New Mexico Dem Gov Candidate Michelle Lujan Grisham Refuses To Reach Across The Aisle

Democrat New Mexico gubernatorial candidate Michelle Lujan Grisham continues to show that she is too partisan to lead New Mexico by rejecting efforts to reach across the aisle in Congress. In a disturbing display of divisive partisanship, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, of which Lujan Grisham is a co-chair, voted yesterday to reject Republican Hispanic lawmaker Carlos Curbelo from joining their ranks, claiming “their group is at odds” with his values.

Lujan Grisham had previously claimed that she’d be open to allowing Curbelo to join the all-Democrat caucus, but after a revolt from its members and a “private argument” between Lujan Grisham and Curbelo, she decided to change course, refusing to allow him entry to the group because of his political beliefs.

Instead of working across the aisle to promote bipartisan solutions, Lujan Grisham continues to show that she is nothing more than a D.C. politician who cares more about scoring political points than providing leadership. New Mexico deserves a governor willing to work with those they disagree with to improve the lives of all its citizens, but Michelle Lujan Grisham has already failed that test.

The Albuquerque Journal reports:

“The Congressional Hispanic Caucus – co-chaired by Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico – today voted to reject the application of a Florida Republican, saying their group is at odds with Curbelo’s values…

The CHC’s decision was based at least in part because of a ‘private argument’ between Curbelo and Lujan Grisham in which he accused her and the CHC of discrimination, according to a Politico report today…

[CHC spokesman Carlos Paz Jr.] told the Journal the balloting on Curbelo was done in private.  He also said he had no comment on the reported spat between Curbelo and Lujan Grisham.

‘We will not be releasing the vote count or how individual members voted,’ he said.

Lujan Grisham said earlier this month she was open to accepting Curbelo but that the matter needed to be put to a vote of the members. There are currently no Republican members of this particular congressional caucus.

Lujan Grisham and other members of the CHC have said Curbelo’s exclusion wasn’t due to his being a Republican, but his opposition to some CHC priorities, such as comprehensive immigration reform or the Democratic version of the Dream Act for young people who were brought to the country illegally by their parents.”