Senator's late withdrawal ignites friend's campaign
The Santa Fe New MexicanMar 10, 2024
Mar. 10—It was 1946, and youthful
Kennedy's campaign aides had a particular fear of one opponent,
To draw away votes from Councilor Russo, associates of Kennedy paid the 27-year-old janitor to enter the primary election. Kennedy won, his first step toward the
In a turnabout that surprised almost everyone, state Sen.
By then, the deadline was just four days away to submit petition signatures to qualify for the primary election. Even if potential candidates immediately learned of Burt's change of plans, they would have to scramble.
There was one exception. Burt's friend,
"He's a good guy, a Christian guy. I probably will endorse him," Burt said in an interview.
By all appearances, Burt already has done so. With the assist from Burt, Paul has moved quickly to secure a place on the primary ballot.
"I'm working hard to campaign for signatures and meeting with folks this weekend," Paul wrote to me in a text message.
Other potential candidates could still be on the sidelines, wrestling with how to launch petition drives with the Secretary of State's Office closed for the weekend.
Burt registered to seek reelection to the
"It's probably one of the more difficult decisions I've had to make, and I took too long to make it. I do apologize for that," Burt said.
Burt, 73, said he and his wife care for her 96-year-old mother. His brother-in-law is in a nursing home, and the couple tries to visit him daily. Burt also would like to see more of close relatives in
During the last week or so, he said, he began reconsidering his decision to run again after 14 years in the
"You pray a lot. You don't sleep a lot," he said. "It was the right decision for me and my family. And my timing was terrible for everyone else."
Burt represents a solidly Republican district covering parts of
Unfailingly friendly to lawmakers of both political parties, Burt prided himself on being able to communicate with Democratic
He specialized in budget issues. One of Burt's interests on the
Burt said he hoped to work on persuading Democratic Gov.
Burt wasn't the first legislator to time his departure so a friend could gain an advantage.
Then-House Speaker
Egolf said his handling of the announcement didn't provide any extra juice for Szczepanski's campaign. In fact, she received a head start over everyone else and won the seat.
Rookie candidates today might have an easier time of making the ballot than when Egolf disclosed his departure from the
Burt said Republican candidates in his district need at least 163 valid signatures to make the ballot. It's harder than it sounds.
A friendly heads-up can can jumpstart a campaign. And delayed notice of an open seat can slam the door on competition.
Ringside Seat is an opinion column about people, politics and news. Contact
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