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NM GOP Has Plans for 2016, AG To Investigate VW

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Getting Ready for 2016 Election

New Mexico GOP Eyes Plans To Put State In Play In 2016 – Russell Contreras, The Associated Press

Republicans are laying the groundwork to put the state in play in 2016 just months after their historic victories in the nation's most Hispanic state.

The Republican Party of New Mexico is set Friday to unveil plans it says will help the GOP presidential nominee and keep the New Mexico House under Republican control.

Last year, the GOP captured the New Mexico House for the first time in 60 years and Republican Gov. Susana Martinez won re-election by a record margin.

However, Republicans have failed to win New Mexico in the last three of four presidential elections.

Democratic Party of New Mexico spokesman Scott Tillman says Republicans will face a hard time winning the state next year because of the heated rhetoric from the GOP presidential primary.

Secretary Of State Says Criminal Case Won't Affect Her JobThe Associated Press & The Santa Fe New Mexican

New Mexico's secretary of state is assuring state residents that her office can fairly enforce campaign finance laws despite the fraud, embezzlement and other criminal charges pending against her.

The Santa Fe New Mexican reports Dianna Duran has pleaded not guilty to 64 charges relating to allegations that she funneled campaign donations into personal banking accounts and falsified campaign finance reports.

In the wake of the allegations against Duran, three legislators are accused of having irregularities in their campaign finance statements. The complaints brought by the legislators' political opponents are being reviewed by Duran's office.

While Duran says her office can handle the cases appropriately, Common Cause New Mexico spokeswoman Heather Ferguson says the public will still be skeptical.

Student Test Scores Likely To Show Big DropThe Associated Press & The ABQ Journal

New Mexico's Secretary of Education Hanna Skandera is warning parents, students and educators to expect lower scores from a new statewide exam designed to test students' knowledge of Common Core standards.

The Partnership for Assessment and Readiness for College and Careers test results will be released for high school students Oct. 16 and for third- through eighth-graders Oct. 30. Skandera told the Albuquerque Journal Thursday that other states that have implemented the test have seen up to a 40 percent drop in student proficiency ratings under the former Standards Based Assessment.

The new test is administered online instead of on paper and requires students to show how they got their answers.

Skandera says she expects scores to increase in coming years as students become more familiar with the test.

41 Facing Drug Trafficking Charges In New Mexico After ProbeThe Associated Press

Authorities say 41 people are facing drug trafficking charges in New Mexico after an eight-month multi-agency investigation.

Officials with the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration say 21 of the defendants charged are facing federal charges and the remaining 20 are facing state charges.

New Mexico State Police, Roswell police and the Chavez County Sheriff's Office also participated in the probe.

The investigation targeted drug traffickers in Chavez County, especially an organization dealing with methamphetamine.

During the course of the investigation, law enforcement officers executed 14 federal search warrants for 10 residences in Roswell and one in Dexter.

They seized some 5,600 grams of methamphetamine, nearly $36,000 in cash and numerous firearms including two assault rifles.

Authorities say five of the defendants who are facing federal charges were arrested in July.

State Attorneys General Launch Investigation Of Volkswagen – The Associated Press

At least 27 state attorneys general are opening a multi-state investigation into Volkswagen after it came clean about rigging diesel emissions technology to pass U.S. smog tests.

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette's office said Thursday he and at least 26 other attorneys general will send subpoenas to the German automaker. Spokeswoman Andrea Bitely says many states will investigate both through their consumer protection and environmental protection divisions.

Volkswagen is reeling from revelations it used secret software to thwart diesel smog tests on nearly a half million vehicles in the U.S.

New Mexico is one of the states participating in the investigation.

Sen. Heinrich Eyes Audit Of Army National Guard Reenlistment – The Associated Press

Sen. Martin Heinrich is calling on the U.S. Army National Guard to conduct an audit of bonuses for men and women who recently re-enlisted.

Heinrich wrote Gen. Frank Grass a letter Wednesday asking for the review after a New Mexico man failed to receive his re-enlistment payment from six years ago.

The New Mexico Democrat says the Army National Guard confirmed the man was owed 75 hundred dollars but never received the payment. Heinrich says he wanted to make sure other servicemen and servicewomen are receiving their re-enlistment payments.

National Guard Spokesman Jeremy Webster says the National Guard will work with Heinrich and his staff to alleviate their concerns.