It may be that the large Democrat organization in El Paso bussed quite a few of those 17,000 people to Las Cruces. They're only, what, 60 miles apart?
What worries me about NM is that the Republican strongholds are in the lesser-populated southern part of the state. The Udall northern House district is likely to go 2/3-plus for KerryEdwards.
New Mason Dixon poll for New Mexico: Bush 49, Kerry 44
Democrats 332 (53%)
Republicans 231 (37%)
Independents 62 (10%)
Holy Cow look at that internal !
A goodly number of old-line conservative Democrats (both Anglo and Hispanic) are voting for Bush. The trick is keep the younger ones from buying into the Kerry hype.