Native Intelligence

I  used the term 'Native Intelligence' yesterday in my post about Democratic Governor candidate Alan Webber.  I don't want to leave the impression that he is not intelligent, because he is.  That term, coined by former Albuquerque Journal political reporter David Steinberg some 25 years ago, refers to an understanding of the complexity of New Mexico's political make up.

And that make up is changing in some ways.  Yesterday I had a discussion with an astute observer who said they recently attended a meeting of the Santa Fe County Democrats.  Apparently the party up there is no longer a hispanic power center, but rather much more wide ranging with non hispanics pretty much in most of the official positions.  Of course, that doesn't mean the county is any less democratic.  It probably means it is more left of center.  Additionally, our extreme right wing republican governor enjoys the support of many of those hispanic democrats.  Otherwise she would not be the Governor.

So, will they support her again next year?  The northern part of the state has always been mired in poverty, but now it is more severe than ever.  Could a democrat go up there and take those votes?  I think they are there for the asking, but who can get them in the democratic party?  That is the real question.