Baca calls Lyons ‘special-interest friendly’

State Land Commissioner hopeful Jim Baca is firing back at incumbent Pat Lyons, calling him “special-interest friendly.”

Democrat Baca started the round of attacks earlier this week, releasing an analysis of Republican Lyon’s campaign contributions that showed he has taken hundreds of thousands of dollars from development and oil and gas companies. Baca said the land office is being sold to those who have leases from it, and said Lyons would have a hard time remaining independent.

Lyons responded by saying he is “business friendly” but also has allies who are conservationists. He said Baca “has admitted that he is antagonistic and it appears he alienated the people who did business with him at the land office. (Baca is a former land commissioner.) If those industries aren’t contributing to his campaign, he has only himself to blame.”

Baca wasn’t impressed.

“When he talks about being business friendly, that really means special-interest friendly, especially when it comes to the oil and gas industry,” Baca said. “He seems to be a mascot for the Yates Petroleum Company, who is throwing their weight around New Mexico politics big time.”

Baca also defended himself.

“Mr. Lyons is confusing the word antagonistic with independence,” he said. “Of course special interests feel you are antagonistic if you show independence.”