We all knew E. Shirley Baca isn’t one to go quietly into the night.
The outgoing Public Regulation Commission member for District 5 sent a letter to Democrats this week urging them to vote against Sandy Jones, the candidate who beat her in the Democratic primary.
“My opponent, Mr. Sandy Jones, chose to engage in lies and negative campaigning. The PRC is not about partisan politics, but about honesty, integrity, and hard work,” Baca wrote in the letter. “If you feel as strongly as I do… please send a message to Mr. Jones, by NOT voting for him on November 7th.”
The mailer states that it was “Paid for by E. Shirley Baca.” Jones and his Republican opponent, Earl Greer, told me they heard about the mailer but had not seen it, and Greer said he had nothing to do with it.
Neither wanted to comment further without seeing the mailer.
Click here to see the front of the mailer, and here to see the back.
The front of the mailer starts with the words “REMEMBER PRIMARY, 2006” in bold lettering. It shows photos of three negative mailers Jones sent out during the primary season accusing Baca of missing almost 40 percent of PRC meetings and spending too much taxpayer money to attend conferences.
“In order to win his primary election, Mr. Sandy Jones chose to send misleading and negative campaign material against incumbent PRC Commissioner, E. Shirley Baca,” the mailer states. “NEVER did Mr. Jones give his qualifications for the job, or what he intended to do if he was a Public Regulation Commissioner, or what his vision is for the PRC. Why? Because he can’t! On November 7th, say No to Sandy Jones!!”
The back contains Baca’s letter to voters. The first two paragraphs tout her accomplishments, and the rest attacks Jones.
The mailer does not mention Greer, nor does it elaborate on the accusation that Jones lied.
Baca’s assistant said the commissioner was out of the office at a conference today. Since I can’t reach her for comment, I can’t tell you how many copies of the mailer were sent, but I have heard from several Democrats in the
As to the claims in Baca’s letter, I gave my analysis in June on why Baca lost the race. You can read it by clicking here.
I will say that Jones didn’t lie. He gave his spin on a number. In accusing Baca of missing 38 percent of PRC meetings in 2005, he counted as absences the approximately 10 percent Baca attended by telephone, saying she only listened in “for a few minutes” and was not physically present.
I’ll also remind readers that, when I requested a response to Jones’ attacks, Baca had a PRC staffer, paid by taxpayers, pour over minutes of 160 meetings to create an official PRC record of Baca’s attendance so she could respond to the campaign attack.
This mailer appears to be more of the aloof and out-of-touch behavior Baca has displayed as a commissioner, from the time of her arrest on drug possession charges to her defeat in June. She has spoken repeatedly about a vast conspiracy against her.
She still hasn’t figured out that it wasn’t Jones’ negative mailers that cost her the primary. It was her behavior. She beat Jones in the rural areas of the district, but voters in her hometown of
Is this letter pure payback, proof that hell has no fury like a woman scorned? Is it an attempt to remind voters of her accomplishments as she positions herself for a future run for office? Or is it, as she says, a plea to voters to put a stop to negative campaigning?
You all know Baca well. I’ll let you decide.