More Local Politics

• Red lights, cameras, action: Albuquerque program back on, but so is feud
• New Mexico hopefuls for U.S. Senate tout experience at debate
• Reports: Personal funds help some New Mexico congressional candidates

MOST RECENT TRIB STORIES

• ABQTrib.com to remain available
  08:48 a.m., February 25, 2008
• Congressman is indicted
  08:37 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Series of attacks target Green Zone
  08:36 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Iran is defying U.N., agency says
  08:35 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Waterboarding approval probed
  08:34 a.m., February 23, 2008

TRIB IN THE BLOGOSPHERE*

• Ty Murray Invitational thrills fans in Albuquerque
• Is Rome Burning?
• Ominous Skies
• The Road to Invalidation
• Albuquerque company participates in “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”

*Note: The Tribune does not create and is not responsible for the blogosphere's headlines and stories. These links to blogs talking about ABQTrib.com are automatically generated. Use them at your own risk.

STORY TOOLS

• E-mail story
• Comments
• iPod friendly
• Printer friendly

SHARE THIS STORY [?]

Now that Gov. Bill Richardson is out of the presidential race, some of his most prominent supporters have become fair game to the remaining Democratic challengers.

"I've had calls both from the Hillary folks and the Obama folks," said Martha Burk, a Corrales resident and national feminist activist who served as co-chair of Women for Richardson. "I was getting some feelers, shall we say, in New Hampshire before the (primary) election."

The tale of Burk - now firmly on the side of Sen. Hillary Clinton - is one repeating across the state as the Democratic front-runners begin placing new emphasis on New Mexico, which will hold its Democratic caucus Feb. 5.

Richardson on Thursday publicly announced an end to his bid to become the country's first Hispanic president after single-digit returns in the Iowa Democratic caucuses and the New Hampshire primary.

Prior to that news, New Mexico was considered a no-win state to anyone other than Richardson, thanks to his wide support at home, several Democrats said.

Now that Richardson has exited without endorsing another candidate, that's all changed.

"This state is wide open, up for grabs and bound to have a lot of presidential candidates coming through or having their supporters ramp it up over the next three weeks," said Brian Colón, chairman of the state Democratic Party.

That's not to say the other campaigns have been ignoring the Land of Enchantment.

Col¢n said the state has been visited by at least one candidate, U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, and Elizabeth Edwards, the wife of former Sen. John Edwards.

Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois have also had active networks in place in New Mexico that have met weekly, Colón said.

Even among those supporters, Richardson's exit makes their New Mexico campaign take on new importance.

"Yes, of course it opens more doors for us," said Nili Lange, a local physician who has been campaigning for Clinton since July.

What is new, though, is the fervent effort put forth by the Clinton and Obama campaigns to poach former Richardson supporters.

Lt. Gov. Diane Denish, the other co-chair of the Women for Richardson campaign, said regional operatives for Obama sought her support, though she decided to jump to the Clinton camp.

As of Friday afternoon she had already spoken with former President Clinton and had been trading phone messages with Hillary Clinton in an effort to discuss her role in the senator's campaign.

Denish echoed the words of most state Democrats on Friday by saying New Mexico most certainly would have favored Richardson on Feb. 5.

Now, the state takes on new importance to remaining presidential contenders.

"I think New Mexico in a way becomes more critical as the field narrows to fewer candidates," Denish said. "I think it's going to be exciting for longer than we thought."

As further evidence, the Clinton campaign has purchased a table - with prices starting at $2,000 - at the state Democratic party's annual Legislative Dinner, to be held Thursday at the La Fonda Hotel in Santa Fe, Colón said.

Former state Attorney General Patricia Madrid - a longtime supporter of Edwards - said she also was courted by the Obama and Clinton campaigns shortly after the Iowa caucus.

Madrid will be in Nevada this weekend to campaign for Edwards. But she expects him to ramp up his activity in New Mexico.

"Now that (Richardson) is out and he hasn't endorsed anyone, it's wide open," Madrid said.