Guv to endorse but he won't say who
SANTA FE -- Gov. Bill Richardson is going to endorse someone in the slugfest that is the 3rd Congressional District Democratic primary.
But the endorsement likely won't come until next week and he won't say who will get it.
"I'm going to most likely make an endorsement in the next week," Richardson told the Independent. "I'm going to look at all the candidates ... cause this is my old congressional seat. I want somebody like me. I want somebody that can win."
The contest between the perceived front runners -- Public Regulation Commissioner Ben Ray Lujan and Santa Fe developer Don Wiviott -- has become increasingly testy in recent days.
Wiviott has questioned Lujan's credentials with a negative TV ad, implying that Lujan would be nowhere without his father, Ben Lujan, the powerful House Speaker.
Lujan's campaign, for its part, has shot back by challenging the veracity of the ad while several unions -- and Lujan supporters -- turned out Tuesday to decry Wiviott's tactics.
Albuquerque pollster Brian Sanderoff of Research & Polling Inc. said the you'd be on firm ground to predict that Richardson's endorsement will go to Lujan, whose father has a close political affiliation with the governor.
And Richardson may not be finished with handing out endorsements after he throws his support to someone in the 3rd.
"I'm looking at maybe getting involved in a couple of the congressional races," Richardson said. New Mexico only has three congressional districts, which means he's either looking at the 2nd, where two Democrats are duking it out, or the 1st, where four Democrats are battling for the party's nomination.
But Richardson was mum on where he might endorse.
"I don't know," Richardson said. "I'll decide in the next few days."
Sanderoff said the smart money would predict Richardson endorsing former Albuquerque City Councilor Martin Heinrich in the 1st Congressional District race. Heinrich is running against former Department of Health Secretary Michelle Lujan Grisham, former Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron and Albuquerque attorney Robert Pidcock.
Sanderoff said it's uncommon for a governor to get involved in endorsing primary candidates, but it's not unheard of. "The governor getting involved would be somewhat bold but that's also consistent with Richrdson's style," Sanderoff said.
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