New Mexico Rumblings and Other News

New Mexico: Democracy for New Mexico offers two posts, here and here, looking at possible/rumored challengers to Pajamas Pete Domenici, including newspaper editor Leland Lehrman, housing expert Jim Hannan, attorney Geno Zamora, State Auditor Hector Balderas, former Santa Fe County Commissioner Javier Gonzales, and real estate developer Don Wiviott. Not exactly the highest profile names to start, though Auditor Balderas won the statewide office last year with 55% of the vote and Gonzales is the son of former Santa Fe Mayor George Gonzales. With Domenici's plunging approval ratings, the sooner NM-Dems put serious pressure on him, the better.

Elsewhere in New Mexico, NM-FBIHOP highlights a conservative blog suggesting that it might be time for Domenici to retire, as well as an account of Domenici acting like a self-important jerk at a funeral.

Alaska: It's indictment-season among the AK-GOP, where Ben Stevens, son of Ted Stevens, is under investigation. An ongoing investigation does touch on the elder Stevens in a substantive way:

The grand jury subpoena, issued last month, also seeks records on the Alaska Fisheries Marketing Board, a nonprofit federal-grant distribution corporation set up by Ben Stevens' father, U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens.

Indictments are being handed out. Questions need answering. We'll see what Republicans under investigation are able to recall.

Kentucky: Marking the Kentucky Derby weekend, protesters are offering Mitch McConnell a wake-up call on Iraq.

North Carolina: Blue South has Elizabeth Dole demonstrating hypocrisy on funding pork projects and a shameful record on veterans' issues.

Bush's approval keeps hitting new all-time lows. This can't bode well for Republicans in 2008.