Meet Governor Susana Martinez

Over at National Review, Jay Nordlinger has put together a profile on Governor Susana Martinez. I was happy to see that Nordlinger was the one who wrote it. He is a gifted writer, and I greatly enjoy reading almost anything he pens. As for Governor Martinez, she is one of the future (Current?) stars of the Republican Party. In the buzz surrounding 2012, she’s often been mentioned as a potential running mate for whoever ends up as the Republican nominee.  This is what the governor told Nordlinger about that scenario:

About the vice-presidential nomination, she is calmly unbudging. I say, “Come on: If you’re asked to be on the ticket, you’re going to say, ‘Go jump in a lake’?” “I would never say, ‘Go jump in a lake,’” she responds, softly. “But I would say no.” She has wanted to be in politics ever since girlhood, true — but she says she felt fulfilled when she became a prosecutor. She was able to help many people who were in the worst of circumstances. If she had never climbed to a higher position or done more, she says, that would have been enough.

The profile contains a brief summary of notable achievements as governor. Like this for example:

Once sworn in, Martinez charged hard, doing as much as she could with a Democratic legislature, and doing as much as she could on her own. The budget deficit was turned into a surplus — with no taxes raised in the bargain. She had said during the campaign that she wouldn’t raise taxes. After her election, politicos said to her, “Come on, Susana, be realistic. You’re not campaigning anymore. We have to have tax increases in order to reduce the deficit.” She was told this by Democrats and Republicans alike. But she cut spending instead.

If you want to get to know Susana Martinez better, the profile is well worth your time.