Howie Morales wins NM Democratic pre-primary nod for governor

By Rob Nikolewski │ New Mexico Watchdog

ALBUQUERQUE  – Howie Morales got a big boost on Saturday while Gary King has some decisions to make.

At the New Mexico Democratic Party pre-primary convention at the Route 66 Casino Hotel, Morales — a state senator from Silver City — came in first place in a competitive, five-way race for the most delegates in the gubernatorial race leading up to the Democratic primary on June 6 while King — the state’s attorney general — finished in last place.

Here are the results from more than 1,400 votes cast:

*Howie Morales 29.28 percent 

*Alan Webber 21.58 percent

*Lawrence Rael 20.13 percent

*Linda Lopez 18.48 percent

*Gary King 10.51 percent

One of the important numbers to keep in mind is 20 percent. Candidates who reach that number are automatically placed on the statewide ballot. Candidates who don’t must submit additional signatures from registered voters to get on the ballot.

King was not on hand in the auditorium by the time party leaders announced the results after taking about three hours to count Saturday’s pre-primary ballots but his campaign said earlier in the day that King has already picked up 10,361 signatures — enough to put him on the ballot.

But a last-place finish by an AG in his second term who’s from a prominent political family with high name recognition across the state had many at the convention wondering if King will stay in the race. King is looking to follow in the footsteps of his father, Bruce King, who was elected governor three times in the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s.

“I’m not Bruce King but I’m Bruce King’s son,” King said in his speech to delegates, “and he taught me to be ethical and help make people’s lives better and that’s why I’m running for governor.”

State Sen. Linda Lopez of Albuquerque fell just shy of the 20 percent mark. “I don’t have a comment right now,” Lopez told a pair of reporters after the vote totals were announced. “I need to talk to my (campaign) people.”

As for Morales, who has served in the Legislature since 2008, he said he was not surprised by his first-place finish.

“I expected to win,” said Morales, a former high school baseball coach. “That’s because I knew the preparation going in there, the amount of work, but that’s the competitor in me, that’s the coach in me, to always expect the best.”

Webber, a businessman from Santa Fe who has never held political office in New Mexico, told delegates, “I know what it takes to turn bold ideas into new realities … I’ve signed both sides of a paycheck. I’ll create 70,000 new jobs in my first term.”

Rael, a former chief administrative officer for the City of Albuquerque, cleared the 20 percent mark by just a handful of votes. Party officials said the results won’t be certified until Tuesday.

“The stakes are very high in this race,” Rael told the crowd. “I’m running for governor because I care. I care deeply.”

All five candidates took plenty of shots at Republican Gov. Susana Martinez.

“After I’m elected governor I will sign an executive order to get rid of teacher evaluations right then and there,” Lopez said. “And then, a few minutes later at 12:02 or 12:03, I’ll sign another executive order that suspends all the testing that our children are going through.”

“I’m hungry and I’m angry and I’m not talking about that Tea Party hate,” Morales said in his speech, adding, “Gov. Susana Martinez, you have violated our trust and haven’t lived up to your obligations.”

“Susana Martinez does not have record to run on,” Rael said. “She has a record to run away from.”

“For three and a half years we’ve been forced to play by Susana Martinez’s rules and Jay McCleskey’s rules,” said Webber, referring to the governor’s political advisor.

“We need to make Susana Martinez a one-term governor and I’m the one to do it,” King said.

Here are the results in the other contested races Saturday:

US House of Representatives, Congressional District 2

Roxanne “Rocky” Lara 85.18 percent

Leslie Endean-Singh 14.82 percent

When approached after the results were announced Endean-Singh said he had no comment about whether she’ll stay in the race.

US House of Representatives, Congressional District 3

Ben Ray Luján 98.43 percent

Robert Blanch 1.57 percent

State Treasurer

Tim Eichenberg 52.75 percent

John Wertheim 40.07 percent

Patrick Padilla 7.18 percent

The state’s Republicans had their pre-primary convention last week. Click here for the details.

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