A mailer E. Shirley Baca sent to some 10,000 Democrats last week urging them to vote against the Public Regulation Commission candidate who beat her in the primary appears to have cost her a future relationship with the Democratic Party.
The mailer urged a vote against Sandy Jones, the Democrat’s District 5 candidate, because he used negative campaigning to beat her in the primary. Click here to see the front of Baca’s mailer, and here to see the back.
Those I spoke with said it was almost unheard of for a primary loser to toss such a retaliatory, negative attack at the winner. Apparently, the Democratic Party of New Mexico agrees.
A news release it sent out Saturday evening accuses Baca of drug use and hypocrisy.
Here’s the text of the release. The only change I made was to take out the final paragraph, which would have amounted to free campaigning for Jones. This close to the election, I’m not going there.
***
What’s E. Shirley Baca smoking now?
Disgraced commissioner hypocritically attacks negative campaign ads
Chairman of the Democratic Party of New Mexico John V. Wertheim says that E. Shirley Baca must be smoking something.
Baca, who was run out of office for her hypocrisy concerning drug use and after marijuana paraphernalia was found in her luggage, recently sent a mailer to voters in Public Regulation Commission (PRC) District 5 with statements tantamount to endorsements of the Republican candidate. Baca attacks negative advertisements with an attack ad of her own, even though she is no longer in the PRC race.
“E. Shirley Baca can continue disgracing herself, but her sour grapes are too bitter for Democrats to swallow. Whatever Ms. Baca is smoking now endangers the health and future of our party,” said Wertheim. “Ms. Baca’s erratic behavior and extreme views might be welcome in the party of John Dendahl and Gary Johnson, but not ours. A lot of Democrats believe she should pack up her bags and roll on out of this joint.”
Wertheim called for Ms. Baca’s resignation when it was reported that she told police she used marijuana occasionally. Although Ms. Baca instituted a zero tolerance office policy concerning drug use, she believed she was the exception to the rule. Several Democratic county chairs are condemning Baca’s actions and rallying behind Jones.
“It was a deceptive and petty move, motivated by revenge, and not in the best interest of the Democratic Party or representative of our values,” said Doña Ana County Chair Melinda Whitley, referring to Baca’s mailer in an email to county activists. “I hope that we can all support our duly elected candidate, Sandy Jones. Certainly, I am encouraging everyone in
“It makes me queasy just thinking about,” said Grant County Democratic Chair Matt Runnels. “Momentum for a historic election is building and everyone is united in our desire to move
***
The release then includes the paragraph promoting Jones before it ends.
It’s important to remember that Baca was not convicted of drug possession. The charges were dropped. There were allegations that paraphernalia was found in her luggage as she attempted to board a plane in
Legally, her claim hasn’t been proven false. It’s very hard to libel a public official, but this release essentially accuses of Baca of drug use based on evidence that won’t be used against her in a court of law, and it’s an obvious attempt to damage her reputation in order to discredit the mailer she sent out.
That said, Baca asked for this. She lost the primary because voters were fed up with her antics and self-serving behavior. She must have known such a bitter, selfish attack on Jones would result in her being cast out of the Democratic Party.
I doubt the Republicans will take her, either.