Antonio to campaign...in New Mexico

The timing of Mayor Villaraigosa's October trip to Asia caused some tongues to wag that he was dodging the unpleasant chore of campaigning for Phil Angelides. Maybe so, since it's been clear for a while that the Democrat is probably going to lose — while Villaraigosa wants to keep good relations with Gov. Schwarzenegger, who has more help to offer (and who appointed his sister, Mary Lou Villar, to the Superior Court bench.) Villaraigosa isn't stiffing all his fellow Democrats though. Looks like the mayor is headed to Albuquerque Saturday to campaign for Democrat Patricia Madrid in the hot House race there. Rep. Nancy Pelosi also lands in New Mexico on Saturday, and we learn from the California Majority Report that Times political writer Mark Z. Barabak is already there.