Martinez Washes Hands Clean of Trump in Cleveland

CLEVELAND – Electricity filled the room as each state announced their delegate choices for President of the United States. The camera panned across the screen, and it was time for New Mexico’s choice of who they selected as President. At the microphone stood Governor Susana Martinez, with a young Republican from Santa Fe County; Sam LeDoux. Martinez’s presence at the convention was surprising, since, in recent months, she has had a quite public feud with Donald Trump, the man who swept every delegate from her state. At a recent rally in Albuquerque, Trump said Martinez “…is not doing the job.” The fact that she was present is surprising because prominent opponents of Trump refused to attend such as John Kasich,  former presidential candidate  and current Governor of Ohio.

Martinez showed up smiling as she introduced Mr. LeDoux to proclaim the formality of who New Mexico’s choice of president was. The party’s officials, including former candidate for U.S Senate, Allen Weh and his daughter Debbie Maestas, state chair stood behind them. The governor apparently could not stomach announcing her defeat, as she stood by to listen as Trump was formally announced as the victor by the delegate of her choice.

At first glance of the announcement, there is nothing out of the ordinary occurring, other than the governor of the state of New Mexico choosing to bequeath her speaking privileges to a young Republican, who obviously was inclined to tout Martinez’ success, proclaiming “I am proud to stand next to the nation’s first female, Hispanic governor! She’s the reason I am such a committed Republican…” What a source has told JohnforNM, is that Mr. LeDoux has been in opposition to the governor in monthly meetings in his district, and has been for every candidate but Trump for the entire primary season. Sources tell us LeDoux said behind closed doors that he endorsed Bush, Rubio, and even Cruz in the end, in opposition to the  Trump presidency. Our source was substantiated by an interview with LeDoux on NMPolitics.net. In many ways, he was a “Never Trump” contributor until it was in his best interest to be a Trump supporter.

The example that Martinez, a known Trump opposer has chosen a young Republican, who just recently has forced himself to endorse Trump for political purposes at a convention,  speaks volumes of what the Republican Party in New Mexico has finally come down to. The political points earned by making it on TV are good for publicity, but the ethics regarding how it played out are shady. According to The Washington Post, Susana Martinez “made clear Tuesday she’s at least not harboring any grudges against her party’s presidential nominee.” If a governor who has adamantly opposed Trump is still standing by and neither endorsing nor condemning Trump by this late date, the prospects of a clear answer from the governor are few and far between.