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.
Carl Trujillo said he definitely would ask for a recount if House Speaker Ben Lujan, D-Santa Fe, bests him in one of the most closely watched races late Tuesday night.
“Most certainly I would ask for a recount,” Trujillo told The Independent. “We have worked too hard, my staff and my volunteers. The people have been ready for change. We’re not stunned.”
As of 11 p.m. Lujan was barely staving off an upset by Trujillo in the District 46 House race.
According to the Secretary of State’s office, Lujan was leading Trujillo by 63 votes, or about 1.76 percent.
The long-time speaker appeared to have trouble dispatching Trujillo who was running for the first time ever for elected office. The Speaker of the House is the single most powerful lawmaker in the New Mexico Legislature.
Lujan has been in the Legislature for almost as long — 36 years — as Trujillo has been alive, 43 years.
While Trujillo said he’d ask for a recount, he wasn’t ready to give up hope that he could beat Lujan without a recount.
The Santa Fe County Clerk’s office told Trujillo’s campaign Tuesday night that it “was too close to call. They are going to look at provisionals.”
Under state law, a candidate in any federal race and certain state races, including legislative contests, can request and receive an automatic, taxpayer-funded recount when he or she is within one-half of 1 percent of the winner. A candidate who is behind by a larger gap can ask for a recount, but risks having to pay the entire cost if he or she loses the race.
