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On Sunday, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin endorsed Susana Martinez’ in her effort to win the Republican nomination for Governor.
Palin is either passionately adored—or passionately hated. But everybody agrees she has the ability to attract attention.
So this week’s question is: What effect, if any, will Palin’s endorsement have on the governor’s race?
JIM BACA, blogger, former director of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Albuquerque mayor, state land commissioner and recently retired natural resources trustee:
Apparently, Susana Martinez refused to take questions at her news conference with Sarah Palin on Sunday. Why would that happen? What is there to hide? Would issue oriented questions be asked? (Like ‘Why you are taking so much money from the oil and gas industry?’) Would she embrace the factually wrong ranting of Palin and the Tea Party? We may never know. But she can’t get away with this for long.
One thing we can take from this is that Martinez is not sure what the Palin endorsement will ultimately do to her campaign, otherwise she might have been forthcoming in front of the press yesterday. I actually think it strengthens her in the primary election against Allen Weh, who is after all the consummate insider. He served as GOP chair and made millions in war profits from the Bush Adminstration. That probably has not gone completely unnoticed. But, I believe the endorsement will weaken Martinez somewhat in the general election against Lt. Governor Diane Denish. Diane is an insider with a soul at least, unlike Palin.
We all really don’t know if Palin’s endorsement will help here, but I have a feeling that a lack of thought in accepting this endorsement will haunt Susana’s move to the dark side.
PAUL GESSING, president of the Rio Grande Foundation:
An endorsement from a prominent national figure is bound to have some small, positive impact in the primary election. Given the time between now and November, however, I doubt that Palin’s endorsement has much impact at all in the general election. Now, if Palin were to campaign actively on Martinez’s behalf leading up to the general, that may be a bigger story, but the bounce is focused on pushing her over the top in the primary and it may just do that.
TERRI COLE, president and CEO, Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce:
It’s hard to tell, but my instincts say Palin’s endorsement of Martinez will help Martinez in the primary. The race has very tightly closed in on two candidates and the nudge from Palin to Martinez might well take her over the top. But, if Martinez wins the primary, I’m not so sure that the endorsement will be the same help in the general. That, as they say, will be a whole other ballgame.
