New Mexico domestic partnership bill hinges on too-close-to call vote
February 2, 2009
Terry McGuire and Marybeth Lennox, two of our field reps, are working in New Mexico to build support for the New Mexico domestic partnership bill. An important vote in the senate judiciary committee that could determine the fate of the bill is expected today : 
Here we find ourselves again – the fate of the Domestic Partnership bill in New Mexico hinges on the too-close-to-call vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee. The committee is expected to vote today and State Senator Bernadette Sanchez (D) is wavering in her support. Senator Sanchez is the key vote on this committee and without her support the bill could see a tie vote, be tabled, and quite possibly die. In order to shore up constituent support for the bill, and show Senator Sanchez that her district supports fair-minded legislation, the campaign hit the streets Saturday in her district. Over a dozen staffers and volunteers walked her district for hours, knocking on doors and talking to voters about the importance of passing a comprehensive Domestic Partnership bill. Saturday’s walk is in addition to the thousands of calls the campaign has generated, all aimed at engaging supporters in priority districts statewide. Five hours later, with chapped lips and a farmer’s tan, I am happy to report that we knocked on over 350 doors, spoke to hundreds of voters, and gathered 111 constituent postcards! Today, before the anticipated vote, we will deliver these to Senator Sanchez. The overwhelmingly positive response that we got from her district is a powerful testimony that supporting fair-minded legislation is not only the right thing for the Senator to do, but it’s supported by those that put her into office. Everything is riding on tomorrow’s vote, so I’ll be sure to report back any significant updates. Bye for now from the Land of Enchantment! [Photo: Terry McGuire and Marybeth Lennox (right) with Ariel Bickel, political director with America Votes NM]
