Teague confirms run; McCamley gets union support

Former Lea County Commissioner Harry Teague confirmed today that he’s running for the Second Congressional District House seat regardless of whether U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce gives it up to run for Senate.

Meanwhile, one of two Democrats Teague will have to face in a primary, Doña Ana County Commissioner Bill McCamley, announced today an important endorsement from the New Mexico Building and Construction Trades Council.

I first reported Monday evening on Teague’s entrance into the race. The Hobbs oilman said today he has no knowledge of whether the GOP congressman will give up his House seat to run for the Senate seat being vacated by Pete Domenici, but said he decided to run regardless.

Teague didn’t plan until recently to enter the race, and actually gave McCamley $2,300 in June. He said after Domenici announced his coming retirement, a number of Democrats began urging him to run for the House seat if Pearce ran for Senate. Once he decided to run either way, Teague said there was no reason to wait for Pearce’s decision.

Term limits forced Teague, 58, to leave the Lea County Commission at the end of 2006. He’s the owner of Eunice Well Servicing Co., and said he has the ability to help finance his own campaign. He said he will do so if necessary, but he believes he can raise the money he’ll need to win primary and general elections.

“I think I’m very fortunate that the opportunity has presented itself, that I have the opportunity to run for U.S. Congress and serve my state and nation,” Teague said.

McCamley said the race “should not be about a political opportunity.”

“This should be about getting results in Washington, and I have the energy and experience to get those results. That is why I am running and why I will win,” he said. “… We need to get out of Iraq, create jobs, reform our health care system and take care of our veterans. I am running for this seat because I believe in true change, and the work we have done over the past six months and the endorsements we have received show our momentum and support.”

Al Kissling, the other Democrat in the race, said he welcomes Teague to the contest.

“I’m delighted. … I think it will make it more competitive,” he said. “The thing we’re running on is the issues, and we’re going to be focusing on a solution to the health-care problem and the energy problems we have and the future of education. We’re focused on the children. I think having another voice in the race will just help people wake up and get attention on the issues.”

War, health care, immigration

Teague said he doesn’t expect to file paperwork making his campaign official for as long as two weeks. He said his campaign will focus on the War in Iraq, health care and immigration. Here’s what he said on each:

• The war: “I don’t like our people being killed and crippled in Iraq. I think there’s a way to get that resolved so we can get our people out of there.”

• Health care: Teague said he hasn’t read the children’s insurance bill recently vetoed by the president, but said, “We’ve got to have health care for our kids. … We can make that happen.”

• Immigration: Teague said the United States has to “secure our borders for our country’s protection, but we also have to protect the immigrants who come across.” He said those immigrants “are doing an honorable job and they have to be respected.”

Unions endorse McCamley

Meanwhile, McCamley’s campaign announced today that the affiliates of the state building and construction trades council, which includes 17 local union groups, voted unanimously to endorse him.

The council released a statement to McCamley saying it “is proud and honored to announce that, for your support for labor and your will to be a strong advocate for New Mexico, its affiliates voted unanimously to endorse you in your candidacy for U.S. Congress.” The council is part of AFL-CIO.

“I’m very pleased to receive the unanimous support of the council,” McCamley said. “It helps us continue building momentum in our campaign to take back this congressional seat and bring to Washington a focus on results that matter to the people of Southern New Mexico.”

Last week, three state representatives from Doña Ana County and a Public Regulation Commission member from Sierra County endorsed McCamley.

Teague said he doesn’t believe it’s too late to get in the race, and said he had nothing to say about McCamley.

“I personally like Bill, so I don’t want to build my opponent up and I sure don’t want to say anything negative about him,” he said.

Teague’s history with Pearce

Teague acknowledged his previous campaign contributions to Pearce. He gave $1,000 to the congressman in 2004 and $2,100 in 2006. However, most of his contributions over the years have gone to Democrats.

Teague knows Pearce well, and said the congressman was two grades ahead of him in school. He has supported Pearce in the past in part because they have common interests in farming and livestock groups. In addition, he said his wife’s family is close to the Pearce family.

Over time, Teague’s support for Pearce dwindled, he said.

“I supported Steve up until things got to where I just couldn’t. You do certain things because of friendship, but over time, you just can’t continue to do that,” Teague said, adding that the shift was a result of “strong differences that I have from his perspective.”

“I guess, as time passes, it shows why he’s a Republican and I’m a Democrat,” Teague said.

Though he said he has no inside knowledge of what Pearce will decide, he is “convinced that he’s going to run for Senate just because I know him.”

Noting that he was the chairman for 3.5 years of a county commission whose majority was Republican, Teague said he has “the ability to bring both sides together. We made tremendous progress in Lea County while I was chairman.” In part because of that, Teague said he’s certain he can raise the money to win even if Pearce stays in the race.