Biden Schedules Weekend Trip to Santa Fe

Vice President Joe Biden and US House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi are headed to Santa Fe this weekend. They'll join Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Ben Ray Luján and other members at the group's annual conference.

This is the second year that Luján, who was named the group's chairman by Pelosi in November 2014, has hosted the event in Santa Fe. A spokesperson for the DCCC said details haven't been finalized, so it's still unclear which hotel venue will be used or if the vice president will have any public events while he's in town.

The news comes on the heels of the announcement from the White House that First Lady Michelle Obama plans to visit Santa Fe to deliver the commencement address at the Santa Fe Indian School on May 26.

Last year, the group's agenda included panel discussions on legislative policies and strategies, but with the general election just months away, it's a good bet that the Democrats will be discussing ways they can regain control of the House after losing their majority status in 2010, when the Republicans picked up 63 seats.

The Democrats have said they would need several election cycles to shrink the Republican majority, but with the prospect of Donald Trump winning the GOP nomination in Cleveland this summer, the Ds now believe they have a shot at retaking control this fall.

To make it a reality, the group will need to raise millions in campaign donations to fund key races around the country, and efforts are already underway. Also this week, Luján and Pelosi were scheduled to attended a fundraising dinner in Hollywood with President Barack Obama at the home of Walt Disney Chairman Alan Horn.

Veteran political blogger Joe Monahan says that even with Trump at the top of the ticket, it will be difficult to win enough seats to flip the House.

"It would take an epic event," says Monahan. "The House districts are so gerrymandered."

Monahan points to Rep. Steve Pearce's southern New Mexico district.

"The Democrats have targeted his seat before but got absolutely nowhere, and it shows no signs of cracking this year," says Monahan. "It doesn't mean the Democrats couldn't have a good night with some of these swing seats. There's not many of those left."

Biden has been to the state several times since being nominated for vice president by Barack Obama in 2008.

In 2009, he helped congressional candidates Martin Heinrich and Harry Teague raise money for their House campaigns and returned in 2010 to support Diane Denish and Brian Colon's unsuccessful campaign for governor and lieutenant governor. He also visited two years later to help Heinrich raise money for his senate campaign.

In 2013, Biden invited Gov. Susana Martinez to fly with him to Rome for Pope Francis' installation. The two got along so well, he invited Martinez and former Gov. Bill Richardson to attend his Cinco De Mayo celebration.

Santa Fe Reporter