Is the Republican Party of New Mexico undergoing a "civil war?" It is the Gov. Susana Martinez / Jay McCleskey wing of the Republican Party, which is currently in ascendance in the party structure, against the old guard.

Many see McCleskey as the "shadow governor" who helps run the governor's agenda -- something that Martinez and many other Republicans have vehemently denied.

This perception comes because Martinez's key initiatives as governor so far have also been the big attacks that McCleskey and his Reform New Mexico Now PAC have used against Democrats in the election.

ProgressNow New Mexico has this take:

Throughout the 2012 election cycle, Republican candidates and party officials quietly complained that McCleskey's PAC operations were sucking up all the money they would need for their own races, leaving them at a disadvantage in the home stretch. McCleskey surprised them all by exceeding even the wildest estimates of fundraising. Now Yates, "John Freemont" and others are now reminding Republicans of the consequence.

There will be no Morning Word on Thursday or Friday this week for the Thanksgiving holidays.

On to the Word:

• Big hire in Gov. Susana Martinez's office.

  Jessica Hernandez, who had served as Martinez’s general counsel, is now working as a deputy chief of staff for the office, a Martinez spokesman confirmed Tuesday.

• U.S. Senator Tom Udall's efforts to overturn Citizens United were profiled by Charles Pierce in Esquire.

  "There's just no way around it," he says. "There's no way to get to transparency and disclosure as long as the decision stands. I don't see a way around it, anyway." Instead, Udall is the driving force to repeal Citizens United through a constitutional amendment. The amendment would give Congress the constitutional power to regulate the raising and spending of money in national elections, and it would give the states the same power to regulate spending in their elections. The amendment strikes at the fundamental heresy that lies at the heart of both Citizens United and Buckley v. Valeo, the 40-year-old case that made CU inevitable, given the correct composition of a future Supreme Court: namely, that money is speech. To this, of course, was added the equally preposterous notion that corporations are people and that, therefore, they have the same free speech rights as you, me, and the guy on the next bar stool. (How preposterous? Google Santa Clara County vs. Southern Pacific Railroad some time and get a good look at how corporate personhood got birthed on the wrong side of the constitutional blanket.) Pass the amendment, and all of the entangled absurdity of Citizens United goes away. One doomsday machine takes out the other.

• The Albuquerque Journal reported that Udall wants reform of the National Nuclear Security Administration.
• As Black Friday comes Wal-Mart will be the subject of protests from labor groups -- and KUNM reports on the New Mexico connection. Wal-Mart is famously anti-union.
• The Santa Fe New Mexican wrote looks at the latest unemployment numbers in New Mexico:

  Data released Tuesday indicate the state economy is still bogged in recession, as New Mexico lost another 5,900 jobs last month, according to estimates by the state Department of Workforce Solutions.
  
  Figures show the rate of over-the-year job growth, comparing October 2012 with October 2011, was -0.7 percent, representing a loss of 5,900 jobs. The current round of job losses started in June after 10 months of gains. Six industries are adding employment, and seven industries are losing jobs, according to Workforce Solutions.

• Yates Petroleum rejected two bids for acquisition according to the Albuquerque Journal.
• My Weekly Word co-host Joey Peters and frequent Weekly word contributor Justin Horwath (who are both staff writers with the Santa Fe Reporter) examine New Mexico's potential health care exchange -- and the controversy over Martinez's plans to do so without the input of the state legislature.

  “We’re probably going to see some legislators—myself among them—looking at litigation as a way to deal with this,” says state Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino, D-Bernalillo, who sits on the same committee. “You know—taking it to the Supreme Court. This is a system that’s going to be in place for many years to come. And we have to do it right. We don’t want to screw around and deal with something really problem-riddled.”

• Las Vegas, NM, which has frequent problems with the availability of drinking water, continues to be at the center of the fracking debate in New Mexico. The Las Vegas Optic:

  “There is so much misinformation about oil and gas that it’s our job to get the facts out and let everybody decide,” said John Bemis, cabinet secretary of the state Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department. Bemis made his presentation to the commission during its regular monthly meeting.
  
  It’s the second time that a member of Gov. Susana Martinez’ administration has appeared before the commission championing the oil and gas industry.

• Lincoln County officials say stationing an air tanker at Ruidoso's airport during wildfire season. It would cost $2,800 a day.
• Thom Cole says former NMFA officials got car perks.
• State legislators want to demolish an old hospital in Fort Bayard.
  
  However, it won't be that simple.

  State Rep. Dianne Hamilton, R-Silver City, said the costs are a strike against letting the hospital stand. Even so, Hamilton said, tearing down the building may not be as simple as a legislative vote.
  
  Fort Bayard, whose roots stretch to 1866, was designated as a national historic landmark in 2004. It has been a New Mexico historic district since 2001.

• KOB on the snow report:

  Sandia Peak Ski Area is nowhere near open, and while Ski Santa Fe has some snow, it is not enough to officially open just yet.

• Udall presented five medals of recognition to Navajo veteran Wilson Halona for his service to the United States Army during World War II. From Senator Tom Udall's Flickr feed:
• You can get a permit to chop down your Christmas trees on national parks land.
• The Revenue Stabilization & Tax Policy Committee will meet today in the State Capitol, the last interim committee hearing until Monday, when the Indian Affairs Committee and Legislative Health & Human Services Committee meet.
• New Mexico got a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy for alternatively-fueled vehicles.

  The grant to the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department will be used to help Santa Fe develop construction regulations, zoning codes and permitting requirements for the infrastructure needed to fuel vehicles that run on natural gas, electricity and propane, the DOE said in a news release.

• Steve Pearce signed a letter criticizing Susan Rice over her response to the attack at the Benghazi consulate according to Capitol Report New Mexico. Rice is considered the leading candidate for Obama's next Secretary of Defense.
  
  The article says no Senate Republicans have pledged to filibuster Rice (Pearce, as a member of the House, has no real effect on Rice's potential nomination), but Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., have both reportedly pledged to do so.
• The ACLU of New Mexico wants a state law that would give pregnant teenagers maternity leave from school.
• Santa Fe Reporter looks at the difference between AM and FM Spanish-language radio stations in the state.
• A lot of stores will be opening Black Friday earlier than ever -- some on Thanksgiving evening. Locally owned Baillio's will not be one of them.

  eing a family owned business, Baillio's recognizes the importance of spending time with family on Thanksgiving and giving thanks for all that we have in this world. That belief extends to their employees as well. So, Baillio's will not be opening on Thanksgiving as some of the other "big box corporate" have decided. We will open at 8:00 a.m. on Friday where you will be treated to our Black Friday deals and specials.