Prediction: In 2016, the talk of putting New Mexico governor Susana Martinez on the Republican ticket will be deafening.
Besides the latest good poll . . .
Gov. Susana Martinez has maintained a significant lead over Democratic challenger Gary King with just over a week to go before Election Day, a new Journal Poll found.
Fifty-three percent of likely voters said they would vote, or already had voted, for Martinez, who is seeking a second term. Thirty-eight percent said they would back the two-term attorney general in the New Mexico race for governor. Nine percent of voters were undecided. Absentee voting for the Nov. 4 election began Oct. 7.
Check out the internals: Martinez is winning 50 percent of women (38 percent for the Democrat, King) 40 percent of Hispanics, 52 percent of independents, and 28 percent of Democrats.
Rock star.
All of this is in a state with 600,540 registered Democrats (47 percent) and 401,377 registered Republicans (31 percent).
Susana Martinez is probably going to turn in the Republican party’s biggest win in the least GOP-friendly state in the entire 2014 cycle. A lot of Republicans will be hoping their 2016 nominee or ticket can emulate that ability.
Our Jay Nordlinger has a profile of Martinez in NR’s October 20 issue.