IT’S GETTING CROWDED: Businessman Alan Webber is the fourth Democrat to announce his intention to take on Republican Gov. Susana Martinez in 2014.
By Rob Nikolewski │ New Mexico Watchdog
SANTA FE – And now there are four.
Businessman, editor and writer Alan Webber became the fourth Democrat to enter the race to challenge Republican Gov. Susana Martinez on Monday, announcing his candidacy while making media appearances in Santa Fe and Albuquerque.
“I consider myself a pro-business, progressive Democrat,” Webber, 65, told New Mexico Watchdog. “I know why business is so important to the overall well-being of a state or a community.”
Webber joins three other Democrats in the race: Attorney General Gary King, state Sens. Linda Lopez of Albuquerque and Howie Morales of Silver City.
Even though Webber has lived in Santa Fe for 10 years, he’s a virtual unknown in state political circles. He’s never run for public office and never held a governmental position.
But Webber says he thinks voters will like that.
“I think New Mexicans are looking for something different,” he said. “I’m not a politician.”
But he is a sharp critic of Martinez.
“She’s acted like a prosecutor, which is what she is,” Webber said. “And I think when you are a prosecutor you see the world through the eyes of a prosecutor. So rather than trying to make schools better, she wants to hold back third-graders and punish teachers. Rather than going after jobs and economic growth, she wants to take away collective bargaining from workers.”
Born in St. Louis, Webber made a name for himself in the media world, where he co-founded Fast Company magazine in 1993. Seven later the magazine was sold for $365 million, which Webber says is the second largest sale price for any magazine in U.S. history.
But while Webber wouldn’t say how much of his own money he would spend, he emphasized that he doesn’t plan to place a large percentage of his fortune on the gubernatorial run.
“I don’t believe in self-financing campaigns. I don’t think it’s good for democracy,” Webber said, adding, “I think people should not buy their way into public office. I’m going to put some of my own money in the game. I think candidates should put their own skin in the game.”
According to the most recent campaign filings, Martinez has accumulated $3.2 million in her campaign war chest. For more than two years, Martinez has posted approval ratings of more than 60 percent.
On Sunday night, a brief Twitter battle broke out between Webber’s campaign and at least one Martinez supporter.
Adam Feldman, former executive director of the New Mexico Republican Party, tweeted a link to a USA Today article from last year in which Webber called for higher gas prices.
“I blame feckless politicians from both parties for the lack of a sane energy policy over the past 40 years,” Webber wrote. “And unlike Obama or his Republican challengers, I want higher gas prices. At least for a while. Long enough for us to get the market signals right and to continue to wean ourselves off our fossil fuel addiction.”
“Wealthy libs don’t do well in NM. Ask Congressman Wiviott who spent 1.5 mil to lose primary,” Feldman tweeted, referring to Democrat Don Wiviott who lost in 2008 in the Democratic primary to Ben Ray Lujan.
Webber campaign consultant Neri Holguin responded by tweeting, “Wow, Alan hasn’t even announced and already Martinez’ (people) are attacking. Happy to have your attention!”
Here’s our NM Watchdog interview with Webber:
Contact Rob Nikolewski at rnikolewski@watchdog.org and follow him on Twitter @robnikolewski
