Wilson attacks Pearce for comments about England

Heather Wilson is attacking Steve Pearce for claiming on Saturday that England is a bigger exporter of Islamic terrorists than any country in the Middle East.

It’s the latest spat in what has become a contentious GOP U.S. Senate primary.

“We must have a moral standard in this country. We cannot be a moral vacuum,” Pearce said at the Valencia County GOP convention on Saturday. “If we try to do that I will guarantee that the same thing will happen to us that happened in England. They export more radical Islamic terrorists today than any country in the Middle East. It’s because they said, ‘We can live in a moral vacuum.’”

You can listen to Pearce’s full speech by clicking here.

Wilson called on Pearce to justify his remarks or apologize to America’s closest ally in the war on terror.

“A U.S. senator can’t afford to offend our closest ally, particularly when he is wrong on the facts. Senators – and people who want to be senators – should not say irresponsible things like this,” Wilson said. “…Great Britain and the United States have had an unwavering, special relationship since World War II. We have a closer relationship with Britain than with any other ally in the War on Terror. To claim that Britain ‘exports’ more terrorists than the long list of countries that actively support and fund terrorism is incorrect and offensive.”

The Pearce campaign declined to justify the remarks or apologize for them.

“Rep. Pearce has run a positive campaign focusing on his vision for building a more free, secure and prosperous New Mexico,” spokesman Brian Phillips said. “…Mrs. Wilson’s campaign has unfortunately chosen a very different and negative path that does not serve well the people of New Mexico. Instead of calling for apologies, New Mexico would be better served if she joined us in calling for lower taxes, pro-life policies and eliminating wasteful spending and out-of-control earmarks.”

Pearce hasn’t stayed entirely above the fray. At the Doña Ana County GOP convention on Saturday, he called himself the only candidate with a 100-percent rating on votes related to combating abortion and keeping taxes low. He then pointed out that, though his opponent is a woman, he was endorsed last week by a pro-life group that actively seeks to endorse pro-life women in political races across the nation.