3rd Congressional District: Shendo's remarks spark backlash

Democratic candidate says rival Luján is hiding 'lifestyle choice'

By Kate Nash and Steve Terrell | The New Mexican

5/21/2008 -

If Benny Shendo Jr. wanted attention as a candidate in the 3rd Congressional District's Democratic primary, he got it. It might not be the kind he was looking for, however.

Candidates, bloggers and others were quick to blast Shendo for remarks at a candidate forum this week where he implied Ben Ray Luján is gay.

Shendo suggested Luján is hiding his "lifestyle choice" from his parents. He has offered no evidence Luján is gay.

His campaign spokesman, Todd Doherty said only, "This is common knowledge in the state house, the political community and the gay and lesbian community for a long time."

Luján's campaign has said he's in a committed relationship with a woman and denounced Shendo's remarks.

Luján, 35, a member of the state Public Regulation Commission, and Don Wiviott, 52, a Santa Fe developer, are seen as front-runners in the June 3 primary race. Shendo, 43, a former state Cabinet secretary in the Richardson administration, earned the third highest number of votes at the state Democratic Party's pre-primary convention.

Wiviott, who didn't attend the forum, said Wednesday that he was "disgusted by comments made by Benny Shendo in today's paper, and I'm disappointed that a candidate would resort to such tactics."

In a written statement, he said, "Rumors and innuendoes regarding the personal life of any candidate should play no role in this election."

Gay-rights advocates have also condemned Shendo's comments.

Shendo issued a lengthy statement about the situation Wednesday. He emphasized the point of his question during the candidate forum wasn't whether Luján is gay.

"My question was about whether Ben Ray had the courage to stand up to his parents, who have been a very active presence in his public life and in his campaign," Shendo said in an e-mail to supporters. "And many voters, especially including members of the GLBT community and members of Luján's own family, have expressed concern to me that there may be a level of public deception going on in the way that Ben Ray and his parents have handled this matter by so actively promoting publicly that he has a girlfriend."

Shendo's campaign, however, couldn't provide such members of the gay community to talk with a reporter Wednesday night, saying they are too intimidated to talk.

Luján, meanwhile, continued his campaign, holding a rally in Santa Fe on Wednesday night for a few dozen supporters and family members. Before the rally, he declined to respond to questions about Shendo's remarks. "Just listen to what I say here," he told a reporter.

During a speech, Luján didn't specifically refer to Shendo. He said only that it was unfortunate that some of his opponents had resorted to "mudslinging."

As for whether Shendo's move hurt or helped his campaign, University of New Mexico political science professor Lonna Atkeson said it likely will do neither.

"He's already not the strongest candidate. The contest is between these other two players," she said, referring to Luján and Wiviott. "He doesn't seem like he's had all that good of luck raising money relative to other candidates, so I don't think it would help or hurt his campaign, given his position."

Atkeson also said primary voters likely won't care too much whether Luján is gay or straight.

In general, she said, "that's not a relevant question to their voting decision."

However, Shendo's remarks had people talking.

Arcy Baca, president of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 477, which endorsed Luján in April, said he was surprised Shendo went negative.

"When we were giving the final input for the selection committee to endorse for the 3rd Congressional District, Mr. Shendo was considered a very good candidate. He was considered very respectful and was actually the second choice. I have seen dirty campaigning but I think this has gone to the sewer. I would like to see how we could force all parties to keep it clean," Baca wrote in an e-mail.

Robert Thomas, a New Mexican reader who posted a comment on the story on the newspaper's Web site Tuesday, said he doesn't think candidates' personal lives are the public's business.

"I was present at the forum held in Farmington where Shendo asked why Luján couldn't stand up to his parents to accept his lifestyle," Thomas wrote. "Honestly, Luján didn't seem to have a clue what Benny Shendo was implying. Irregardless, Shendo's question about Luján's sexuality was down-right wrong. After all, how would Shendo know about Luján being gay?"

Kurt Young, a local Democrat and Luján supporter, called a reporter to say, "I'm just amazed that a member of a minority group would attack another minority like this in this day and age."

Shendo, from Jemez Pueblo, is seeking to become the first American Indian elected to Congress in New Mexico.

Former Albuquerque Mayor Jim Baca said on his blog he disapproves of Shendo's remarks: "What I do not endorse is the nasty campaigning by Congressional candidate Benny Shendo in which he tries to out Ben Ray Luján as being gay. Who cares? We should never forgive Shendo for this. Shame!"

Other liberal bloggers had similar reactions.

"This sort of innuendo and baseless charges has nothing to do with politics and especially does not belong in a Democratic primary," said "LP" on a blog called NM FBIHop.

Barbara Wold wrote in her blog Democracy for New Mexico, "Shendo's attack is lower than low in my book, representing the very worst of what a campaign for public office should be about."

Meanwhile, independent political blogger Joe Monahan wrote, "Folks, the wheels are starting to come off of Campaign '08."

However, not everyone was critical of Shendo. Former state Rep. Max Coll of Santa Fe, who said he'll probably back Shendo, said: "It bothers me that the thing of sexual orientation came up, and it bothers me it was raised by Shendo. But the question really wasn't about sexual orientation. It's about openness and honesty."

Coll's wife, Catherine Joyce-Coll, agreed. "Nobody cares if he's gay or from Mars," she said. "But this deceitfulness would suggest that electing (Luján) would give us another generation of politicians who mislead the public."

Contact Nash at 986-3036 or knash@sfnewmexican.com. Read her blog, Green Chile Chatter, at www.sfnewmexican.com.

Contact Steve Terrell at 986-3037 or sterrell@sfnewmexican.com.

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