall for US Senator from New Mexico

Other important races are represented in this field office also. Alas, my photo of the Heinrich sign next to the New Mexico state flag was blurred and I did not want to get in the way of volunteers by trying to get perfect shots. Besides, who needs a Martin Heinrich sign? You will soon see why.

There are a lot of homemade signs for Obama out in the streets, indicating a passion that takes the effort to show support. This was a sign at the entrance of the volunteer headquarters.

New Mexico Lieutenant Governor Diane Denish
and Congressional candidate from District One Martin Heinrich

Yes, we had the real thing there this afternoon. I had already met him, shook his hand, and been told that I may be his "biggest contributor from Louisiana." I had to confess that I live a couple miles from where we were standing but I figure it never hurts to let your future congressman know you are a financial supporter.

Denish is good. She can give a great speech on the fly and I was in tears at the end. She is also a fellow parishioner at St Mike's.

Here they are together just after she arrived.

And this last photo is for my dear friends, Jane R and +Maya Pavlova.

The Byzigenous Buddhapalian, Martin Heinrich, Diane and Herb Denish

What great people. What wonderful volunteers! What a great gound organization. Martin said that there were more Democratic volunteers at work in the South Valley today than had shown up for McCain's rally the other day.

¡Sí, se puede!

Don't forget to vote!

[ Find Your Polling Place | Voting Info For Your State | Know Your Voting Rights | Report Voting Problems ]

--the BB

More change I can believe in

I am eager to replace the lying [expletive deleted] Heather Wilson with someone I can count on to get us away from the devastating policies of GWB. Wilson has tried to paint herself as a "moderate" but she is just one more Bush enabler.

This is the sort of crap we've suffered in NM-01. (You would not believe the duplicitous form letters I have gotten from her office when I write in to protest or ask for her to take sensible Actions.)

THIS IS FROM CNN (via a very different Heather at Crooks and Liars):

BLITZER: Heather Wilson, are you embarrassed that the Republican National Committee spent $150,000 buying designer outfits for Sarah Palin at Saks and Neiman-Marcus, another $20,000 for make-up in the first two weeks of October alone, $10,000 for hair? Is this what a hockey mom should be getting?

WILSON: Well, that sounds like there are some staffers at the RNC who need a little education on how to shop at Wal-Mart and Ross Direct. But it does concern me in the last 10 days of an election campaign we're talking about those things.

WILSON: And we could talk about Barack Obama's ties or the vice president's hair transplants or something like that.

WASSERMAN-SCHULTZ: Barack Obama doesn't spend that kind of money on ties. He buys them himself.

WILSON: But I would rather talk about things that matter like which direction we go to get our economy back on track. And we have two very different candidates in very different directions here, and I think that Americans should be concerned about Pelosi, Reid and Obama because Katie bar the door on government spending if that's the way Americans choose to go. And we will go back to very big government and government in your lives in every aspect of your life.

WASSERMAN-SCHULTZ: Wolf, when it comes to spending, it's the Republicans under the Bush administration that have gotten us into the biggest deficit in American history. We had a --

WILSON: It is the Congress that appropriates, Debbie, and you of all people know that.

WASSERMAN-SCHULTZ: And the Congress was controlled by Republicans for eight out of the last 10 years, so let's keep that in mind.

WILSON: And we balanced for the first time since 1969.

WASSERMAN-SCHULTZ: No, no, no, my dear, you got us into a deficit situation within three years of the Bush administration. So, we had a Clinton surplus and we have a Bush deficit and that's what John McCain would continue more of the same.

Wasserman-Schultz is great. Let's get Heinrich in there to work with her and other progressive Dems.
--the BB