NM-02: McCamley Counters What He Calls Teague's "Bizarre Claims"

Looks like there's one more well-connected, big-donor-funded Dem primary candidate panicking as election day looms -- because his grassroots rival has a real chance to win. At the last minute, Harry Teague appears to be trying to remake his image by assuming the change-agent identity of his challenger, just for starters. Accusing Teague of making "bizarre claims," the McCamley campaign issued this statement:

Today the campaign of Congressional candidate and Doña Ana County Commissioner Bill McCamley questioned two new TV ads of his primary opponent Harry Teague. In one ad, Teague claims that “there is only one candidate for change. Harry Teague.” This claim is directly contrary to what independent sources have said and to what Mr. Teague himself has said in recent days.

In an Associated Press article on the Congressional race from 5/23, Mr. Teague said, “When you look at who has always represented this district forever, it’s been a middle-aged conservative businessman from the east side of the mountains.”  In the same article, he refers to himself as “a middle-aged conservative businessman from the east side of the mountains.” Later on, he adds, “Harold Runnels, Joe Skeen and Steve Pearce. In November, it’s going to be me. That’s what the people want. That's what they’ve wanted for the past 40 years.”

So is Teague just like “who has always represented this district forever” or is he the “only candidate of change”? He can’t have it both ways.

“Mr. Teague contributed the maximum amount ($2,100) to Republican incumbent Steve Pearce in the last election. By his own admission, Mr. Teague is the same as Pearce, Skeen, and everyone who has ‘always represented this district forever,’ and now he's trying to be the candidate of change?” Ward said. “That is misleading. There is more change in my couch than in electing Mr. Teague.”

In another ad released yesterday, the Teague campaign claims that McCamley is running a “dishonest” campaign ad, yet they do not say what exactly about the ad is dishonest. If the Teague campaign believes there is some specific fact that is untrue, they ought to dispute it. They haven’t, because everything in the McCamley ad is true.

Teague’s newest ad also says: “Our newspapers .. Teague is ‘the best choice.’” However, Mr. Teague has only received the endorsement of one newspaper in the 2nd Congressional District -– his hometown paper, The Hobbs News-Sun. The Teague ad conveniently leaves out the “Hobbs” from the Hobbs News-Sun. In contrast, Bill McCamley has received the endorsements of three: The Silver City Daily Press, The Roswell Daily Record, and The Las Cruces Sun-News. 

“Our newspapers” are clearly divided over who is the best choice, and more newspapers in the District favor McCamley.

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