Attorney General Gary King (Photo by Heath Haussamen)

Tea Party representatives from around New Mexico will bring petitions to Attorney General Gary King‘s office May 12, requesting King file suit against the federal government to reverse the new federal health care reform law.

But King’s office has seen a sharp decline in public support for such a move, a review by The Independent has confirmed.

Citizens can express support or opposition on the AG’s website for New Mexico joining 14 other states in suing to halt health reform.

“So far there are more than 750 comments,” AG Spokesman Phil Sisneros said. “Early on, most were clearly for joining the other states’ lawsuit but in the last few days many are urging the AG not to join. Meanwhile, we are still reviewing the federal health care bill and assessing how it may affect New Mexico residents.”

The Independent tallied 745 comments submitted between March 24 and May 2 that clearly favor or oppose suing. Most of the comments were submitted anonymously and there is no mechanism to prevent an individual from submitting multiple comments.

Into early April, comments heavily favored the state joining the lawsuit. By April 14, 541 comments favored a lawsuit, while only 25 opposed one.

While many letters on both sides of the debate were calm and reasoned, the intensity of some residents’ opposition to health reform was evident in their letters to the AG.

Many letters contained references to God and warnings about health reform’s costs, illegal immigrants, the reform law’s alleged unconstitutionality, and socialist and communist conspiracies.

“This is a deliberate attack on this country – to destroy it!!!!,” one letter states. “Why is Obama reading a book titled, ‘The Post-American World’?”

“Just because Dictator Obama perjured his ‘Oath of Office’ to uphold the Constitution, going along with these Communist ideals, I accuse you of ‘Constitutional Teason’,” another states.

“I AM SO MAD ABOUT THIS I CAN HARDLY STAND IT,” wrote one commenter. “WHO DO THESE PEOPLE THINK THEY ARE????? GOD ALMIGHTY? EVEN HE DOES NOT IMPOSE UPON MAN’S FREE WILL.”

Some letters referred to more than 30 other states having filed lawsuits against health reform; in fact, the attorneys general of 14 states have filed lawsuits against health reform.

“I … pray for someone with true patriotic and God fearing morals and values to make there [sic] way into Govt. Any office; city, state, federal, etc.,” another letter states. “We need people to (REPRESENT) us not Dictate to us!!!!!!!!!!”

Other letters express hostility to the unemployed and to illegal immigrants, even though illegal immigrants are excluded from access to high-risk insurance under the health reform law.

“As a native New Mexican who has worked two and sometimes three jobs to keep my family healthy and fed for most of my adult life, I have always taken offense to supporting those people who want a free hand out from the government,” one letter states.

“WE BELIEVE THAT THERE IS AN EFFORT UNDERWAY TO EXTEND COVERAGE FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS,” another letter states.

“This will only help the people that won’t work for a living, that only suck off the Goverment,” another letter states. “They are able to work but won’t!”

One resident wrote that he or she is contemplating moving to Mexico as a result of health reform.

Though the anger in some letters was palpable, only a few contained even veiled threats of violence.

“Something must be done to STOP this ‘Health Care’ crap,” one states. “There will be a revolution IF this is not stopped…….. It can not be acceptable to demand payment for something….. we have enough ‘Tax’ on enough products NOW! Stop this Farce or People WILL TAKE ACTION. Our great country does not need Socialistic Ideaology [sic] imposed upon it.”

“We STILL don’t back b.o.’s socialistic health care plan,” another letter states. “I for one will fight it with ALL I have!”

Majority of comments now oppose suing over health reform

But in mid-April, the intensity of letter writers’ opposition to health reform, and support for a lawsuit, began to wane.

Since April 15, the AG’s office received 132 comments opposing a lawsuit and 50 supporting a lawsuit, AG office records show.

“I find the right wing reaction (over reaction) to the health bill astonishing,” states one letter written in opposition to New Mexico joining a lawsuit against health reform. “I think it has very little to do with the plan itself, but represents anger over their lack of power, which they think they deserve.”

For the most part, the commenters who clearly stated opposition to suing over health care reform  did not write with the intensity or anger of those who support suing. But some letters did suggest frustration and anger over the idea of reversing health care reform.

“My husband and I are totally and completely in favor of the health care reform bill,” one letter states “Please ignore those idiots who want to sue the government because now everyone can have health care.”

“NO ONE disagrees that if you own a car, it is a requirement to be insured,” another letter states. “No socialism in that!”

While the letters do not represent a scientific or statistically valid opinion poll, they serve as a measure of residents’ motivation to write to the AG’s office.

King has taken a “wait and see” approach to calls for a lawsuit. King and his staff are looking into the legalities involved, Sisneros told The Independent.

Calling federal health reform a Constitutional and “state’s rights” issue, Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Turner pledged in March that if elected, he would file a lawsuit against health reform.

Comments on Health Care Reform

Turner is “leaning toward getting into the race,” he said Tuesday in an interview, adding that he has “hired a few folks, brought on some external consultants” and done significant polling. He said he has an “initial staff” in place.

The CEO of the Albuquerque-based public relations firm DW Turner said he has already spent “considerable” personal money preparing for a run.

“We’re making sure we’ve got the right team and the right resources and, when all that’s in place, we’ll announce,” Turner said.

Turner was state director for former Gov. Gary Johnson’s first campaign in 1994 and manager of his re-election campaign in 1998. Turner was also deputy political director for Steve Forbes’ unsuccessful 2000 presidential campaign.

He has previously said he won’t form an exploratory committee — he will either run or not — and has indicated that he will make a final decision in mid to late August.

The only declared Republican gubernatorial candidate is Albuquerque financial adviser and Army National Guard Brigadier General Greg Zanetti, but Doña Ana County District Attorney Susana Martinez plans to enter the race on Friday. Former state GOP Chairman Allen Weh and state Rep. Janice Arnold-Jones, R-Albuquerque, have formed exploratory committees.

And former U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson has said she is seriously considering running.

On the Democratic side, the only declared candidate is Lt. Gov. Diane Denish. New Mexico Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez says he’s formed an exploratory committee as he considers challenging Denish for the nomination, but he hasn’t been very active in the race.

“I think I would probably bring a different energy,” Turner said yesterday in a phone interview. “ … I think I bring a sense of the possible to the table. I’m one of these people who believes anything is possible if you get the right people together behind the right ideas.”

Turner, who described himself as a moderate Republican, is the CEO of the Albuquerque-based public relations firm DW Turner. He was state director for former Gov. Gary Johnson’s first campaign in 1994 and manager of his re-election campaign in 1998. Turner was also deputy political director for Steve Forbes’ unsuccessful 2000 presidential campaign.

He has been traveling the state to meet with people and done polling, and said he is “just trying to get my finger around what the vibe is.” Turner said he’ll make a final decision on whether to run in six or eight weeks. In the meantime, he won’t form an exploratory committee, as some others have done.

“I’m either going to do it or not do it,” Turner said.

‘A significant battle ahead of me’

If he runs, Turner will probably face some serious competition in the GOP primary. Albuquerque financial adviser and Army National Guard brigadier general Greg Zanetti has formally announced his candidacy. State Rep. Janice Arnold-Jones and former state GOP Chairman Allen Weh have formed exploratory committees.

Former Republican U.S. Reps. Steve Pearce and Heather Wilson are also considering the race. Wilson said Friday she hasn’t made a decision on whether to run. Pearce now says his decision will come toward the end of July.

Meanwhile, the only declared Democratic candidate for governor is Lt. Gov. Diane Denish. New Mexico Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez says he’s formed an exploratory committee as he considers challenging Denish for the nomination.

Because he’s been a political operative and spent his career in public relations and communications, Turner knows what it takes to run for office, he said. He’s aware that he has very low name identification, “so I know that I have a significant battle ahead of me.”

Turner said his work has taught him “a lot about a lot of the issues affecting the state in a very deep sense,” and he mentioned energy and education. He said he has spent only a handful of days in the Roundhouse, so he will “hopefully bring a breath of fresh air to a party (that) I think wants it and that believes that, with the right candidates and the right energy, we can win in 2010.”

“I think there is a need and a desire for some new energy,” Turner said.