Election brings candidates, speeches

Copyright © 2008
Gallup Independent
By Bill Donovan
Staff writer

GALLUP — This must be an election season because politicians will be coming to Gallup in droves in the next few days.

It begins today with U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., who is making a rare non-election-type visit to Gallup, starting with a news conference earlier today in the McKinley County Commission Chambers to talk about school issues and the federal Payment in Lieu of Taxes Program.

This is the program that provides federal funds to areas that are rich in non-taxable lands — such as those near Indian reservations and military bases. In recent years this program has been threatened with elimination but has survived with only cutbacks.

A Bingaman staff member said that the senator will then tour NCI, the local detox center at 1 p.m.

On Friday, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson will make his appearance in Gallup, scheduled to show up at Gallup High School at 9 a.m. to visit a Navajo culture and language class.

Later that day, several candidates for office this year are expected to attend a two-hour town-meeting candidate’s forum that will begin at 12:30 p.m. in the auditorium at Calvin Hall.

Sponsors of the event said that several local candidates running for the state house and senate are expected to be there to give a short speech and answer questions from the audience.

National candidates for the U.S. Senate — Steve Pearce and Tom Udall — and for District 3 of the U.S. House of Representatives — Dan East and Ben Ray Lujan — have also been invited but there was no confirmation on Tuesday if they would appear.

Sponsors of the program said they have also invited representatives of the Barack Obama and John McCain presidential campaigns to speak as well.