Of course, there have only been two other write-in candidates for governor in the state’s industry.

The previous record was set with 788 votes by Libertarian candidate Joseph E. Knight in 1990. Also in 1990, Santa Fe artist and eccentric Thomas Macaione received 192 votes.

Gomez ran as a tea party candidate and was aided by a mailer from a Democratic organization that reminded voters of the tea party candidate.

In 2000, Daniel Pearlman attempted to get on the ballot as write-in candidate but the state Bureau of Elections rejected his attempt, saying that state election law has no provision for write-in candidates for governor. Pearlman sued the state but lost his lawsuit and never appeared on the ballot as a write-in candidate.

So far, only fringe candidates have dipped their toes in the write-in waters in New Mexico’s gubernatorial race, but in one other race New Mexico was the site of a rare successful write-in candidacy.

In the 2nd Congressional District, Joe Skeen was elected to office in 1980 as a write-in candidate after the death of incumbent Democrat Harold Runnels.

The New York Times wrote on November 7, 1980, accessed via Lexis:

Joe Skeen, a sheep rancher, became the first major candidate to win a New Mexico election on a write-in vote, according to Republican leaders. He was elected Tuesday to the House of Representatives from the 2d Congressional District, defeating David King, nephew of Gov. Bruce King, by about 5,000 votes. Only Mr. King’s name appeared on the ballot. Mr. Skeen also outpolled another write-in candidate, Dorothy Runnels, the widow of Representative Harold Runnels, who died Aug. 5.

This year, it appears that in Alaska, Republican Lisa Murkowski may win re-election as a write-in candidate after losing in the primary to Republican Joe Miller. This would be the first successful write-in candidacy for Senate since Strom Thurmond in 1954.

The bill would give the Interior Department broader powers to make sure that environmental and safety regulations are met before drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf. It would also strengthen the safety rules and increase civil and criminal penalties for those who break the law.

Perhaps the most popular portion of the law is the provision that companies would have a greater financial responsibility to fund clean up efforts.

In addition, Bingaman’s office says in a press release that the bill would require that the Department of the Interior “reform the Minerals Management Service to prevent conflicts of interests between its revenue-raising missions and its planning, permitting and regulatory missions.”

The bill also directs the Secretary of the Interior to regularly review royalties to those drilling on the Outer Continental Shelf.

The legislation is cosponsored by Sen. Lisa Murkowski, D-Alaska, the ranking member on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Bingaman is the chairman of the committee.

With oil companies extremely unpopular, especially BP, it is a politically expedient time for politicians to pass legislation strengthening these laws.

The Outer Continental Shelf is the part of the ocean that is part of the United States, but not under the power of any individual state.

But, according to the New York Times, an anonymous Republican Senator has issued a procedural “hold” on the nomination of the Navajo lawyer.

This means that Tompkins is essentially blocked for the time being.

“I’m obviously disappointed there has been an objection raised,” Bingaman said according the New York Times. “It’s unclear why anyone would object to confirming Ms. Tompkins… More than four months into the new administration, the department should not be without its top legal (adviser). Ms. Tompkins should not be the victim of anonymous holds.”

A previous hold, by Sens. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, was lifted after they received answers from Interior Secretary Ken Salazar on the cancellation of oil and gas leases near national parks in Utah.

Both say each is not the anonymous Republican responsible for the current hold.

So what is a hold? According to the United States Senate official glossary:

An informal practice by which a Senator informs his or her floor leader that he or she does not wish a particular bill or other measure to reach the floor for consideration. The Majority Leader need not follow the Senator’s wishes, but is on notice that the opposing Senator may filibuster any motion to proceed to consider the measure.

Slate explains it in plain English, stemming from some controversial secret holds in 2006 on a government accountability bill.

What’s a secret hold?An anonymous objection that’s made before a bill hits the floor. The Byzantine rules of the Senate make it very easy for individual lawmakers to stall ongoing debates. Since anyone can slow down or halt the chamber’s business, the Senate must rely on collegiality to keep business moving forward. To that end, the Senate majority leader sets an agenda using “unanimous consent agreements” on what will be discussed and for how long.

Anonymous holds on Obama’s nominees have become almost commonplace.

The most notable case was the secret hold on Hilda Solis, Obama’s pick for Labor Secretary. The hold was eventually pulled and Solis was confirmed and sworn in as labor secretary.

For his part, U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman told the Hill, “I’ve worked very well with Lamar [Alexander of Tennessee]. We have some of the same interests. We worked on the America Competes Act in the last Congress.”

His fellow New Mexico Democrat, U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, who is just beginning his Senate career after a decade in the House, said, “The members I feel comfortable working with are John Thune [of South Dakota] — I’ve traveled with him to Iraq, so I’ve got a good relationship with him. Sen. [John] McCain, who I’m working with on a couple of things. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe [both of Maine]. I think they all desire to reach out to the other side.”

For most, the ones who were perceived to be the most bipartisan were also those they worked most closely with; those who serve on the same committees.

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), the ranking member on the Senate Energy Natural Resources Committee which Bingaman chairs, said Bingaman “is wonderful to work with.” She cited their work together “on an initiative regarding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve” and how Bingaman brings in experts to help craft legislation instead of just writing it himself.

“We may come to different conclusions at the end of the day, but he involves me in the process and I’m part of it,” Murkowski said. “It’s totally great.”

Alexander also said he enjoyed working with Bingaman, with whom he worked with on the America Competes Act.

Alexander added, “We created a bipartisan breakfast which means almost every Tuesday morning, and the reason we worked together is the same thing: We had the same goal, to create an opportunity for senators to get together across party lines on a regular basis.”

Overall, U.S. Sen.Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts is the easiest Democrat to work with and U.S. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine is the easiest Republican to work with by members on the other side of the aisle. Alternatively, U.S. Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Jim Bunning (R-KY) were the most partisan and hardest to work with by members of the other party.

And Bunning probably showed why with his answer to Roll Call:

“No.”