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N.M. GOP pre-empts attack ad against McCain

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MoveOn.org plans to begin airing a controversial television ad in New Mexico on Thursday attacking Republican presidential candidate John McCain, and the state’s GOP is attempting to pre-empt the ad with its own strike. Here’s the ad, which has already been running in other states and drawing a great deal of attention: The ad plays audio of McCain saying he doesn’t think Americans would be concerned if the United States stayed in Iraq “for 100 years, or 1,000 years, or 10,000 years.” “100 years in Iraq,” the ad’s narrator then says. “And you thought no one could be worse than George Bush.” The MoveOn.org ad could be interpreted to imply that McCain was referring to combat missions, not peacetime presence. But as the non-partisan FactCheck.org reports, McCain was speaking specifically about a peacetime presence, not the continuing of combat operations, and that’s made clear when you consider the context of the quote: “We’ve been in Japan for 60 years. We’ve been in South Korea for 50 years or so. Continue Reading

Plan to tie driving to school performance is a bad one

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Gov. Bill Richardson announced last week his new plan to tie eligibility for a driver’s license to academic performance in grade school. It’s the latest example of trying to force students to learn by threatening them with punishment instead of actually improving the educational system to encourage students to want to learn. That’s the main reason this is simply a bad idea. You’ll still have to be 16 to get a driver’s license in New Mexico under Richardson’s plan. Eighth graders will also have to demonstrate that they are at the level of “nearing proficiency or proficiency” on New Mexico standards. Continue Reading

ABQ-area state Senate candidate quits race

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Albuquerque attorney and Republican David Pyne ended today his campaign for the District 23 state Senate seat being vacated by Joe Carraro. That leaves Republican Sander Rue as the only candidate seeking to replace Carraro and all but assures that he will be the district’s next representative in the state Senate. Pyne said in a news release that he’s withdrawing from the race “to put family first.” He said his employer has threatened for several months to fire him if he won the race, saying the company could not afford to allow him the time off required of a senator. “After months of consideration and after falling short in my efforts to secure other employment in the greater Albuquerque area to allow me remain in the race,” Pyne said, “I ultimately decided that it would be unfair to my family for me to put my desire to be elected to public office and serve the people of this great state above my duty as a husband and father to provide financial security for my wife and children.” Pyne said dropping out was one of the most difficult decisions of his life, but said he wishes Rue “all the best” despite their differences “on some of the issues that matter most to conservatives like myself.” Pyne said he will continue to do all he can to help Carraro win the First Congressional District race, Marco Gonzales win the Third Congressional District race and Steve Pearce win the U.S. Senate race. Continue Reading

CD2 hopeful Sowards begins running radio ads

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Republican 2nd Congressional District candidate Greg Sowards unveiled his first radio ad today, a 60-second spot that claims conservative principles “are always the answer.” The ad is currently running on KOBE-AM 1450 in Las Cruces, Sowards said, and will run on other stations later. In the ad, Sowards says he’s running for one reason: “to protect our rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That’s it. My solution is simple too: conservative principles.” He says America’s founding fathers knew that “self determination and personal responsibility are the keys to America’s greatness. I share their vision and this has compelled me to step forward at this crucial time.” Sowards ends the ad by saying he approved it “because it’s the truth.” You can listen to the full ad by clicking here. Continue Reading

New Pearce TV ad calls Wilson a liberal

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Republican U.S. Senate candidate Steve Pearce has begun airing a new television ad calling his primary opponent a liberal – a continuation of the attacks between the two candidates even as the ad also complains about his opponent’s negative attacks. Heather Wilson is doing the same thing in her current TV ad – complaining about Pearce’s negative attacks and then attacking him. Here’s Pearce’s new ad: The first 25 seconds of the 30-second spot continue Pearce’s recent attack on the fact that Wilson missed 22 U.S. House votes recently because she was in New Mexico campaigning. This ad says she missed votes “just to film negative campaign ads.” In the background of the ad is someone calling out “Heather Wilson” and someone else responding with “absent” several times to emphasize the point. The last five seconds sort of randomly insert the line, “Heather Wilson. Continue Reading

New Pearce TV ad calls Wilson a liberal

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Republican U.S. Senate candidate Steve Pearce has begun airing a new television ad calling his primary opponent a liberal – a continuation of the attacks between the two candidates even as the ad also complains about his opponent’s negative attacks. Heather Wilson is doing the same thing in her current TV ad – complaining about Pearce’s negative attacks and then attacking him. Here’s Pearce’s new ad: The first 25 seconds of the 30-second spot continue Pearce’s recent attack on the fact that Wilson missed 22 U.S. House votes recently because she was in New Mexico campaigning. This ad says she missed votes “just to film negative campaign ads.” In the background of the ad is someone calling out “Heather Wilson” and someone else responding with “absent” several times to emphasize the point. The last five seconds sort of randomly insert the line, “Heather Wilson. Continue Reading

New Pearce TV ad calls Wilson a liberal

By |

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Steve Pearce has begun airing a new television ad calling his primary opponent a liberal – a continuation of the attacks between the two candidates even as the ad also complains about his opponent’s negative attacks. Heather Wilson is doing the same thing in her current TV ad – complaining about Pearce’s negative attacks and then attacking him. Here’s Pearce’s new ad: The first 25 seconds of the 30-second spot continue Pearce’s recent attack on the fact that Wilson missed 22 U.S. House votes recently because she was in New Mexico campaigning. This ad says she missed votes “just to film negative campaign ads.” In the background of the ad is someone calling out “Heather Wilson” and someone else responding with “absent” several times to emphasize the point. The last five seconds sort of randomly insert the line, “Heather Wilson. Continue Reading

New Pearce TV ad calls Wilson a liberal

By |

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Steve Pearce has begun airing a new television ad calling his primary opponent a liberal – a continuation of the attacks between the two candidates even as the ad also complains about his opponent’s negative attacks. Heather Wilson is doing the same thing in her current TV ad – complaining about Pearce’s negative attacks and then attacking him. Here’s Pearce’s new ad: The first 25 seconds of the 30-second spot continue Pearce’s recent attack on the fact that Wilson missed 22 U.S. House votes recently because she was in New Mexico campaigning. This ad says she missed votes “just to film negative campaign ads.” In the background of the ad is someone calling out “Heather Wilson” and someone else responding with “absent” several times to emphasize the point. The last five seconds sort of randomly insert the line, “Heather Wilson. Continue Reading

Pearce and Wilson announce new endorsements

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Steve Pearce and Heather Wilson have both gained high-profile endorsements in the last few days as they jockey for position in the GOP U.S. Senate primary. Wilson has picked up the endorsements of Episcopal Rev. Canon Albert Tarbell of Albuquerque and U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo. Allard is the first U.S. senator to endorse a candidate in the New Mexico Senate primary. “New Mexico Republicans should nominate a candidate in June who’ll be able to defeat the Democrats and hold Senator Pete Domenici’s seat come January,” Allard said in a news release from the Wilson campaign. “Control of the U.S. Senate is hanging on just a handful of races around the country, and this New Mexico race is one of them. Continue Reading

Vigil to petition Supreme Court after appeal rejected

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The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld former state Treasurer Robert Vigil’s conviction on a felony count of attempted extortion in the scandal the rocked New Mexico and led to prison time for two former treasurers. You can read the opinion from the appeals court in Denver by clicking here. Vigil’s attorney, Sam Bregman, told the Associated Press and 770 KKOB-AM in Albuquerque that he will appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. “There’s plenty of fight left, and we will continue to fight this legal issue because we believe we’re right,” the Associated Press quoted Bregman as saying. “We’re still very firm in our belief that Robert Vigil committed no crime for which he was convicted.” Vigil was convicted in September 2006 on one count of attempted extortion but acquitted on 23 other felony charges. Continue Reading

McCamley gives his campaign $47.50 to buy gas

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Democratic 2nd Congressional District candidate Bill McCamley wrote his campaign a check for $47.50 today, saying the little he could afford to give will buy “most” of a tank of gas and help him continue to travel the district and talk about issues with voters. The move comes a day after McCamley’s primary opponent, Harry Teague, filed notice with the Federal Election Commission that he had loaned his campaign another $475,000, bringing the total amount he’s loaned his campaign to almost $685,000. McCamley said his contribution was a direct response to Teague’s. “I don’t have that kind of money,” McCamley said at a news conference today in Las Cruces, where he signed the check. McCamley portrayed himself as a middle-class candidate who is taking on a wealthy oilman. Continue Reading

Realtors group to back Newman with nearly $250K

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The influential National Association of Realtors Political Action Committee plans to spend almost $250,000 to help Republican 2nd Congressional District candidate Monty Newman in the June primary. The PAC filed notice with the Federal Election Commission on Friday that it was spending a little more than $235,000 to help Newman, and on Monday it filed notice that it was spending another $12,000. In all, the PAC has filed notice that it plans to spend $247,317.51 to help Newman, who was vice president of the Realtors association in 2005 and 2007. The PAC, according to information it provided to the FEC, plans to spend most of that on mailers, but some will be spent on survey costs, consulting services and accessing the 2nd District voter list. The Realtors group is intervening in the race through the FEC’s independent expenditure rule, which allows a PAC to spend an unlimited amount of money to advocate for the election or defeat of a candidate. Continue Reading

CD2 hopeful Teague loans campaign another $475K

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Democratic 2nd Congressional District candidate Harry Teague filed notice today that he has loaned his campaign another $475,000, bringing the total he’s contributed to his run to almost $700,000 and triggering the so-called Millionaires’ Amendment that triples contribution limits in the primary race. The notice Teague filed today indicates that he loaned his campaign $125,000 a week ago and another $350,000 today. He had previously loaned his campaign a little less than $210,000, and has now loaned his campaign a total of $684,572.92. Teague has been rapidly spending money on television ads for a couple of weeks and sent out a pricey, full-page, glossy mailer this weekend. The only publicly released polling of the Democratic primary showed his opponent Bill McCamley with a 21-point lead over Teague in mid-March. Continue Reading