The last thing I want to do is pick on firefighters. I have the utmost respect for all of the men and women who put their life on the line to help and protect others.
But, I just don’t understand how the New Mexico Professional Firefighters can possibly pick a candidate to endorse before they even know who is in the race:
Almost three years from before the general election, gubernatorial candidate and Lt. GovernorDiane Denish received the endorsement of the New Mexico Professional Fire Fighters Association. The association has 1,200 members across the state, including Hobbs, Carlsbad, Las Cruces, Artesia, Deming, Silver City, Gallup, Farmington, Raton, Los Alamos, Santa Fe, Espanola, Las Vegas, Santa Fe County, Sandoval County, Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, Socorro and Los Lunas.
In voting for the endorsement last weekend, the firefighters cited Denish’s efforts to improve their working conditions and addressing their health and safety issues through the years. Denish was instrumental in helping to pass a line-of-duty death benefit and a Fire Fighters Day of Remembrance to be held each Sept. 11.
So, give the Lt. Governor an award. Declare her Woman of the Year. Make her an honorary Fire Chief. I’m all for recognizing her contributions to supporting firefighters, but endorsing her three years early before there are any other candidates in the race is just absurd. Frankly, I think it takes away from the endorsement.