[Crossposted at New Mexico FBIHOP and MyDD.
Heath Haussamen has the goods on a letter Rep. Steve Pearce sent to supporters asking for cash. Cash to stave off Bill McCamley, Al Kissling and the DCCC.
It is no surprise the ultimate far-right GOP representative would resort to scare tactics even in fundraising for his own campaign. But the tone of his fear of the DCCC is palpable. He almost dismissed McCamley and Kissling out of hand, but read what he had to say of the DCCC below the fold.
Another liberal — or two, or three — could jump into the race. Or worse, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) could get involved in our race.
That’s the last thing we need. They have the funds and power to make a real impact in any race they choose and we need to keep them out of the Second District. They are guaranteed to target us unless we make the hurdle too tall to climb.
Of course, a DCCC entrance into the race would only result if there was a strong candidate. I believe McCamley could be the strong candidate; the “spin” (as Haussamen calls it) against McCamley shows Pearce is wary of McCamley as well.
Pearce attacks McCamley in the letter without using his name, as if McCamley is Beetlejuice. Pearce writes:
We have one opponent who has a left-wing record including a history of voting for tax increases and fighting against prayer at county commission meetings…
Of course, this is an outright exaggeration. Not exactly a lie, but it is pretty darn close. Haussamen, unlike Pearce’s people, actually looked into McCamley’s votes.
McCamley did vote for one tax increase, to raise salaries for sheriff?s deputies and create paid firefighter positions, but so did all commissioners, including two Republicans, and the action had widespread bipartisan support in the community, including the endorsement of Republican District Attorney and Pearce supporter Susana Martinez. McCamley also voted to allow voters to decide whether to raise taxes to help fund Spaceport America, but that?s not the same as voting for a tax increase.
Pearce also tries to play to his base with the prayer shot. Haussamen looks into the truth on that as well, saying McCamley proposed “a policy modeled after that in the U.S. House of Representatives, which requires non-sectarian prayer.” McCamley challenged Pearce to put his money where his mouth is and take up the issue with the House chaplain.
Kissling was given similar treatment.
And another opponent who favors the death tax and has said he’s “more scared of our own American National Guard than Islamic terrorists!” Unreal!
What is unreal is Pearce taking quotes out of context and using GOP frames on every issue. Every issue.
First, the “death tax” knock. The estate tax, as it is known, only applies to estates of $2,000,000 or more. It jumps up to $3.5 million in 2009. And only the money over $2 million is taxed. In other words, unless you are in a top-tax bracket, this will never affect you.
Some even call it the Paris Hilton tax cut.
As for the quote,
Kissling was speaking specifically about his belief that National Guard soldiers should not have been policing American airports after 9/11.
Republicans like Pearce thrived in the climate of fear after 9/11. They continue to fall back on those times to try to pump up the base.
So what can you do to help out the non-crazy candidates running for Congress in the second district? Contribute! Go to my ActBlue page and donate your money to the New Mexico Democrats willing to take on Pearce.