McCamley gives his campaign $47.50 to buy gas

Democratic 2nd Congressional District candidate Bill McCamley wrote his campaign a check for $47.50 today, saying the little he could afford to give will buy “most” of a tank of gas and help him continue to travel the district and talk about issues with voters.

The move comes a day after McCamley’s primary opponent, Harry Teague, filed notice with the Federal Election Commission that he had loaned his campaign another $475,000, bringing the total amount he’s loaned his campaign to almost $685,000. McCamley said his contribution was a direct response to Teague’s.

“I don’t have that kind of money,” McCamley said at a news conference today in Las Cruces, where he signed the check.

McCamley portrayed himself as a middle-class candidate who is taking on a wealthy oilman. He said 40 percent of Teague’s outside contributions come from people tied to the oil industry. Counting the money Teague has loaned his own campaign, McCamley said about 80 percent of the approximately $1 million Teague has raised for his campaign comes from people tied to the oil industry.

“Every time you see a Harry Teague commercial, know that you are paying for it every time you buy $4-per-gallon gas,” McCamley said.

Teague has been rapidly spending his money on television ads in recent weeks.

McCamley had raised just over $357,000 for his congressional run as of March 31. He began April with $235,944 on hand, while Teague began it with $336,864 on hand.

Teague, in a statement released by his campaign, said he has always given back to his community.

“I provide health care for all of my employees and their families. I offer scholarships to help young people go to college, and I support dozens of causes. I helped create thousands of good-paying jobs as a county commissioner,” Teague said. “I am committed to doing the same things for everyone in the 2nd Congressional District, and my contributions to my campaign are simply an expression of that commitment. I will do whatever it takes to get things done in Washington, D.C. And I will do whatever it takes to win in November.”

In response to McCamley’s claim that he is an “oil-industry executive,” Teague said he is not an executive. He said he is a small-business owner. Teague’s oil business employs more than 250 people.

McCamley said Washington is currently working only for millionaires like Teague. He said the Federal Reserve bailed out Bear Sterns, but the government has not helped individuals who got into trouble with mortgages. The United States has the best health care in the world, he said, but only if you can afford it. And he pointed to tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans.

“That’s going to be the choice in this race: Do you vote for another millionaire oilman or someone from the middle class?” McCamley said. “Washington is broken, and if you truly want change, and if you truly want someone who’s not going to be afraid to rock the boat… I would really ask for your vote.”

McCamley said he hopes Teague will agree to debates. He said he attended a forum in Deming on Monday that Teague skipped. He said Teague is skipping another forum in Silver City on Wednesday that he will attend. And he said a group in Carlsbad is trying to organize a debate between the two, and he hopes Teague will agree to participate.

“I’m not going to try to win this election on TV,” McCamley said. “I’m going to try to win this election by talking to voters about the issues.”

McCamley said his campaign will soon begin airing television ads, but his commercials, unlike Teague’s, will be “part of a whole” strategy. He said he has put more than 50,000 miles on his car campaigning across the district, and he will continue to do that.

As I’ve disclosed in the past, I’m friends with McCamley. Click here to read about that.