GOP CHAIRMAN APOLOGIZES TO PARTY

New Mexico Republican Party chairman John Dendahl and the Republican
members of the state's congressional delegation have resolved a bitter rift
that threatened to split the party.

Sen. Pete Domenici and Reps. Joe Skeen and Heather Wilson called for
Dendahl's resignation earlier this month after he spoke out publicly in
support of drug law reform.

After two weeks of discussions with the delegation members and their chiefs
of staff, Dendahl sent an apologetic letter.

"It just finally occurred to me that a letter clearing the air ... might be
useful in burying the hatchet," Dendahl said in an interview Thursday.

The tactic seems to have worked. Domenici is satisfied, said Steve Bell,
the senator's chief of staff. And the members of the delegation issued a
joint statement Thursday saying the letter "goes a long way toward
repairing the breach that resulted from his remarks."

Dendahl put it this way: "We've all agreed we'll be back on the same team."

In his letter, Dendahl said the events that started with his appearance at
a March 5 news conference to support Republican Gov. Gary Johnson's drug
reform package "have been contrary to the broad party-building objectives
which are my primary responsibility as chairman."

He acknowledged a "clear disparity" between the legislation he was
supporting, and the Republican Party's national platform and the position
of President George W. Bush. Johnson's proposals included decriminalizing
possession of small amounts of marijuana.

But nowhere in the letter did he disavow his personal support for Johnson's
proposals.

Dendahl, who has served as GOP chairman since December 1994, also asked for
the delegation's support in his plan to seek re-election May 5 when the GOP
state central committee meets to elect new party officers.

Bell said the delegation isn't looking for anybody to run against Dendahl.

"Certainly, the confidence we have in John has been restored a lot, not
completely, but a lot," he added.

Supporting Dendahl for re-election is "not something we thought about,"
Bell said. "... That's something that's up to the members of the state party."

Bell said, "Everybody now has a proper understanding of what the role of a
party chairman is, as opposed to a private citizen."