The Doña Ana County Wilderness debate.
Wilderness bill deepens gap between groups. Las Cruces Sun News.
The good news is that Representative Steve Pearce is running for the U.S. Senate where he is going to be beaten badly. He has been a real problem for the sound management of public lands in New Mexico on many fronts.
Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University. He was a Western Watersheds Project Board Member off and on for many years, and was also its President for several years. For a long time he produced Ralph Maughan's Wolf Report. He was a founder of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. He and Jackie Johnson Maughan wrote three editions of "Hiking Idaho." He also wrote "Beyond the Tetons" and "Backpacking Wyoming's Teton and Washakie Wilderness." He created and is the administrator of The Wildlife News.
Tom Udall has a good chance of beating Pearce, but it won’t be an easy fight. Pearce has pots of dough, and the GOP doesn’t want to lose this seat. It will take a lot of work and dedication on the part of New Mexico conservationists to send this guy, famous for saying that New Mexico has “too much public land” into well deserved retirement.
The good news is that lots of generally Republican sportsmen have become disillusioned with Pearce. I was in a room full of them last evening, and they were just dripping venom and sarcasm when his name was mentioned. I think there will be some serious ticket splitting going on this year.
Pearce said in a congressional hearing…”the most provocative thing to a wolf is a baby crying or laughing.”
-source, DoW e-mail
Maska, I hope the sportsman’s sentiments/sarcasm is an indication that Pearce does not end up in the senate. That is scary to think that someone like him might end up there.
Please keep us posted.
The latest Rasmussen poll on this race (6/18, likely voters) Tom Udall (D): 58% Steve Pearce (R): 30%
That’s cheery news, Ralph. One additional positive note: as voters statewide learn more about Pearce, it’s likely that they’ll find less to like about him. The reverse is probably true for Udall.
Nevertheless, I’ve been involved in too many electoral campaigns to take anything for granted, especially in races that are awash in money.