Money talks, but so does the personal touch
The campaign for the 3rd Congressional District is shaping up. And it looks to be expensive, especially compared to the many years when Democratic incumbents ran unopposed in primaries and with a token GOP opponent, if that, in the general.
There’s a financial front-runner, ex-CIA spy Valerie Plame, who just collected $446,749 to lead the pack in thirdquarter reporting. Everyone else is lagging behind, with Las Vegas, N.M., native and Santa Fe lawyer Teresa Leger Fernandez totaling $205,000, District Attorney Marco Serna at $118,000 and state Rep. Joseph Sanchez reporting $53,000 raised. Recently announced candidate John Blair brought in $147,000, an excellent showing in such a short time. In cash on hand, Plame had $427,000, Leger $301,000 and Serna $290,000. We haven’t heard much on the financial front from the remaining candidates and expect the field to tighten soon. There will not be 10 names on June’s ballot in the Democratic primary for U.S. representative.
What is fascinating about the contest is whether a money advantage will matter much after a certain point. The 3rd Congressional District is in the Albuquerque television market, and we expect the airwaves in the spring to be full not just of ads for the House, but for the up-ticket U.S. Senate race between Rep. Ben Ray Luján and Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver. That’s without taking to account advertisements for GOP House contests in the 2nd Congressional District — where there is likely to be fierce competition to face incumbent Rep. Xochitl Torres Small between Yvette Harrell and Claire Chase, with Chris Mathys also in the race. And that’s just a fraction of the contests that will be on the June ballot. Even with lots of money, there might be little room to buy TV advertisements at times people are watching.
Of course, money can be spent buying newspaper advertisements — in the rural 3rd Congressional District, daily and weekly papers are popular sources of information, something candidates can overlook. Radio ads are important, with locals often speaking to endorse their favorites. And those with lots of cash can invest in get-out-the-vote campaigns that bring people to the polls. First, of course, the people have to know you.
At a certain point, how much money is enough? Leger Fernandez, with her recent haul, has solid financial results and the advantage of the endorsement from Emily’s List, a national group dedicated to electing women. Even if she doesn’t have the biggest campaign war chest, she remains in striking distance — and with deep roots and various associations in Northern New Mexico, she already enjoys a network of supporters who won’t be swayed by advertisements.
That’s why Plame’s dollars will be needed for more than snazzy campaign commercials. She will need to introduce herself to communities who might not have heard of her experiences being outed as a covert CIA operative by members of the Bush administration. She’s famous nationally, well known in Santa Fe but perhaps could walk through Mora unrecognized. How Plame can relate, one-on-one, to the average norteño remains to be seen. That’s where homegrown candidates such as Leger Fernandez and Serna — with his support in Rio Arriba County — might hold an advantage.
And then there’s Sanchez, the state representative who is hardly considered a frontrunner at this point. Yet while Plame introduces herself through a video that features her driving backward at top speeds — she obviously was skilled as a spy — and Serna counters with a ride on horseback, Sanchez is mostly invisible. Even Leger Fernandez has a short, well-shot introduction showing her family, friends and other supporters.
Meanwhile, Sanchez — and we know he is not the only candidate out and about — is quietly talking about the issues of acequias; land and energy; meeting with environmentalists about the recent Mexican spotted owl court decision; and otherwise flying underneath the radar. He has the advantage, when a fundraiser needs a musical act, of being able to bring his band, the Blue Ventures, along. It’s one of Northern New Mexico’s most popular groups. How effective the personal touch will be against big money remains to be seen, of course.
We will find out come spring, when the race for the 3rd Congressional District seat heats up. This could be one election where money won’t do the talking.