527 group helped Herrera win in 2006

The Center for Public Integrity is highlighting a group that helped Mary Herrera win New Mexico’s 2006 secretary of state race in a new posting on its Web site.

The group, a “little-known 527” called The Secretary of State Project, “raised more than $500,000 in 2006 to ensure no right-leaning secretary of state will swing the 2008 presidential election to the GOP, as they did in Florida in 2000 and Ohio in 2004,” the center’s blog posting states.

That $500,000 helped Democrats win secretary of state races in key states in 2006 — Nevada, New Mexico, Minnesota, Iowa and Ohio. The group also supported losing candidates in Colorado and Michigan. In New Mexico, the group’s Web site states, it funded 10 percent of Herrera’s campaign.

This year, the group is targeting secretary of state races in four additional states, Missouri, Oregon, Montana and West Virginia, the center reported.

Herrera, according to the group’s Web site, attributed her win in part to the group’s support. She defeated Republican Vickie Perea by 8 percentage points.

“Your support made a big difference to my campaign,” Herrera told the group. “… Thanks to the help of the Secretary of State Project and its donors, we can make sure every voter is able to cast a ballot that counts on Election Day.”

The group’s mission is to “protect our elections from dirty Republican tricks,” its Web site states.