Santa Fe – Gov. Bill Richardson’s out-of-state travels and possible presidential ambitions came under fire Wednesday from Republican gubernatorial candidate John Dendahl.
“It’s time the man came clean with New Mexico voters,” Dendahl said in a statement urging Richardson to publicly disclose whether he intends to run for president in 2008.
Dendahl’s criticism came a week after Richardson was in Iowa, where he campaigned for Chet Culver, the state’s Democratic candidate for governor, and participated in an event organized by a union-based group critical of Wal-Mart’s employment practices.
Iowa’s caucus – Jan. 14, 2008 – is the leadoff contest in the Democratic presidential nominating season. Richardson also traveled this month to New Hampshire, which traditionally holds the first presidential primary.
Richardson is chairman of the Democratic Governors’ Association, and he has used that position to make political appearances in a number of states.
He maintains he’s focused on running for re-election.
