REPUBLICAN LAWMAKER SAYS DENDAHL SHOULD RESIGN

Shortly after state Republican chairman John Dendahl
publicly announced his support for Gov. Gary Johnson's
drug-reform package, a Republican legislator called for Dendahl's
resignation.

Rep. Ron Godbey of Albuquerque - who is known as one of the most
adamant opponents of Johnson's drug bills - predicted Dendahl would be
challenged for his chairmanship in May.

"He is clearly outside of the party rank and file," Godbey told
reporters.

Both Dendahl and the governor agreed Godbey could be correct about a
challenge. Dendahl said the only people he has heard mentioned as
possible opponents have assured him they will not run against him.

"But these intraparty deals are usually sneak attacks," Dendahl
said.

The state Republican Central Committee will select a chairman on May
5. Dendahl, who has been chairman since 1994, said he is seeking
another two-year term. The committee has about 400 members.

Dendahl, who has never made a secret of his agreement with Johnson's
basic philosophy on drug decriminalization, appeared at a Capitol
press conference with former Gov. Toney Anaya, a Democrat who is a
lobbyist for The Lindesmith Center, a New York-based think tank
dedicated to drug-law reform.

"I, as chairman of the Republican Party, do not have the party's
broad-based support on this issue," Dendahl said.

He noted the platform of the national Republican Party - which he
described as a "hang 'em-high" policy - is "miles apart" from his own
beliefs about drug laws.

Dendahl and Anaya were on hand to talk about a poll - paid for by
Lindesmith and conducted by longtime New Mexico pollster Brian
Sanderoff's company - that showed overwhelming support for
decriminalizing marijuana, making marijuana available to certain
medical patients and other issues addressed by the governor's
drug-reform package.

The poll also shows there is not a large difference between Democrats
and Republicans on these issues.

Dendahl said he is urging Republicans not to make drug-reform a
partisan political issue in the next election - and not to use a vote for any
of the bills against an opponent.

"I can't prevent Republican candidates from campaigning any old way
they want to," he said, "but I can give some cover to Democrats by
stating I believe this is a nonpartisan issue."

Dendahl is known for his aggressive attacks on Democratic legislators
and legislative candidates. In a recent press release, he referred to
House Speaker Ben Lujan, D-Nambe, as a "thug enforcer" for former
Speaker Raymond Sanchez.

Dendahl also has been responsible for efforts to replace Republican
legislators he claimed were too cozy with the Democratic leadership.

"I've been an aggressive chairman," he told a reporter after the press
conference. "You become something of an enforcer. You have to do that
to be an effective chairman."

House Republicans took no time to distance themselves from Dendahl.
Even before the press conference began, a spokeswoman for the House
minority leadership was on hand to tell reporters that Dendahl did not
speak for them.

Minority Leader Ted Hobbs, R-Albuquerque, reiterated his opposition to
decriminalizing marijuana.

But Hobbs said he was not joining Godbey in calling for Dendahl's
resignation, saying the chairman was entitled to his opinion.

Godbey scoffed at Dendahl's suggestion that drug reform should not be
a political issue. "The governor already has said it was a political
issue," he said.

Godbey said any Republican carrying drug legislation should worry
about primary opposition. Rep. Joe Thompson, R-Albuquerque, is
sponsoring some of the bills, including the medical-marijuana bill.

Contacted later, Thompson noted the poll showed nearly 80 percent of
the

public supports the idea of allowing sick people to use marijuana for
certain medical conditions.

"If a primary is going to be used as a referendum, maybe it would be
good for both of us," Thompson said.

Johnson said Dendahl's willingness to "put his chairmanship on the
line" to speak out on the drug issue is "a testament to the man."

Johnson noted that Dendahl's counterpart, state Democratic chairman
Dianne Denish, was not present at the press conference.

"It could fracture both parties," Johnson said. "It's a divisive issue
for both Democrats and Republicans."