About 30 students showed up to the UNM College Republican's meeting Tuesday night eager to hear Republican gubernatorial candidate John Sanchez speak - however, the candidate was a no-show due to a scheduling conflict.
Marty Ruano, deputy political director for the candidate's campaign, filled in for Sanchez and answered students' questions regarding the upcoming election and his campaign strategy.
Ruano said that Sanchez's absence could not be avoided.
"He got tied up because he's going to Washington, D.C., tomorrow, but he sends his regrets and hopes he can reschedule to meet with this group," Ruano said. "He's really happy with the support the College Republicans have given him and he hopes it continues throughout the election."
Matt Kennicott, state chairman of the College Republicans, said that his group understood the absence and was pleased with what Ruano had to say.
"We understand that in the course of a campaign you have scheduling conflicts," Kennicott said. "I'm happy that we got to hear from his deputy political director tonight. I think everybody here tonight understands."
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Many of the questions that Ruano answered were about the negative television campaigns that have marred the race between Sanchez and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill Richardson during the last couple of weeks.
"We are issue oriented," he said. "His ads are personal. Voters don't like when candidates attack personally. That should tell you a lot. Our positive ads have raised John's name identification."
Ruano added that the negative campaigning is having an effect on Richardson's target voters and voters that are still undecided about whom to vote for.
"The Hispanic and conservative voters are fed up," he said. "We feel strongly that that factor and the undecided vote will bring us up."
Ruano said that according to the latest polls, the Sanchez camp is gaining ground on Richardson.
"John feels really confident," he said. "We're right where we want him. We feel like he thought he had this won back in the primaries and that John was kind of going to go away. But John has hung in there and we're down to single digits in the polls. We feel in the next couple of months when we start contrasting, Mr. Richardson really doesn't have a chance."
Ruano said that the candidates' differences on the key issues would put Sanchez over the top.
"John has always been one who has fought for lower taxes, to better our children, and fought for education," he said. "And then you have Mr. Richardson, who voted for the largest tax increase in history and has always sided with environmentalists on issues such as water, which our farmers and ranchers up the state have been telling us, 'Mr. Richardson is scaring us.'"
Ruano also said that President Bush will be giving Sanchez a push in the final leg of his campaign.
"Bush is putting a lot of money into GOTV (Get Out The Vote,)" he said. "It will really help in the last 72 hours. This is something the Democrats have been doing for years and they're really good at it to be honest. Walking the districts and getting out in droves. We're going to bombard the voters."
He added that Sanchez is firmly behind the president concerning issues of foreign policy.
"John is one of the biggest supporters of President Bush," he said. "John told me, 'If the president says we go (to Iraq,) then we go.' That's John's position. As a leader he will support the president."
Ruano wrapped up the meeting by asking the group to be as active as it can for the remainder of the campaign.
"If you guys aren't pumped up, then the swing voters aren't going to be pumped up," he said. "I really hope you guys get out and help all of our candidates."
