Speaker of the House Ben Lujan (D) says he will support easier ballot access once again according to Heath Haussamen.
“Yeah, I will support any possible way of getting more people to be able to participate in the process,” Lujan said. “The more the merrier.”
This is an about-face from previously when Lujan only grudgingly admitted it might be needed; when he said he would instead push for an “instant run-off”, and then only if no candidate received the 20 percent support necessary.
More under the fold.
Originally posted at New Mexico FBIHOP
Now, after political pressure from all sides, Lujan seems to be changing his tune a bit. This change by Lujan just ahead of the January 15 start to the Legislative Session may be because of a potential backlash against his son, Ben Ray Lujan (D). Ben Ray is running for Congress in the Third Congressional District, and is currently viewed as the frontrunner. Because of that, he may be the one with the most to gain from less people on the primary ballot.
There is an additional hurdle to jump, however. To implement such a bill before the June pre-primary nominating conventions, the bill would need to receive at least two-thirds of the votes in both the state House and Senate. This is because it would be an emergency clause.
This is doable, however, because of broad bipartisan support for such a measure. In the Senate, both party leaders support such a bill. This is because the new rule could effect both Republicans and Democrats in the coming elections — Democrats in the Third Congressional District and Republicans in the Second Congressional District.
Lujan deciding to support such legislation should help. Without the support of the the Speaker of the House, a bill has virtually no chance of being heard let alone passing.