State Sen. Joe Carraro isn’t feeling much love about now. It’s days before the June 3 primary. His better-financed opponent appears poised for an easy victory. And Carraro won’t be returning to Santa Fe next year after a 20-something-year career there. 

But Carraro appeared to have found a way to forestall the end of his political career so far and put off what looks like the inevitable. The veteran state legislator tried to postpone Tuesday’s primary election by using a novel legal argument. He said the state and national Republican parties have violated state law by endorsing his much better-financed opponent, Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White, in the 1st Congressional District race.

 

He sent a letter to the Secretary of State’s office in April saying that there is a prohibition of political parties taking part in the primary process.  For that reason, the election should be put on hold.

 

The state Attorney General’s office, which serves as the Secretary of State’s lawyer, however, isn’t buying the argument. The AG said Friday that it had found no violations of law but that Carraro can pettion the courts for relief.

Carraro had some strong words for the AG’s office Friday during a midday press conference. His comments were:

 

 

Your lack of action has now caused a violation of my civil liberties as a candidate for the office of Congress in House of Representatives District One. The many violations that have occurred since my first request have now been compounded by the denial of my civil rights in this election.

 

Carraro did not say in the press release whether he would be filing a lawsuit to stop the election.

 

White’s campaign manager, Sara Lister, had this to say about Carraro’s complaint in an e-mailed response.

 

When Joe Carraro lost his last race, he asked the United States Attorney General to invalidate the election because he wasn’t allowed to draw straws at the convention. This is just the latest improper attempt to use the media and government agencies for publicity for a frivolous complaint.  No court would ever take these claims seriously and no one should take Mr. Carraro seriously either.  It is a desperate 11th hour attempt to avoid the obvious decision of the voters.