Campaign trail mix: Pearce draws on 1960s in Udall attack ads

Steve Terrell | The New Mexican

8/5/2008 - 8/6/08

Here's a roundup of the latest news from New Mexico's campaign trail.

Woodstock Nation: Both U.S. Senate candidates Steve Pearce and Tom Udall came of age in the 1960s. Now Republican Pearce is using '60s stereotypes to attack Democrat Udall.

Pearce will unveil today a full-page newspaper ad featuring a couple of hippies — or at least people dressed up as hippies — giving the peace sign and standing among "protest" signs bearing messages including "No Nuclear Power," "No Drilling," "Save the Minnow: Don't Drink Water" and "Udall for Senate."

"Tom Udall and his hysterical left-wing environmental allies are bad for New Mexico families," the ad says.

For several months, Udall has been the beneficiary of national environmental groups who have bought television ads depicting Pearce as being in the pocket of big oil companies because of campaign contributions from the oil industry.

Pearce has lagged behind Udall in the polls and in fundraising, and he released his first TV spot this week. Udall has been running television ads for about two months.

Secret agent debate? The state chapter of the Association for National Intelligence Officers wants to host a debate on national security issues for the two candidates for U.S. Senate.

"We believe that National Security is so important to the future this country, that it deserves a debate or forum dedicated exclusively to this one topic and that our association is the best organization to host it," said association vice president Bob Clark in an e-mail to state news organizations. Clark proposed the debate take place at the group's monthly luncheon in October in Albuquerque.

Representatives from the campaigns of Udall and Pearce said Tuesday they have received invitations from the group. However, neither campaign has decided whether to accept the invitation.

The organization calls itself a "non-profit, non-political, educational association for current and former intelligence professionals and supporters of the US intelligence community."

Both Udall and Pearce have agreed to a debate on an episode of NBC's Meet the Press. Udall's campaign has said it will engage in two other debates with Pearce, who is insisting on at least three more debates.

Rahm in N.M.: Rahm Emanuel, the Illinois congressman some credit as a major architect of the big Democratic victory in the 2006 congressional elections, is coming to New Mexico on Thursday to help Democratic congressional candidates raise funds.

Emanuel, former chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, will appear at a fundraiser for 3rd Congressional District candidate Ben Ray Luján. The event is scheduled for Gabriel's Restaurant on U.S. 84/285 north of Santa Fe.

He also will appear with 1st Congressional District candidate Martin Heinrich and 2nd Congressional District candidate Harry Teague on Thursday, a Luján campaign spokesman said Tuesday.

Luján is running against Republican Dan East and independents Carol Miller and Ron Simmons.

No show in Clovis: Republican East, running for the 3rd Congressional District seat, on Tuesday blasted Democrat Luján for canceling his appearance at a planned candidate forum in Clovis because of a scheduling conflict.

"I want to know if he is scared to face me, or if he is scared of his constituents. He showed up last night in Santa Fe for the (Association for Commerce and Industry) forum, but that was 'safe' territory for him, a third of the audience was his family or staff," East claimed in his news release. "His handlers are afraid to let him get outside of the Santa Fe area."

A spokesman for Luján said the Clovis appearance was canceled so Luján could attend an event with Lt. Gov. Diane Denish and the campaign is trying to reschedule the Clovis forum for the near future.