I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
While environmental activists played their part yesterday during demonstrations at the capitol building, going so far as to dress up as solar panels and to sing the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” their counterparts, the anti-cap-and-trade contingency who has…
Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
The fight for the GOP gubernatorial nomination has turned negative. And it’s looking like we’re nearing slugfest territory.
Allen Weh‘s campaign has charged rival and fellow Republican Susana Martinez and her campaign of going back on her word to not go negative against fellow Republicans. Even as he says that Weh seems to be turning the corner into negative territory himself.
This week, Martinez released a TV ad criticizing Weh for supporting “amnesty” for illegal immigrants.
Here’s the TV ad if you haven’t seen it:
NMPolitics.net is doing some truth squadding of the back and forth between Weh and Martinez.
According to a post today by NMPolitics.net’s Heath Haussamen:
The ad is referring to Weh’s support for the 2007 effort by then-President Bush and others to reform the immigration system. It depends in part on a column Weh wrote for the Albuquerque Journal.
“As (Bush) does, I also favor a controlled guest worker program, and further favor finding a compassionate and equitable solution for the approximately 13 million illegal immigrants who have been working in this country for more than two years without committing any criminal acts,” Weh wrote.
Weh’s campaign also tells Haussamen that what the former state GOP chairman supported was allowing anyone here illegally who wanted to start down the path of becoming a citizen to first pay a fine and back taxes and meet other requirements.
“True to form as a career politician, Susana Martinez thinks she can say one thing and do another – just like they do in Santa Fe,” Weh campaign manager Whitney Cheshire said in a press release.
But Weh isn’t taking the attack magnanimously. He’s launched his own negative counterpunch, says political blogger Joe Monahan.
Monahan says that he’s heard the Weh campaign’s 60-second radio ad that says Martinez “failed to pay taxes” and accuses the Dona Ana County District Attorney of using state funds to pay for “steak dinners, luxury hotels, dinner at Hooter’s, even making taxpayers pay for three I-Pods.” To reiterate, Monahan says he’s heard the radio ad, but is unsure of where it is running. He also says that the Weh campaign hasn’t provided evidence that Martinez didn’t pay taxes.
Hang on to your seats, folks.
We’ve got 13 days to go before the primary election.
