As the race to the White House tightens, Barack Obama and John McCain are battling it out. Just about every time I turn on the TV I see an official ad endorsed by either one of them telling my why I should NOT vote for their opponent. These TV ads cost millions of dollars to run in each state, so why are Obama and McCain investing their money in New Mexico?  Let’s further examine the NMex factor…

New Mexico is a unique state due to so many different factors.

1.)    In our state we have a huge diversity of cultures. The three largest ethnic groups in the state are White, Hispanic and Native American.

2.)    A vast range of socio-economic statuses in the state.

·         Los Alamos, a city of 18,000 people, where nearly 10% of the population is made up of millionaires.

·         However in McKinley, Luna and Socorro counties nearly 37% of the populations live under the federal poverty lines.  (http://www.ecanned.com/NM/2007/01/income-and-poverty-in-state-of-new.html)

3.)    The state is split nearly 50/50 between Obama and McCain meaning we could go either way.

4.)    In the 2004 presidential election, George Bush narrowly beat John Kerry by 1% and won the electoral vote. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/elections/2004/nm/)

5.)    In the 2000 election Al Gore (D) won NM and in 1996 Bill Clinton (D) also won the state. 

6.)    The Land of Enchantment has 5 influential Electoral College votes ( <a href="http://www.america.gov/st/elections08-english/2008/September/20080904105939ebyessedo0.8551905.html ">What is “Electoral College”? </a> )

7.)    We are located right in the middle of two influential red states, Texas and John McCain’s home state of Arizona.

What it comes down to is that New Mexico COUNTS! John McCain and Barack Obama know that our state is a battleground state. <a href=“

 So in the grand question most famously asked in our state, red or green? Oops I mean red or blue?