Right-wing border-security group endorses Dunn

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The Minuteman Civil Defense Corps Political Action Committee has announced its support of Aubrey Dunn in the 2nd Congressional District Republican primary. “We generally get involved only with campaigns where there is a clear-cut difference on the issues and a real opportunity to win,” said Carmen Mercer, honorary chair of the PAC, in a recent e-mail to Minuteman supporters. “The question is: Will the GOP nominate a pro-amnesty candidate in the primary, or will they support a pro-American sovereignty, pro-national security, anti-amnesty conservative like Aubrey Dunn?”“New Mexicans simply can’t afford to lose this congressional seat to a candidate who takes his marching orders from Washington special interests and militant pro-amnesty groups,” Mercer said, according to a news release from the Dunn campaign. “Aubrey Dunn can defeat the pro-amnesty crowd’s hand-picked candidate in the Republican Primary.” The “pro-amnesty” candidate Mercer is referring to is Republican Ed Tinsley, a former president of the National Restaurant Association, which backed a controversial immigration reform bill last year that moderates supported but the Minutemen and other groups condemned as providing amnesty. Their lobbying efforts killed the proposal. Continue Reading

Firefighters’ unions endorse McCamley

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Firefighters’ unions in Las Cruces and Deming have announced their support of Bill McCamley in the 2nd Congressional District Democratic primary. The backing of the Las Cruces Professional Fire Fighters Local 2362 and the Deming Fire Fighters Local 4251 was announced in a news release from the McCamley campaign. In that release, the Deming union’s president, Ken McFaul, said “it is the belief of this local union that Bill McCamley will address the needs of southern New Mexico and our country as his first priority and to the best of his abilities. As a Doña Ana County commissioner, he established the county’s first paid firefighting staff. He is aware of the population growth of southern New Mexico and how it impacts essential emergency services and its citizens. Continue Reading

Balderas to conduct audit of land office’s dealings

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The State Auditor’s Office will conduct a special audit to review the policies and procedures the State Land Office follows in the sale, exchange and leasing of trust lands. State Auditor Hector Balderas formally informed Land Commissioner Pat Lyons of the audit in a letter he sent Thursday. In the letter, he thanked Lyons for having his staff provide “a summary of SLO land sales, land exchanges, closed and ongoing land lease transactions, and SLO administrative rules.” Balderas also informed Lyons that his office needs access to additional information. Lyons’ spokeswoman, Kristin Haase, said the land office “is cooperating fully” with the auditor. “We look forward to the auditor’s findings that will undoubtedly show that the leases, exchanges and land sales facilitated by this administration are in the best interest of the trust,” she said. Continue Reading

Roswell’s legislative primaries become bitter battles

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Two prominent Republican legislators from Roswell have been under heavy attack from their primary opponents in a public brawl some say threatens to divide the party and others say reveals a chasm that already exists. Nothing has been off limits as House Minority Whip Dan Foley’s challenger has hit him for a number of public controversies including his 2007 arrest at a basketball game and Sen. Rod Adair’s challenger has labeled him a liberal. Chaves County Republican Party Chairman William E. Cavin tried to intervene earlier this month by demanding that Adair’s challenger, Rory McMinn, and Foley’s challenger, Dennis Kintigh, stop the negative assaults. He expressed concern that the negativity could destroy a county Republican Party that has been dominant in local politics for almost 50 years. But Cavin’s attempts failed, and the races have degraded into bitter battles. Continue Reading

Roswell’s legislative primaries become bitter battles

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Two prominent Republican legislators from Roswell have been under heavy attack from their primary opponents in a public brawl some say threatens to divide the party and others say reveals a chasm that already exists. Nothing has been off limits as House Minority Whip Dan Foley’s challenger has hit him for a number of public controversies including his 2007 arrest at a basketball game and Sen. Rod Adair’s challenger has labeled him a liberal. Chaves County Republican Party Chairman William E. Cavin tried to intervene earlier this month by demanding that Adair’s challenger, Rory McMinn, and Foley’s challenger, Dennis Kintigh, stop the negative assaults. He expressed concern that the negativity could destroy a county Republican Party that has been dominant in local politics for almost 50 years. But Cavin’s attempts failed, and the races have degraded into bitter battles. Continue Reading

Roswell’s legislative primaries become bitter battles

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Two prominent Republican legislators from Roswell have been under heavy attack from their primary opponents in a public brawl some say threatens to divide the party and others say reveals a chasm that already exists. Nothing has been off limits as House Minority Whip Dan Foley’s challenger has hit him for a number of public controversies including his 2007 arrest at a basketball game and Sen. Rod Adair’s challenger has labeled him a liberal. Chaves County Republican Party Chairman William E. Cavin tried to intervene earlier this month by demanding that Adair’s challenger, Rory McMinn, and Foley’s challenger, Dennis Kintigh, stop the negative assaults. He expressed concern that the negativity could destroy a county Republican Party that has been dominant in local politics for almost 50 years. But Cavin’s attempts failed, and the races have degraded into bitter battles. Continue Reading

Newman loans his campaign another $50K

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Republican 2nd Congressional District candidate Monty Newman has put another $50,000 into his campaign. Newman, according to Federal Election Commission records, filed notice on Tuesday of the new loan. He has now loaned a total of $150,000 to his campaign. That’s on top of the nearly $1 million the National Association of Realtors Political Action Committee has spent promoting the candidacy of Newman, a past vice president of the group. Continue Reading

Pidcock hits Heinrich in new TV ad

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Democratic 1st Congressional District candidate Robert Pidcock is out with a harsh new TV ad attacking the primary’s frontrunner, Martin Heinrich. Here’s the 30-second spot: “Have you heard about the Martin Heinrich maneuver?” the ad’s narrator asks. “Going from part-time summer-camp counselor to Congress? Who is he kidding?” “Claims he had a consulting business but didn’t know he needed a business license? Who’s he kidding?” the narrator asks. Continue Reading

Teague decries McCamley ad, unveils his own ad

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Democratic 2nd Congressional District candidate Harry Teague is responding to primary opponent Bill McCamley’s new TV ad by reaffirming his commitment to running a positive campaign. He’s also, according to a news release, unveiling his own, new TV ad. McCamley began running on Wednesday an ad that compares Teague to President Bush. The Teague news release called McCamley’s ad “negative and dishonest” and said that, while McCamley “claims to be running for change… his ad is just more of the same old politics.” The release doesn’t say what about McCamley’s ad is dishonest. “For the past 7 months, my campaign has talked about the issues and my plans to get things done,” Teague said in the release. Continue Reading

Las Cruces, Roswell newspapers endorse Pearce

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Republican U.S. Senate candidate Steve Pearce has received the endorsements of the Las Cruces Sun-News and Roswell Daily Record. “Pearce has been a strong advocate for the district, working both in Washington and southern New Mexico to deal with problems and push for issues that are important for the area and its residents,” the Sun-News stated in its endorsement editorial. “We believe he is the best choice in this race.”“Pearce has a solid track record of supporting the interests of southern New Mexico and he’s the Republican candidate who will most benefit our region, state and nation,” the Daily Record editorial stated. Continue Reading

Greer airs six radio ads across the 2nd District

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Republican 2nd Congressional District candidate C. Earl Greer is running six different radio ads to try to get the attention of voters in a crowded GOP primary. The most interesting, called “Café,” takes shots at all the other Republican candidates. “I’m really confused about this congressional race,” says one of two women in a mock scenario at a café. “… We have one guy who raises taxes but says he doesn’t. We have two guys who changed political parties just to run for Congress, and one of them gave money to Bill Richardson. Continue Reading

Gonzales invokes Domenici’s legacy in radio ad

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Republican 3rd Congressional District candidate Marco Gonzales is up with a new radio ad that draws on the legacy of a certain retiring U.S. senator in asking for support. Gonzales, a former aide to U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici, is “up to the task” of continuing Domenici’s legacy in Congress, the ad’s narrator states. Domenici has endorsed Gonzales in the GOP primary race. You can listen to the 60-second spot by clicking here. “With the tremendous loss of experience in New Mexico’s congressional delegation, our district can ill-afford to send someone to represent us who is not prepared on day one,” Gonzales said in a news release announcing the ad. Continue Reading

Back-and-forth between Luján and Wiviott continues

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Democratic 3rd Congressional District candidates Ben R. Luján and Don Wiviott are sparring again, this time over who’s going to release information about his past to the public, and who’s going to do it first. The spat began when Wiviott sent out a news release calling on Luján to release his college transcript and diploma “to ensure he graduated from New Mexico Highlands University.” In a previous article in the Albuquerque Journal, Luján’s campaign had refused the request, calling it “irrelevant and a distraction.” “If Ben Ray Luján has nothing to hide about his college degree, then he should release his transcripts and diploma and come clean with the voters of the 3rd Congressional District,” Wiviott campaign Spokesman Webster Cash said. Luján’s campaign spokesman Mark Nicastre fired back that Luján would be happy to “send Don Wiviott an autographed photo, suitable for framing, of Commissioner Luján holding his college diploma” – but only after Wiviott released his tax returns, as the Luján campaign said he previously promised. “In the meantime, Don Wiviott or any other interested parties can contact New Mexico Highlands University, who will confirm that Commissioner Luján earned his degree,” Nicastre said. Nicastre didn’t respond when I asked whether Luján would also release his transcript. Continue Reading

Dunn loans campaign another $45,000

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Republican 2nd Congressional District candidate Aubrey Dunn has put another $45,000 into his campaign days before Tuesday’s primary. Dunn, according to Federal Election Commission records, filed notice this morning of the new loan to his campaign. He has now loaned a total of $582,435.17 to his campaign. The spending in the 2nd District continues to grow. Will any candidate – or any other special-interest group – put more money into the race before Tuesday? Continue Reading

Newman, McCamley unveil new TV ads

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Republican 2nd Congressional District candidate Monty Newman is out with a new TV ad highlighting his pledge to run a positive campaign and claiming he’s the candidate of conservative values. Meanwhile, Democratic 2nd District candidate Bill McCamley is out with a new ad comparing his opponent to President Bush. Here’s Newman’s 30-second ad: The ad’s narrator says Newman will keep taxes low, support American soldiers and be tough on securing the border. “Today Monty runs a positive campaign, not attacking other Republicans,” the narrator states in an apparent reference to the negative attacks from other candidates. “Just honest, conservative leadership.” The ad is running across the district. Continue Reading