Tinsley airs first TV ad of general-election season

Republican 2nd Congressional District candidate Ed Tinsley began airing his first television ad of the general-election season on Tuesday, a 30-second spot that’s not unlike introductory ads he ran during the primary.

Here’s the new ad:

It’s actually a slightly reworked version of an ad he ran during the primary. Click here to view the version he ran in the Roswell area and here to view the version he ran in the Las Cruces area during the primary.

“It was a humble beginning in a small sandwich shop. Meredith worked the cash register, and I cooked,” Tinsley says in explaining his start in business. He and his wife eventually took over the K-BOB’s Steakhouses chain of restaurants.

The difference in this version of the ad: Tinsley focuses on bringing down gas prices and taxes.

“In challenging economic times, a strong energy policy means lower prices at the pump,” Tinsley says in the ad. “Low taxes mean small-business growth and relief for working families.”

Tinsley’s opponent, Democrat Harry Teague, has also been running a positive TV ad focusing on himself. But the Tinsley campaign pointed out that Teague is also running this negative radio ad attacking Tinsley.

“Ed Tinsley offers a positive choice for Southern New Mexico,” spokesman Jim Pettit said. “The focus on the next Congress will be reforming our nation’s financial system, and partisan attacks aren’t going to get the job done.”

Meanwhile, the state Democratic Party put out a news release claiming that Tinsley’s new TV ad “neglects to paint the complete picture, which includes his work as a corporate lawyer before he ever owned a ‘sandwich shop,’ poor treatment of his employees, and favoritism for special interests over middle-class families.” Click here if you want the details.