District Attorney Race: Salazar reports raising more than $27,000

Pacheco raises $17,236; Campbell posts $17,177.50

Jason Auslander | The New Mexican

5/16/2008 - 5/17/08

First Judicial District Attorney candidate A.J. Salazar of Alcalde raised more than twice as much money for his campaign than his two Democratic rivals for the job, according to reports filed this week with the secretary of state.

Salazar, 41, who currently serves as chief deputy district attorney and runs the Rio Arriba County office, reported he loaned his campaign $6,151 and raised a little more than $27,000 between June 26 and April 30.

Major contributors included the Ohkay Owingeh, Tesuque and Pojoaque pueblos, which gave a total of $4,570, most of which came from the Cities of Gold Convention Center in Pojoaque.

Other large contributors include the Stern Slate law firm of Santa Fe, which gave Salazar $1,000, New Mexico Real Estate Inc., of Corrales, which also contributed $1,000, and $500 contributions from Santa Fe Mazda/Volvo and D-Square Construction of Tierra Amarilla.

Notable contributors to Salazar's campaign also included current District Attorney Henry Valdez, who gave $100, Santa Fe Police Capt. Gary Johnson, who along with his wife contributed $145, and Española attorney and former New Mexico Supreme Court Chief Justice Tony Scarborough, who gave $250.

Angela "Spence" Pacheco, 58, of Santa Fe reported she raised a total of $17,236, though she loaned her campaign $10,000. Her report didn't list occupations for many of her contributors. However, the largest contributor was the Equality PAC Inc. of Santa Fe, a gay and lesbian advocacy group.

Other contributors to Pacheco — who currently serves as Española's city attorney — included former Santa Fe city planner Cyrus Samii, who gave Pacheco $500, and James Koch of Santa Fe, president of the University of New Mexico Board of Regents, president of Daniels Insurance of Santa Fe and former state chairman of the New Mexico Democratic Party, who also gave $500, the report says.

Joseph Campbell, 42, of Edgewood reported he raised a total of $17,177.50 for his campaign, of which he and his wife, Barbara, donated $10,602.

Notable contributors to Campbell's campaign included Santa Fe defense attorney Marc Edwards, who gave $500, and Albuquerque defense attorney Sam Bregman, who defended former New Mexico Treasurer Robert Vigil against federal corruption charges last year. He also gave Campbell $250.

Additionally, three current prosecutors who work with Campbell in the 1st Judicial District Attorney's Office — Karen Snell, Anthony Rivera and Tom Cruse — gave their colleague $250 each.

All three candidates are running for the Democratic nomination in the June 3 primary. No Republican or Green Party candidate is running in the November general election so the Democratic primary winner will replace Valdez, who will have served as district attorney for 16 years by the time he leaves office in December.

Contact Jason Auslander at 986-3076 or :jauslander@sfnewmexican.com.