Crowd of 1,200 turns out for Palin - Martinez rally in Albuquerque

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According to an Associated Press report, a crowd of 1,200 gathered in Albuquerque to see Sarah Palin and GOP gubernatorial candidate Susana Martinez at a Sunday morning rally:

Palin told the cheering crowd that Martinez has the toughness it's going to take to fight corruption, recharge New Mexico's economy and turn the state around. She described Martinez as a strong woman and a no-nonsense prosecutor.

Palin's endorsement of Martinez is the latest in a string of endorsements the former Alaska governor has made in congressional and gubernatorial races around the country.

Martinez, a district attorney from Las Cruces, is the only woman in a field of five Republican candidates in the primary race for governor of New Mexico.

- JP

Sarah Palin to rally for Susana Martinez in NM Sunday

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KRQE-TV is reporting that Sarah Palin will be in Albuquerque Sunday May 16 to endorse and attend a rally for GOP gubernatorial candidate Susana Martinez, who is one of five Republicans running in the GOP primary governor of New Mexico.

The rally will begin at 9:00 a.m. Mountain Time in the grand ballroom of the Albuquerque Marriott. Tickets for the public event can be obtained by calling 1-800-460-7245.

Early voting is already underway, but primary election day in New Mexico is June 1, 2010.

Martinez was the winner of a pre-primary nominating convention, earning the votes of 46.65 percent of delegates. Former state GOP chairman Allen Weh received 26.32%, State Representative Janice Arnold-Jones got 13.16%, Albuquerque Public Relations man Doug Turner took 9.43%, and Pete Domenici Jr., lawyer and son of former U.S. Senator Pete Domenici, finished last with 4.61%.

Susana Martinez is the District attorney of Doña Ana County in southeastern New Mexico's Mesilla Valley. Las Cruces is the county seat.

- JP