Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
On this date ...
1982: State Sen. Caleb Chandler, 39, of Clovis, defeated state Sen. Ben Altamirano of Silver City by more than 6,000 votes to win the Democratic primary in the hunt for New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District seat.
Chandler would challenge Republican Joe Skeen in November.
Chandler, on leave from his job as deputy police chief in Clovis, said he expected a closer race, but attributed his victory to “the grassroots type of campaign we conducted.”
Altamirano said name recognition was the difference, but immediately vowed to support Chandler in the general election.
“I am a diehard Democrat and I will support Mr. Chandler,” Altamirano said.
The incumbent Skeen won the November matchup with 58 percent of the vote.
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