Question For DUers Out West: Why New Mexico??

[theHandpuppet]

How did it happen? I thought perhaps that 2000 was a fluke, but here we go again -- the Dems are going to take New Mexico!! :)

How did New Mexico become an oasis of sanity amidst the God, guns and cowboy machismo of the SW? How did a state squeezed between Texas and Goldwaterland come to a point where they finally stood up, alone among the SW congregation and said, "Y'all are CRAZY... we're joining the 21st Century!"

I'd always heard that NM was a gorgeous state, but I'll tell you, if the Dems carry NM again this election I know where I'm going to take my next vacation because the folks there must be something special, too.

[Celeborn Skywalker]

1. The population is 50%

Mexican-American who largely vote democratic. Also, we have many liberal art towns such as Santa Fe, Taos, Silver City, etc. Also, there doesn't seem to be much religious fundamentalism here except in the extreme eastern part of the state.

[TransitJohn]

2. New Mexico has a tradition

of liberalism. Think artist communities around Santa Fe and Taos for ~125 years.

[Philostopher]

3. A couple of thoughts.

I don't live in NM now, but did back in the '80s and have family out there now. A lot of people from the Midwest who retired and considered Florida rejected it for various reasons -- most of them having to do with population density, traffic and overdevelopment. Part of the skew to the right by Midwestern states like Ohio, Kentucky and Missouri can probably be attributed to the weakening of the labor unions -- union retirees likely continue to vote for Democrats -- and the escape of retired union members to states like NM. They have to go somewhere, and they usually vote.

Second, there are lots of old time 'wobblies' who headed out there because it's beautiful and still relatively clean, reasonably inexpensive to live there, and people leave you the hell alone if you want to be left alone.

Third? Santa Fe. Lots of well-to-do progressives in Santa Fe; many visual artists love it because the light is so unique -- it's great for photography, painting, anything that involves the visual arts.