Package causes alarm at Rep. Luján S.F. office

A Democratic campaign office in Santa Fe was evacuated Wednesday morning after an unexpected package arrived amid heightened fears nationwide following a series of attempted mail bombings on prominent liberal figures.

The delivery to the campaign space at 2006 Botulph Road turned out to be popcorn, according to a person in the office who asked not to be identified. It was addressed to U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján.

The office was evacuated for about an hour as a precaution, said Linda SerratoYBarra, Luján’s campaign spokeswoman. Santa Fe police officers checked the package and determined it was safe, said department spokesman Greg Gurulé.

“You find a box of popcorn in front of the building — you don’t know who sent it. Republicans? Who knows?” Gurulé said.

SerratoYBarra found the response sensible.

“It was just being extra cautious,” she said. “What’s happening across the country is terrible. We just wanted to make sure this was not the same thing.”

Pipe bombs sent to former President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton were intercepted by authorities Wednesday. A bomb was also sent to the news network CNN, and the prominent liberal political donor George Soros was targeted in a similar attempted attack earlier this week.