The netroots is playing a big role in elections this year, and I give some serious props to Matt and Barb for stepping up and getting this effort going. I think it’s a testament to their hard work, and a recognition of the role they’re playing, that each of the New Mexican candidates are posting guest blogs this week (you can see Heinrich’s posts here and here).

Matt has a great post introducing the project, highlighting the unique situation in New Mexico this cycle:

In 2008, New Mexicans have a chance for a true change — a golden opportunity to make a True Blue New Mexico.  There are more Democrats than Republicans registered in the state, and Democrats control both the state Senate and House.  Yet in federal offices, Republicans hold a 3-2 advantage, including a 2-1 advantage in the House. This year, that can change — and change dramatically.

I couldn’t agree more. I’ve thought that some additional attention in southern New Mexico from groups like the DCCC could help push the district closer toward the “Democratic” column, and with the right candidate Rep. Steve Pearce might have had a fight on his hands. With changing demographics, who knows what would have happened?

But with Pearce facing what could charitably be called an uphill battle with Udall, there’s no incumbent and a wave of anti-Republicanism sweeping the country. The Third congressional district is safe, and I think Martin Heinrich will have a solid advantage over Darren White. The second district would be tough regardless, but Teague can self-finance to a certain degree and that will help.

There’s some signs that New Mexico is trending more Democratic, and all of these candidates should have a great surrogate in Gov. Bill Richardson. But they need some help, and the best way to help is to donate early. Every dollar donated now is worth twice as much as money given later – early money will help the campaigns canvas voters, place ad buys sooner rather than later, and build their operations.

So, head on over to the ActBlue page and give some money, and help turn New Mexico blue this November.

However, while Wilson and Pearce are spending cash fighting for the Republican nomination, Udall can relax a bit and save his dough for the general election.

Meanwhile, Martin Heinrich, Harry Teague and Don Wiviott are leading in fundraising for the first, second, and third congressional districts, respectfully.

The widgets will remain there on the right throughout the 2008 election cycle, so you can always check to see how much money the candidates have raised.

Top-tier New Mexico Congressional candidate Martin Heinrich in this video, though, makes a real argument about why FISA happened, and it’s not your standard ‘both parties need to stop bickering’ but a real observation that both parties keep voting for legislation that abrogates our freedoms in very dangerous ways.

Here’s the video:

Why not reward good behavior, and make a donation to the Heinrich campaign, and work to make a True Blue New Mexico.

As regular readers know, this year is a rare situation: four of New Mexico’s five Congressional seats are open, while the fifth is held by Democratic Sen. Jeff Bingaman. The seat being vacated by Sen. Pete Domenici is a likely pick-up opportunity with Rep. Tom Udall leading the charge, and Martin Heinrich and Bill McCamley have excellent chances in the 1st and 2nd Congressional districts, respectively. In addition, a good crop of candidates is in the field for the probably Democratic-safe 3rd Congressional District.

Some cohorts in the netroots, NewMexico FBIHOP and Democracy for New Mexico, have organized an ActBlue page to help counter the GOP fundraising efforts. Today is the kickoff for True Blue New Mexico. You can help by giving some cash to some great progressive candidates. Early money is more important than cash that comes late in the campaign, and every dollar you give now will help blunt the thousands of dollars that Rove and Cheney hope to raise today.

Following the event, we ran into Martin Heinrich at a local bar. The meeting was very informal, but Heinrich seemed, to me, to have a good grasp of the issues that might decide the upcoming election. He knew that the Iraq War is still a major concern for voters in his district, and he espoused some wonderfully progressive ideas about the role of bloggers and new media. Chatting with a few Internet types, he was able to talk the lingo and knew how important a campaign’s online capacity is to success. He also said New Mexico is uniquely positioned to play a role in creating an energy-independent United States. I found him to be a very knowledgeable candidate on a variety of topics, and he’s a fan of Silver City: he said he made his decision to run for Congress while on vacation there.

Most important was Heinrich’s stance on the issue of FISA (and general democracy in America) – it’s very family-oriented, and spoken from the heart. You’ll see more about it in the coming days, but his desire to set things right is tangible. It bodes well for a strong progressive showing in New Mexico’s First Congressional District.