If you’re looking for an intriguing Democratic dark horse for the 2008 presidential sweep stakes, look beyond Evan Bayh, Russ Feingold or Al Gore. Try Bill Richardson, New Mexico’s governor. His resume includes stints as U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. and U.S. Secretary of Energy. He was also elected seven times to Congress.
Richardson was born in California, raised in Mexico City and speaks fluent Spanish.
Since becoming governor in 2002, he has earned a reputation as a fiscal conservative who embraces tax cutting, including capital gains. The result: New Mexico now has a half-billion-dollar surplus and has seen revenues soar by 27 per cent this year.
He has sound advice that Democrats ignore at their own peril. “We have to be the party of growth and the American dream,” he advises. “Not the party of redistribution.”