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�t The Pueblo Chieftain Online <br />Page 1 of 2 <br />Hospital woes adding fuel to Trinidad races <br />By MIKE GARRETT <br />THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN <br />TRINIDAD - Financial problems at Mount San Rafael Hospital are casting a <br />shadow over the Nov. 2 general election races for two county commissioner <br />seats. <br />In the District 1 race for the Las Animas County commission, incumbent <br />Republican Ken Torres will oppose Democrat Gene Lujan. Both won primary <br />election contests Tuesday. <br />Torres prevailed over write -in candidate and McDonald's manager D. Lee <br />Phelan, 506 -101 votes, while Lujan outdistanced political newcomer Ann Tatum <br />1,185 to 956. <br />In the District 2 commissioner's race, incumbent Robert Valdez prevailed with <br />984 votes. His two opponents, city Councilman Carmen Sandoval and Jim <br />Toupal, nearly split the remaining votes, 586 and 568, respectively. <br />Valdez will oppose Republican Jill Tamburelli of Aguilar, who was unopposed in <br />the primary, and independent Richard Lawler, a frequent critic of the county <br />government. <br />How well Torres and Lujan do may well depend on who comes up with the most <br />viable plan to help save Mount San Rafael Hospital. <br />Both indicated Wednesday they will conduct a positive campaign and focus on <br />saving the hospital, water and economic development issues. <br />Torres, 39, felt his two primary opponents may have been too negative in their <br />approach to county issues, particularly the hospital fiscal issues and the way <br />the current board has handled them. <br />"I want to be positive about this community and the upcoming election. I don't <br />want to be negative on any issue," said Torres. "I'm not going to do any <br />negative campaigning at all and will keep it a fair and honest race with Mr. <br />Lujan." <br />Lujan, 64, said Tatum was a formidable candidate and he holds no animosity <br />toward her. "I tried to keep a positive campaign at all times and I've learned <br />that negatives don't help any." He said his campaign against Torres will rely on <br />his past experience as commissioner for 12 years. <br />"We tried to address the hospital issue when I was a county commissioner and <br />I guess the decisions we made then (1980 -84, 1988 -96) didn't fall right on a lot <br />http: / /www. chieftain. com /print.php ?article= /metro /1092290400/5 8/12/2004 <br />