MAYHILL, MELROSE AND POINTS IN BETWEEN — I headed east from Alamogordo with the loose plan of stopping in very small towns — even rural spots between towns — and asking southeastern New Mexico voters a simple question: “What’s on your mind?” My hunch was that people outside the Albuquerque area or some of our smaller cities would have different concerns than urbanites. And I knew southeastern New Mexico was one of the state’s more conservative corners. ... Tom Benedict , a retired rancher in Dexter, had socialism on his mind when I approached him to chat. He is worried...