Inspirational Primary

This past Tuesday was an highly anticipated Primary Election for the State of New Mexico and set the ground heading into the November General Election and next years Legislative Session. In an unprecedented year where we have a U.S. Senate seat open, all three U.S. Representative seats open, and many State officials being challenged for their seats, Tuesday was the breaking point for many incumbents and candidates.

In what I view as a true watershed moment in New Mexico, many grassroots campaigns were able get into communities and start the engine for what turned into the locomotive for Community Driven Change in Local Politics.

Voters arrived in high numbers to vote for the community based candidates like; Former City Councilor for District 6 Martin Heinrich, whom won the Democratic Primary for the 1st Congressional District. He now will face Darren White in November.Eric Griego, another former City Councilor, beat incumbent James Taylor for the State Senate seat for District 14. We will see Eric in Santa Fe next year, because he is unopposed for the General Election. The State Senate District 17 seat will now be held be Tim Keller, whom was selected over incumbent Shannon Robinson and like Griego, Tim is unopposed in the General Election. Maybe the most exciting victory was union organizer Eleanor Chavez being voted into State Representative District 13 by beating incumbent Dan Silva. Many viewed it as a major upset but Eleanor was able to gain grassroots support, as well as mobilize new voters which ultimately proved the difference. Like above Eleanor is unopposed for the November election, so we will also see Eleanor in Santa Fe next year.

I would like to congratulate all the winners of the Primaries on Tuesday. It was an exciting and inspirational day for all New Mexicans, especially in the Albuquerque area. I look forward to working with all these grassroots-community based Representatives.

I believe nobody could have summed up "Grassroots-Tuesday" any better than the community lead State Representative Eleanor Chavez, whom told her community supporters on Tuesday night;

"This is not my seat....this is OUR SEAT."


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WE WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We got 49% of the vote, blowing all three other candidates out of the water, by over twice as many votes. Political pundints and jounalists who didn't think we could do it will have to seriously rethink their relevance and pulse of the community. We knew it all along, because we were out there talking to the community, something they should be doing more of.

We knew it already, but this huge victory proves that Republican's disguised as Democrats using dirty Karl Rove smear campaigns can't beat the People when we come together and say Ya Basta!

We are at a turning point in 'Burque. An era where people matter most, and profits the least has begun!

Check back for updates on what Rey and the community crew is up to now that we have taken a little bit of power back. There's no stopping us now.

Smile, We Won!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our First Mailer Hits 1,000's of Households in District 6

The Rey Garduño for City Council Campaign's first Mail Piece hits Voter's doors on Saturday!

The mail piece talks to Rey's proven service to Albuquerque and let's voters know that just about every progressive public official endorses Rey for City Council. If you haven't already received it, look in your mailboxes!

In record time, District 6 city council candidate Rey Garduño has qualified for the ballot

In record time, District 6 city council candidate Rey Garduño has qualified for the ballot Rey Garduño has collected the necessary petition signatures to officially appear on the ballot for District 6 City Council in record time. Thursday, July 12th was the first day to file nominating petitions with the City Clerk. Garduño's campaign got word late Monday, July 16 that they had met and exceeded the qualifying mark of 544. In response to the news, Garduño replied, "It's a great day in the neighborhood! This is a testament to the strong grassroots community support that this campaign has brought out in our neighborhoods. The number of volunteers that went door-to-door in their own neighborhoods is what made the difference.
We're looking forward to continuing the conversation with the people of district 6," said Garduño. In the talks at people's homes, the issues are clear:

• strengthening our public transportation system that will address our traffic problems;
• sustainable community-lead development; and
• accountable social services that truly reach our elders, children and young families.

Garduño plans on walking every neighborhood between now and October 2nd, and looks forward to meeting you! You can contact Garduño at reygarduno@gmail.com or 266-4424.

Rey Garduno - To Get Public Campaign Finance Funding
by: suz
Wed May 23, 2007 at 15:39:48 PM MDT
( - promoted by LP)If Rey Garduno’s current level of organization is any sign of how he will run his campaign for Albuquerque City Council's District 6 seat, other candidates will have quite a race on their hands. Yesterday Rey turned in exactly the required 271 signatures and $5.00 donations in order to qualify for public campaign financing. Albuquerque City Clerk, Millie Santillanes, said the official announcement won't be made until May 31st, but unofficially Rey's signatures have been accepted.
Rey becomes the first person in NM, and Albuquerque specifically, to quality for public campaign financing. He attributes a portion of his early success to his use of a walk-list of voters in District #6. Rey also noted that he was able to turn in the required number of signatures in two weeks, about half the time given to candidates to collect signatures.
Rey Garduno said that he delivered the signatures in three batches, an initial set of 90, a second set of 175 and a third set of 28. Rey stayed at the City Clerk's office for the counting and validating or "vetting" of the final batch of signatures. The City Clerk's office went through all of the gathered signatures in each batch carefully and eliminated those that could not be identified as registered voters in District 6. Garduno stated that only 8% of the signatures he turned in were rejected while other candidates had rejection rates between 23% and 40%. He also indicated that if he had fallen short of the 271 signatures needed, several people were waiting in the wings to give their signatures and donations.
Rey and Debbie O'Malley, candidate for Albuquerque City Council's District 2 seat, will be guests on the New Mexico Blog Radio show at 4:30 PM Thursday, May 24th to discuss their experience with the new public campaign finance law. Listeners are invited to call in and ask questions during the half hour show. The call-in number is (718) 664-9717. The show will be hosted by Democracy for New Mexico's Barbara Wold, and Suzanne Prescott, who produced the radio show, Insight New Mexico during the NM Legislative session.