I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
While environmental activists played their part yesterday during demonstrations at the capitol building, going so far as to dress up as solar panels and to sing the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” their counterparts, the anti-cap-and-trade contingency who has…
Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
GOP congressional candidates Jon Barela and Steve Pearce have been named part of the National Republican Campaign Committee’s (NRCC) Young Guns program.
The program, according to the NRCC, is a “candidate recruitment and training program for House Republicans and it is designed to assist Republican candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives build a foundation for victory.”
Barela will be facing first-term Congressman Martin Heinrich in the Albuquerque-based 1st Congressional District, while Pearce will take on first-term Congressman Harry Teague in southern New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District. Teague took the seat after ex-U.S. Rep. Pearce left it to unsuccessfully pursue a Senate bid last year.
One has to wonder at the “young” status of Pearce — the Hobbs oilman will be 63 when voters go to the polls next November.
The Hill explains the three-tiered system:
Candidates begin at Stage One of the program, which is labeled “on the radar.” From there, they can ascend to “contender” status and, if they reach the highest level of the program, they are labeled “young guns.”
Barela shouldn’t start picking out his Congressional office just yet, though — 2008 Republican nominee Darren White was also part of the program, and he lost to Heinrich in November’s election.
In fact, just four of the 24 Republican challengers in the NRCC’s Young Guns program in 2008 ended up winning their races.
