DENDAHL SAYS HE WON'T USE ROLE TO ALTER DRUG POLICY\

Gov. Gary Johnson nodded approvingly as his political ally, John Dendahl,
held on to his power as head of the state Republican Party.

Johnson, sitting front and center in the Macey Center at New Mexico Tech,
had reason to smile.

An adamant group of Republicans took aim at Dendahl's powerful position
primarily because the party chairman has been so supportive of Johnson's
controversial push to ease drug laws.

The Republican challengers, led by Albuquerque Rep. Ron Godbey and former
Rep. Richard Cheney of Farmington, lost convincingly during Saturday's
meeting of the GOP's state central committee.

Godbey, who entered the leadership race late, has been the GOP's most vocal
critic of Dendahl's and Johnson's efforts to soften state drug laws.

Johnson said afterward that Dendahl won, in part, because he has learned to
balance his role as chairman with his personal opinions about
decriminalizing marijuana.

Johnson said that means Dendahl isn't likely to stop talking about the drug
issue.

"You're not going to see John Dendahl muzzled at all," Johnson, a
Republican, said in an interview after the meeting.

Dendahl insisted after his 268-104 victory over Godbey that the win does
not mean he has a mandate to push drug policy changes on behalf of the party.

On the contrary, Dendahl acknowledged during his acceptance speech that
reforming drug laws is "an issue that is not supported by the majority of
the party."

But Dendahl told the crowd of 372 Republican leaders that he is still
convinced that the nation's war on drugs is a failure.

Dendahl said his win means he has been given the go-ahead to lead
Republicans during what could be two "rough" years.

About two weeks ago, Democrats held their leadership elections. Diane
Denish of Albuquerque also was re-elected as her party's leader.

Dendahl told his fellow partisans that the high-profile seats now held by
U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici, U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson and Gov. Johnson, are top
targets for Democrats.

"Prominent Democrats are out there circling like buzzards," Dendahl said.

However, Godbey emphasized that Republicans' chances of being re-elected
will only be hurt with Dendahl in charge, especially if he continues to
talk about drugs.

"The drug discussion is absolutely killing us," Godbey said.

Dendahl will enter the 2002 elections season without Kevin Moomaw, a key
organizer and strategist for the party.

Moomaw, the former party executive director, has said he was fired last
year by Dendahl because he did agree with his boss' views on drugs.

Some Republicans at Saturday's meeting said they're not sure the party can
get past the rift that led to Godbey's challenge.

Both Dendahl and Godbey fought an aggressive battle in the week leading up
to the state meeting. Each used political tactics that Republicans usually
reserve for Democratic incumbents.

Dendahl, for example, accused Godbey's camp of hitting below the belt
during campaigning.

"I'm outraged by the mean-spirited propaganda that my opponent's running
mate, Richard Cheney, sent to you this past week comparing me to the
Clinton White House," Dendahl told the voting members of the central committee.

Cheney lost his bid for second vice chairman of the party to Dendahl's
ally, Sherolyn Smith DeSantis.

Godbey's backers also sent a message to committee members accusing Dendahl
of misrepresenting his legislative record.

Dendahl's camp apparently organized a pre-recorded call by another state
legislator who accused Godbey, an Albuquerque Republican, of voting with
former House Speaker Raymond Sanchez, a Democrat, on an election bill.

A flier distributed at Saturday's meeting said that Godbey unintentionally
voted for the bill, but later helped kill the measure.

"This is a disgraceful and improper attack on the voting record of Ron
Godbey," the flier said.

After beating Godbey, Dendahl admitted that he has some work to do to
repair his credibility among some Republicans who feel the drug issue has
driven a wedge into the party.

Dendahl drew party members' ire in March when he attended a news
conference, along side former Gov. Toney Anaya, a liberal Democrat, to
support Johnson's package of drug-reform bills.

Dendahl was admonished by Domenici, the state's most visible Republican,
for appearing to use his party position to advocate changes to drug laws.

Dendahl later made up with Domenici, and promised to keep his role separate
from his views on drugs. "We've got some fences to mend. . ." Dendahl said
after his election.