McCain continues attack on Obama’s celebrity

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Republican presidential candidate John McCain’s newest television ad continues attacking Democratic opponent Barack Obama’s celebrity. Here’s the 30-second spot, which is airing in New Mexico and other states: The ad opens with a scene similar to the previous ad that included images of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton, but the two controversial stars are absent from the new ad. “Is the biggest celebrity in the world ready to help your family?” the narrator of the new ad asks. “The real Obama promises higher taxes, more government spending. So, fewer jobs.” “Renewable energy to transform our economy, create jobs and energy independence,” the narrator says. Continue Reading

Legislators’ lawsuit is baseless, defendants say

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Robinson says insiders who decided to ‘snitch’ helped reveal conspiracy that led to lawmakers’ defeat By Heath Haussamen A lawsuit alleging an illegal conspiracy to defeat three incumbent lawmakers in the June primary is baseless, several people and groups named as defendants say, but one of the lawmakers says insiders who decided to “snitch” will help prove the allegations. Sens. Shannon Robinson and James Taylor and Rep. Dan Silva claim in their lawsuit that several nonprofits and the three challengers who defeated the Albuquerque Democrats in the June primary conspired to illegally hide the spending of at least $180,000 on a secret campaign against them. The defeated lawmakers allege in the lawsuit that the money was funneled through the Center for Civic Policy and the League of Young Voters — which no longer exists in New Mexico — to at least six other nonprofits. The lawsuit alleges that the Center for Civic Policy received approximately $1.5 million from liberal activist George Soros and other groups and individuals for the purpose of electing the three challengers “and others.” “That is a completely false allegation. Continue Reading

Obama’s new TV ad attacks McCain’s oil ties

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Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama’s new TV ad takes aim at Republican opponent John McCain and accuses him of being in the pocket of the oil industry. Here’s the 30 second spot, which is currently airing on national cable: “Every time you fill your tank, the oil companies fill their pockets,” the ad’s narrator states. “Now Big Oil’s filling John McCain’s campaign with $2 million in contributions, because, instead of taxing their windfall profits to help drivers, McCain wants to give them another $4 billion in tax breaks. After one president in the pocket of big oil, we can’t afford another.” McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds responded with this statement: “Barack Obama’s latest negative attack ad shows his celebrity is matched only by his hypocrisy,” he said. “After all, it was Senator Obama, not John McCain, who voted for the Bush-Cheney energy bill that was a sweetheart deal for oil companies. Continue Reading

Pearce’s first TV ad promotes nuclear energy

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Republican U.S. Senate candidate Steve Pearce released his first general-election television ad today, a 30-second spot in which he says nuclear energy is the key to America’s energy independence. Here’s the ad: “It may not be politically correct, but nuclear energy is a sure way to America’s energy independence,” Pearce says in the ad. “Nuclear power can make America free from Middle East oil cartels. Nuclear can keep energy costs low, America prosperous and keep American jobs from going overseas.” “Tom Udall won’t stand up to the far left environmentalists. I will,” Pearce says of his Democratic opponent. Continue Reading

Journal examines Foley’s role in state contract

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A weekend article in the Albuquerque Journal examines a state-government insurance contract that has paid thousands of dollars to outgoing House Minority Whip Dan Foley. Chaves County Commissioner Harold Hobson — a Foley critic — has asked the attorney general to look into the situation in which Foley, an Allstate insurance agent, helped his company win a state contract last year that pays him a 10-percent commission on all policies sold, according to the Journal. Some 500 government employees in New Mexico have signed up for the supplemental cancer, accident and universal life-insurance policy. The AG’s office told the newspaper that Hobson’s request has been forwarded to the appropriate section. Foley, R-Roswell, told the newspaper he has done nothing wrong. Continue Reading

Defeated lawmakers allege conspiracy in lawsuit

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Three lawmakers who were defeated by progressive challengers in the June primary filed a lawsuit Friday alleging a “secret campaign” by nonprofit groups and their opponents that skirted campaign-finance laws and defrauded voters. Because of the alleged conspiracy, the lawmakers say, their losses should be voided. State Sens. Shannon Robinson and James Taylor and Rep. Dan Silva, all Albuquerque Democrats, say the alleged conspirators funneled at least $180,000 through the nonprofits, which aren’t subject to campaign disclosure laws, and used the money to distribute literature and make phone calls, according to the Albuquerque Journal. Without that effort, the lawmakers claim, they would have won the primary races. Continue Reading

Denver Post: Guv should be Obama’s running mate

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The Denver Post says Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama should pick N.M. Gov. Bill Richardson to be his running mate. In a Friday editorial, the Post wrote that it hopes when Obama accepts his party’s nomination for president in Denver later this month that “he will have a son of the West” — Richardson — by his side. “We think there’s only one direction to go,” the Post editorial states. “The first test of a vice president is whether he or she is qualified to serve in the top job should the occasion arise. Richardson clearly leads all other Democratic contenders by that standard.” “His outstanding record makes him an ideal partner for Obama, not only on the campaign trail but at the vital job of shaping America’s future,” the editorial states, citing Richardson’s experience as a congressman, ambassador to the United Nations, energy secretary and governor of New Mexico. Continue Reading

Pearce, Udall to debate on NBC’s Meet the Press

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New Mexico’s candidates for U.S. Senate, Democrat Tom Udall and Republican Steve Pearce, will participate in a nationally televised debate before the November election on NBC’s Meet the Press. The date of the debate hasn’t been set, but both campaigns confirmed on Friday that they have accepted the news show’s invitation. The argument now is over whether the debate will count as one of the three statewide, televised debates in which the candidates have already agreed to participate before Nov. 4. “The Udall campaign has accepted with Meet the Press and we’re pleased to have this be one of our three statewide televised debates,” Udall campaign spokeswoman Marissa Padilla said. Continue Reading

Most voters in poll say Steinborn will be re-elected

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The majority of those who voted in last week’s non-scientific poll on this site said state Rep. Jeff Steinborn, D-Las Cruces, will hold off a general-election challenge from Republican Kent Evans. Of 286 voters, 158, or 55 percent, said Steinborn will win the District 37 race, while 128, or 45 percent, said Evans will win. Don’t forget to vote in this week’s poll, located at the top of the right column on this page. Continue Reading

Chávez: Obama needs to do more to reach Hispanics

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I wrote in May, following Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama’s Las Cruces visit, that he was going to have to do more to reach out to conservative, rural and Hispanic voters – including returning to Las Cruces – in order to win New Mexico. Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chávez agrees that Obama has to do more to reach Hispanics. The mayor, who supported Bill Richardson and later Hillary Clinton before eventually backing Obama for president, made some telling comments in an article published this week in the National Journal. “The real question in my mind is whether Senator Obama is going to be able to capture Hispanics by a significant margin,” Chávez was quoted in the article as saying. “That’s a big ‘if,’ because he’s clearly an urbanite.” The state Republican Party seized on the opportunity to attack Obama with a news release. Continue Reading

Tinsley helps with flood relief; Teague also chips in

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When Ed Tinsley learned of the flooding that devastated Ruidoso last weekend, he cleared campaign activities from his schedule so he could help. The Republican 2nd Congressional District candidate spent Sunday through Wednesday coordinating an effort among area restaurants to feed those stranded by the flooding and those who came to their aid. Tinsley and a campaign intern personally delivered 1,500 meals to about 400 victims stranded in the Upper Canyon area of Ruidoso, state and county road crews, Red Cross volunteers, emergency workers and area churches that were providing aid to victims, campaign spokesman Jim Pettit said. Several restaurants, including some Tinsley owns, contributed food. The intern who helped Tinsley, Ben Sewell, said Tinsley lined up donations from restaurants, picked up the food himself and delivered it. Continue Reading

Pearce touts poll that shows him trailing by 8 points

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Republican Senate candidate Steve Pearce is touting as good news a weeks-old survey that shows him trailing Democratic opponent Tom Udall by 8 percentage points. That’s because other polls have shown Pearce trailing by much greater margins. Meanwhile, an independent group has set its sights on Pearce in a new TV ad that’s running in the Albuquerque television market. The Zogby “interactive analysis” — an online survey of 464 likely voters in New Mexico that Zogby says are representative of the adult population — had Udall leading Pearce, 49 percent to 41 percent. The margin of error was 4.6 percent, and Zogby states that such surveys were “remarkably accurate” during the 2006 midterm elections. Continue Reading

Lawmakers to consider water-rights adjudication

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Two interim legislative committees will hold joint meetings in Las Cruces next week to discuss the adjudication of water rights in New Mexico. The interim Water and Natural Resources Committee and Courts, Corrections and Justice Committee will meet at the NMSU Golf Course Club House, 3000 Champions Drive, Monday through Wednesday. “Since water rights and water adjudications are a subject of interest to both committees, we are meeting concurrently as we hear testimony on these subjects,” Rep. Andy Nuñez, D-Hatch and chairman of the water and resources committee, said in a release. “We are taking a close look at what’s happening along the Lower Rio Grande.” The committees will also hear about the impact of a recent Supreme Court decision that limits the regulation of domestic wells. The courts committee will also meet separately to consider prison reform, with an emphasis on the juvenile justice system. Continue Reading

New Mexico Liberty is a new public forum on the Web

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A new Web site started by the libertarian-leaning Rio Grande Foundation aims to provide “a public forum for open and wide-ranging discussion on matters affecting the life, liberty and well-being of New Mexico’s citizens.” That’s according to a posting from the man who is running New Mexico Liberty, Jim Scarantino (who is also a columnist for Heath Haussamen on New Mexico Politics). “We want this site to be like a public square. You can use the forum as your soap box to get a discussion going,” Scarantino wrote in the inaugural posting on the site. “We sorely need quality, challenging, substantive debates in this state. We don’t seem to be getting it from our newspapers and television. Continue Reading

CD2, CD3 candidates to attend forums next week

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The Association of Commerce and Industry plans to hold forums around the state next week for candidates seeking the 2nd and 3rd Congressional District seats. The candidates for U.S. Senate have been invited to but not confirmed their attendance at any of the events. The 2nd District candidates, Democrat Harry Teague and Republican Ed Tinsley, will attend a forum on Thursday in Las Cruces. It will be held at Good Samaritan Society Las Cruces Village, 3011 Buena Vida Circle, from 5-7 p.m. To RSVP for the 2nd District forum, click here. Also, three candidates seeking the 3rd District seat — Democrat Ben R. Luján, Republican Dan East and independent Carol Miller — will attend two forums, one on Monday in Santa Fe and one on Wednesday in Clovis. Continue Reading