Obama losing support in NM Capitol Hill delegation over Syria UPDATE: Heinrich will vote for use of force

Update 5:17 p.m. MDT: Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-New Mexico, just released a statement saying he will vote in favor of authorizing the use of force in Syria:

“I know that we are a nation that is not only rightfully weary of war, but also jaded by the dishonest use of cooked intelligence reports that led to terrible mistakes in Iraq. But this is not Iraq and we have a moral obligation to deter Assad and every regime watching him from thinking that they can gas their people with impunity, commit genocide, or employ internationally prohibited weapons.

“It is for this reason, and this reason alone, that I will support President Obama’s request for the authorization of use of military force.”

Earlier in his letter to constituents, Heinrich wrote:

“Despite that, I remain of the belief that as a nation, we cannot become directly entangled in a civil war that we do not fully understand. It is for this reason that I do not think we should arm the Syrian rebels and I do not support sending American troops into this conflict.”

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By Rob Nikolewski │ New Mexico Watchdog

SANTA FE – President Obama on Tuesday night will make his argument for a military strike against Syria.

For New Mexico’s Capitol Hill delegation, it will be a tough sell.

At least two of the five New Mexico members have already made up their minds, saying they oppose U.S. military involvement after chemical attacks in the Middle East nation, and the remaining three are taking a wait-and-see approach.

“The big question for the Congress right now is what is the most effective way to move forward,” said Sen. Tom Udall, D-New Mexico. “And I think the American people don’t want to be embroiled in a Middle Eastern civil war.”

Udall is usually a dependable ally for Obama but, in an appearance Sunday on “Meet The Press,” said, “This is an act of war that we’re going to take. We haven’t exhausted all of our political, economic and diplomatic alternatives.”

New Mexico’s only Republican on Capitol Hill — Rep. Steve Pearce — opposes military action.

“I still believe intervention in Syria is a wrong and costly course,” Pearce said in a statement. “However, I look forward to reviewing all related materials, and to a thorough and detailed debate in Congress, where the issue should be decided.”

Obama has been placing phone calls to wavering members of Congress while Secretary of State John Kerry is seeking support for military action from Arab nations. But a poll released Monday by USA Today/Pew Research showed Americans are against military action, 63 percent to 28 percent.

Perhaps taking a cue from the public, the three other New Mexico Democrats aren’t exactly rushing to embrace the administration’s call to punish the government of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.

Freshman congresswoman Michelle Lujan Grisham posted a survey asking constituents to weigh in.

Spokesman Richard Ruffner told New Mexico Watchdog the survey does not provided a “for” or “against” option for respondents but said the congresswoman’s office has received 1,500 responses.

A Facebook post on Lujan Grisham’s page directing constituents to the survey had 314 responses as of Monday morning, almost of all of them against U.S. intervention.

“Rep. Lujan Grisham chose to conduct the survey this way (instead of a yes/no poll) because the situation in Syria is very complex and she wanted to hear the full range of constituents’ opinions,” Ruffner said in an email.

Sen. Martin Heinrich was similarly cautious, saying in a statement Wednesday, “We must hold the Assad regime accountable for the use of chemical weapons while ensuring the United States does not get involved in a protracted conflict.”

And Rep. Ben Ray Luján said roughly the same thing, issuing a statement that said, “The use of chemical weapons against innocent people is deeply disturbing, but we must have a serious discussion on how best to address the crisis in Syria.”

Here’s Udall’s appearance on “Meet The Press”:

Contact Rob Nikolewski at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @robnikolewski