Sometimes, when the good guys win in politics, we are quick to assign responsibility to some electoral fluke. But those of us who travel to the corners of the country training candidates know the truth - that progressive victories against entrenched interests happen only because those candidates and their campaigns get out there and work. Hard.
Our friends at the Center for Civic Action recently alerted us to one of these types of victories. The New Mexico legislature saw a shakeup earlier this month when two progressive candidates won their primary elections against long odds and powerful incumbents. Two of these candidates, Eleanor Chavez and Tim Keller, attended our recent Advanced Campaign Management and Candidate School in Albuquerque.
Tim Keller was a political newcomer when he stepped up to run for the New Mexico State Senate against a 20-year incumbent with a well-funded war chest and the endorsement of Governor Bill Richardson. Ethics reform played a big part in the victory - the New Mexico Independent reports that "Keller's campaign focused hard on ethics and campaign finance reform, two particularly weak points for [the incumbent] who had been criticized for improperly diverting funds to the UNM club rugby team" (really?)
Eleanor Chavez, a union organizer and community activist, put an emphasis on a grassroots, people-powered campaign. She secured her place on the ballot for the State House in District 13 by collecting thousands of petition signatures, and worked with a committed team of volunteers to knock on doors and talk to voters about the issues that mattered to them.
When it came down to the primary on June 3rd, Tim defeated incumbent Shannon Robinson (rugby team and all) by a stunning margin - 66% to 34%. Eleanor handily won out over incumbent Dan Silva 54% to 46%. Both incumbents not only had over a decade in the legislature but held prominent leadership positions as committee chairmen.
New Mexico voters ousted these incumbents as a collective rebuke of the special-interest, money-driven way of doing business at the state capitol. However, I can also tell you from working with these two that it wouldn't have been enough if they simply stood for good and against evil. Tim and Eleanor created a solid plan to win, were laser-focused on communicating with voters, and turned their supporters out to the polls.
This is the model that progressive candidates must replicate across the country this year.
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