ELECTIONS 2014
A-5
Sunday, May 11, 2014 THE NEW MEXICAN
King says he’s more prepared than ever to be governor By Steve Terrell The New Mexican
When he was in high school, Gary King’s friends used to call him “Governor.” Now, King wants people to call him that again. “If you go back to when I was a teenager, I wanted to be the speaker of the House. You know, my dad was the speaker of the House,” King said in a recent interview, referring to Bruce King, who represented part of Santa Fe County in the New Mexico Legislature before he became governor. “When I was young — 8, 9, 10 years old — I would come up [to Santa Fe] when I could get off school and go sit by my dad at the speaker’s desk.” Gary King, who also went on to serve in the Legislature, said he didn’t seriously think about running for governor until decades later. Gary King mentions his father frequently at candidate forums and other public appearances. But while there is a physical resemblance, Gary King is a completely different kind of politician than his father, who died in 2009. While Bruce King, known as the “cowboy governor” during his three terms, was spilling over with down-home charm and charisma, Gary King is quieter, more cerebral and more deliberate. And unlike his father, Gary King has been unable to convince voters to put him in the governor’s seat in two previous tries. As he makes his third attempt, King is still having trouble leveraging the family name. He came in last among five candidates in the Democratic pre-primary convention in March and was trailing two of his Democratic rivals in the race for donations during the last campaign finance reporting period. At the same time, a national poll in March showed King as the biggest threat to sitting Republican Gov. Susana Martinez, despite his dismal pre-primary performance. Gary King, now in his second term as New Mexico’s attorney general, said he thinks he’s ready. “My logic for being governor in 1998 and my logic for being governor now are completely different,” King said. “I’ve grown a lot as a public servant, and I think, looking back on it, I would not have made as good a governor in ’98 as I will make this coming year because I have a lot more significant experience now. ” Raised on the King Ranch near Moriarty, where he still makes his home, King has politics in his blood. After attending New Mexico State University, receiving a doctorate in organic chemistry from the University of Colorado and a law degree from The University of New Mexico, King in 1986 ran for the District 50 seat in the state House of Representatives. He won and went on to hold the seat for 12 years. As a legislator, King earned a reputation as an environmentalist, sponsoring the state’s mining law. He also played a role in drafting a package of tougher drunken-driving laws that the Legislature passed in 1993. He chaired the committee that crafted the bill creating the Public Regulation Commission in 1998. He said recently the legislation he was most proud of was the Family Violence Protection Act, which strengthened laws against domestic violence. In a recent interview, Raymond Sanchez, who was speaker during King’s tenure in the Legislature, had nothing but praise for King’s performance.
I think, looking back on it, I “ would not have made as good a governor in ’98 as I will make this coming year because I have a lot more significant experience now.” Gary King, gubernatorial candidate has tangled with the Martinez administration over the state Water Quality Control Commission’s decision to weaken groundwater rules for copper mines. (King has appealed that decision.) Martinez herself blasted a new regulation from New Mexico Attorney General and gubernatorial hopeful Gary King speaks May 3 during a Democratic Party forum in King’s office that requires every Albuquerque. King called the Martinez administration’s han- car dealer to disclose any signifidling of a behavioral health provider audit a ‘good example of cant wreck damage to any vehibad management.’ CRAIG FRITZ/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS cle sold in the state. Car dealers are suing over the regulation. King has been criticized for “He was a hardworking, very address as Carlsbad, King ran for conscientious, dedicated legisla- Congress. In the primary, he beat what critics call a lackluster record on prosecuting corrupJeff Steinborn, now a state legistor,” the fellow Democrat said. tion. lator from Las Cruces, but lost “Gary didn’t feel the need to It’s true that his office won decisively to Republican Steve comment on every issue. He convictions against former reserved his comments for those Pearce in the general election. Public Regulation Commission Steinborn said one lesson issues that deserved his debate.” member Jerome Block Jr. in two King left the Legislature to run he learned from the race was cases — one related to misuse for governor. But he lost the 1998 “the King name is still beloved among many of the older Demo- of public campaign funds, the Democratic primary to Albuother for misusing his state credit cratic voters in New Mexico. querque Mayor Martin Chávez, card. King’s office also convicted It takes a lot for any candidate who went on to lose to Republirunning against him to overcome Roberta Vigil, wife of a former can Gary Johnson. state representative and a former that. … It’s a formidable thing.” Four years later — followKing bounced back in 2006 and West Las Vegas school admining a stint working for the U.S. won election as attorney general. istrator, on charges of fraud and Department of Energy under conspiracy. He said recently that he’s most then-Secretary Bill Richardson Last year, King’s office won proud of his office’s work in “pro— King made another run for a conviction of Mora County’s governor. But this time, his main tecting children against predathen-Sheriff Thomas Garza obstacle was Richardson himself. tors.” He also mentioned his King dropped out of the race work with Mexican law enforce- for tampering with public records and, in 2009, Los Lunas before the 2002 primary when it ment — specifically, training police Chief Nick Balido, who became obvious Richardson had prosecutors trying to convict pleaded no contest to receiving those involved in drug cartels. the nomination sewn up. government money for work In 2004, listing his home As attorney general, King
he didn’t do. But other corruption cases King handled fizzled. These include the fraud and embezzlement case against former Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron and three associates, a case that languished so long in state court, federal prosecutors brought their own charges — though VigilGiron herself wasn’t indicted. Her three co-defendants all were convicted in federal court. Another case involved former state Rep. Vincent “Smiley” Gallegos, who was indicted on
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On Friday, April 25th the Pastoral Counseling Center (PCC) held our Second Annual Fundraiser, A Toast to Health and Wholeness, in support of the counseling services we offer to children, adolescents, families, couples and adults. The event, held in the Lumpkins Ballroom at La Fonda, was both fun and successful! We wish to thank the many organizations and individuals who made this possible:
Greg Heltman, Director
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MOTHER’S DAY CONCERT May 11, 2014 at 2:00 pm Bring Mom and a Picnic Lunch to hear Marches, Show Tunes and Classical Favorites! At the Federal Court House On the green at the corner of Washington Avenue & Paseo de Peralta Free Admission, Donations Welcome Find out more about Ride For The Band, the Silent Auction and Raffle during the Concert and at these handy websites!
SPONSORS: Santa Maria de la Paz Catholic Community St. Anne’s Catholic Church ALH Foundation Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center Century Bank State Employees Credit Union New Mexico Bank & Trust Ray and Rosemary Moya Sheila Brown Xerox John G. Rehders, General Contractor, Inc. Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe del Valle Pojoaque Byrdnest Publishing Inc., DBA The Essential Guide - Santa Fe & Taos
HELPERS: Board of the PCC Lelah Larson Staff of the PCC Msgr. Jerome Martinez y Alire La Fonda Hotel Cisneros Design Impact Printing Matthew Krekeler Melange Chris Abeyta Santa Fe New Mexican Post Net
and… all who donated monies and auction items to the effort… and those who came to share the evening with us!! All of these gifts are deeply appreciated and will be thankfully remembered as we continue to provide quality behavioral health care to the people of our community and region.
PASTORAL COUNSELING CENTER www.facebook.com/SantaFeConcertBand www.santafeconcertband.org/
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Contact Steve Terrell at sterrell@sfnewmexican.com. Read his political blog at roundhouseroundup.com.
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charges including fraud and embezzlement related to the now defunct Region III Housing Authority. Gallegos last year pleaded to misdemeanors and escaped any jail time. “Corruption cases against elected officials probably are the hardest cases you can bring, other than maybe death penalty cases,” King said. “We had a very difficult time getting judges to schedule those cases. I think judges in New Mexico, at least eight years ago, weren’t familiar with these corruption cases, didn’t like them much because of their high visibility.” At one point in the Vigil-Giron case, King said, the judge delayed scheduling hearings “over the simplest stuff” for more than 18 months. Despite the difficulty of prosecuting such cases, King said, “I hope my successor is willing to spend the time and energy we are on corruption cases.”
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