New Denish TV Ad Highlights Her Commitment to Communities All Over NM

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The campaign today unveiled “Communities,” a new 30-second TV ad (above) that it says "sets the record straight about Diane Denish’s commitment to New Mexico’s small communities and highlights Susana Martinez’s plans to take money from public schools and give it to private schools." 

The ad opens with an image of a plane with the word "False" written across it, a reference to GOP gubernatorial candidate Susana Martinez's misguided attacks on Denish about the use of one of the state's planes. A recent Martinez ad incorrectly claims Denish has used the plane to "taxi" family members around the state, and previous ads have featured other falsehoods about Denish's use of a state plane. 

Martinez likes to suggest there's no reason for anyone to use the government's air transportation system to visit the many far-flung communities in a big, rural state like New Mexico. I guess she doesn't understand the importance of getting out of Santa Fe and interacting with constituents, and the kind of tight scheduling issues and other situations those who serve the state often face -- or does she?

Even though Martinez has tried to make a big deal out of the use of state planes, it turns out she's actually FOR using them. At least two of them. According to a recent article on the New Mexico Independent,

Republican candidate for governor Susana Martinez has pledged to sell New Mexico’s state jet if elected—but she told The Independent she would not sell two other aircraft that cost almost as much to operate. One of those two planes is newer than the jet.

Maybe Susana finally got that state air transportation is used most heavily for things like ferrying sick kids. As NMI reports,

A review of the flight records since 2003 show that the primary agencies that use state aircraft are the state Transportation Department, the School for Visually Handicapped, Children’s Medical Services, and the State Engineer’s Office. After that come the governor and lieutenant governor.

“New Mexicans won’t be fooled by Susana Martinez’s misleading attacks. Diane Denish has worked in communities across the state to help small businesses create jobs and to expand educational opportunities for young children," said Denish spokesman Chris Cervini. "Susana Martinez has never created a job and is now running attack ads to distract New Mexicans from her risky plan to take money from public classrooms and divert it to wealthy private schools -- plain and simple."

"As Governor, Diane Denish will continue to fight for all New Mexico communities -- from Quay to Luna, San Juan to Eddy -- to ensure New Mexico has the public-education system to help our kids compete in the 21st Century Economy," Cervini added.

Need some facts to back up the claims made in the Denish ad? You can find them right here (pdf).

Below is the transcript of the ad:

Voice Over: Another false attack by Republican Susana Martinez.

The truth: Diane Denish is working in communities accross the state. Helping small buisnesses and especially our local schools. Diane expanded Pre-K. Helping 17,000 kids learn to read. While Martinez would give public school dollars to wealthy private schools.

Diane Denish: As governor, I'll take on anyone to keep money in the classroom, where it belongs. Because standing up for New Mexico families, means giving our kids a great education.