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NN Iyanbito Chapter hosts area, state Dems

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Candidates roar ‘…turn our House back to blue’

IYANBITO – With a June primary and a November general election looming, several members of McKinley’s and New Mexico’s Democratic Party met April 15 at the Iyanbito Chapter House “…to turn our House back to blue,” as one of those attending the two-hour affair said.

“We want everybody who is registered to vote to know a little better exactly who they are voting for,” organizer Albert Shirley said. “That’s what this is about. It also gives regular people from everywhere a chance to meet the candidates.”

Shirley, who dubbed the meeting a “Get Out the Navajo Vote” campaign, asked each candidate running for office to give a 10-minute speech to the close to 100 people at the chapter house.

New Mexico Democratic Party Chairwoman Debra Haaland, a Pueblo of Laguna native and former state lieutenant governor candidate in 2012 on the Gary King ticket, encouraged people to get out and vote. Haaland is a superdelegate.

“We have to turn our House back to blue,” Haaland stated. “We cannot afford another four years of Republicanism.”

District 4 Senate candidate Felisha Adams said she’s in the race to better community relations, particularly in the Navajo communities around the Navajo Nation. Adams faces incumbent George Muñoz in a contest in which Muñoz has made at least one assertion of “questionable” campaign signatures by Adams.

“A meeting like this is good for everyone,” Adams said. “It’s educational. I’m pleased with the turnout we had today.”

Also attending the meeting was former Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly, District 9 incumbent state Representative Patricia Lundstrom, D-Gallup, Deswood Tome, a current and past adviser to Shelly, Sen. Benny Shendo, D-Jemez Pueblo, among other political hopefuls.

A June 7 primary is set, and the general election is Nov. 4.

By Bernie Dotson
Sun Correspondent

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