By EMIL WHITIS

Daily Press Staff Writer

As rain poured outside the Hotel Artesia this morning Dr. J.R. Damron, a Republican candidate for Lt. Governor, sat in the lobby drinking coffee. Damron waited to discuss his ideas with Artesians, who soon began to enter the lobby.

According to his Web site, www.damronforltgovernor.com, “Dr. Damron is a radiologist from Santa Fe providing diagnostic radiology services to Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center, Santa Fe Imaging Center, Los Alamos Medical Center and the Santa Fe Indian Health Hospital.”

He has practiced medicine since the mid-70s and has won numerous awards including the Capitol Dome award and the Physician’s Award for Outstanding Service from the American Cancer Society. Damron has also received several political awards and appointments from the National Republican Congressional Committee such as Republican of the Year in 2006 and an appointment to the 2008 Presidential Commission. He also has business experience through ventures in private and commercial real estate development in Santa Fe.

Although he is originally from Manchester, Ind., he has lived in New Mexico and served its medical needs since 1984.

“As a doctor I diagnose problems with my patients and then set forth a prognosis and prescription to cure or solve the problem. This is exactly how the government should act,” said Damron.

He promised, if elected, to listen to constituents and maintain the same relationship between government and citizens as doctors and patients in addressing and solving the problems of New Mexicans.

“The most basic and essential duty of a Lt. Governor is to act as an ombudsman: an intermediate between citizens and government … I will actively listen to my constituents and make their problems visible in Santa Fe. Denish has totally dropped the ball with regard to this basic function,” said Damron.

He guaranteed he would be present and make an effort to frequently visit Artesia and hear its concerns in proportion with the rest of the state.

“You can’t truly understand people problems and how to resolve them by sitting in the office,” said Damron.

With regard to health care he believes the federal government’s plan for heath care reform “would have been a very bad thing for New Mexico.” Being a doctor, he said he understands health care at both state and federal levels.

“Health care reform is absolutely necessary but must be done incrementally,” said Damron. “We need to make health insurance affordable.”

He postulated a privately-run insurance exchange should be instated to broker health insurance between companies and individuals. Damron believes this move would take the pressure off small businesses and provide individuals the best coverage they can afford.

“The health insurance exchange would take over the employer’s responsibility for fulfilling federal health insurance mandates. The employer would then pledge a certain amount of money per month for the employee’s insurance plan,” said Damron.

He highlighted the shortage of healthcare providers in rural areas of the state and called for more medical professionals from New Mexico’s universities.

“We need more health care professionals graduating from UNM. We need to retain them and provide incentives to work in rural areas.

Damron said the state of education in New Mexico is “abominable.”

“Thank God for Mississippi or we’d be dead last in the national education rankings. We have only a 54 percent graduation rate statewide. It’s a travesty,” he said.

There is a need for a cultural change bringing teachers, students, parents and businesses together to prepare for perceived future communal needs, he said. He stated schools cannot be held totally accountable for the success of students and parents need to become more academically involved with their children.

“Education is the key to prosperity in New Mexico,” said Damron. “We need to effect change in our current education system but it must be cultural… The government needs to be down in the trenches talking to parents, teachers and businesses to identify the best way to teach.”

Damron said he does not agree with the pit rule and abhors the loss of revenue it effects. He believes alternative energy should be aggressively pursued as a partial means to heat and power the homes of New Mexico while oil and gas could be exported and revenue enhanced.

“We should be celebrating the oil and gas industry for their incredible contributions to the development of our state,” said Damron.

He also plans to develop the state’s telecommunication technology in an effort to entice businesses to relocate in New Mexico and provide existing small businesses with all the advantages cutting edge technology can provide.

Damron will be in Carlsbad at the Larez restaurant at 6:30 tonight and the Trinity Hotel tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. campaigning. Anyone interested in speaking with the candidate is welcome to attend either event.

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