Spending gears up as voting in primaries begins
Lujan Grisham is top spender, fundraiser in governor’s race for latest reporting period
Democrat Michelle Lujan Grisham outspent and raised more money than every other candidate for governor during the last several weeks.
But Republican Steve Pearce is still sitting on a bigger war chest than anyone else in the race for New Mexico’s top office.
A new ream of campaign-finance reports filed ahead of a Monday deadline showed candidates for governor snatching up television advertising as early voting began in the June primary election.
The reports showed Lujan Grisham and Democratic state Sen. Joseph Cervantes had ample cash on hand heading into the final weeks of what is becoming a costly campaign for both as they seek their party’s nomination for governor. Meanwhile, Pearce has enjoyed not having any opponent in the primary, allowing him to amass cash for the fall election.
All candidates for state and county offices were required to file campaign-finance reports for the period between April 3 and May 7 with the Secretary of State’s Office. The reports showed state legislators enjoying big fundraising advantages in the face of challengers.
Lujan Grisham, who is giving up a seat in Congress to run for governor, continued lapping her two opponents in the Democratic primary for governor, raking in nearly $412,000 from donors. That left her with nearly $1.6 million on hand.
Cervantes continued to fund his own campaign, raising about $16,000 from donors and lending himself another half-million dollars. In all, the lawyer from Las Cruces has given his campaign $2 million and had a bit more on hand than Lujan Grisham, signaling he could buy more TV and radio ads.
But Cervantes spent less than half as much as the congresswoman in the last few weeks. While the senator dropped about $300,000 on TV, Lujan Grisham spent about $638,000 as she took to the air.
Businessman Jeff Apodaca reported raising about $117,000 and spending $177,000 in his bid for the Democratic gubernatorial nod. He had nearly $264,000 on hand.
Pearce, also giving up a congressional seat to run for governor, raised nearly $119,000 and spent $273,000, leaving him with $1.9 million — much of it transferred after a legal battle over his congressional campaign funds. He appears to have raised most of his money in the last few weeks from donors in New Mexico and Texas, with his biggest single contributors coming from the oil industry, car dealerships and finance.
Lujan Grisham amassed a pile of small donations but also drew from labor unions, fellow members of Congress and larger donors as far away as California and New York.
Under New Mexico law, donors can only give candidates for governor $5,500 for the primary election and another $5,500 for the general election in the fall. To get around those limits, wealthy individuals, businesses and special interest groups can create independent-expenditure groups, which operate separately from candidates but can raise unlimited sums of money to influence elections through advertising and campaigning.
Other campaign-finance reports filed with the Secretary of State’s Office showed:
State Rep. Debbie Rodella of Española, facing competition for the first time since 2006, is raising and spending far more money than opponent Susan Herrera in the Democratic primary for the Northern New Mexico seat.
Rodella reported spending about $60,000, nearly all of it on consultants. She reported raising about $17,000, with an average of $466 per donor. Most of the money came from lobbyists and businesses. Herrera raised nothing during the reporting period. Rodella had about $37,000 on hand, and her challenger less than half that.
Sexual harassment allegations against state Rep. Carl Trujillo of Santa Fe do not appear to have dampened his fundraising.
The Democrat representing northern Santa Fe County raised nearly $16,000 and spent about $35,000 — more than three times that of his primary election challenger, Andrea Romero.
Romero raised about $11,000 and spent $9,000.
Both have enjoyed support from small donors. Trujillo held a fundraiser days after lobbyist Laura Bonar publicly accused him of sexually harassing her several years ago. And judging by a pile of $10 donations, it appears the fundraiser had a big turnout. Trujillo has denied the allegation.
Both candidates have also attracted some major donors.
Santa Clara Development Corp. and a political action committee linked to the progressive activist group OLÉ donated to Romero’s campaign. AT&T, state Sen. Clemente Sanchez, D-Grants, and state Rep. Patricio Ruiloba, D-Albuquerque, have given to Trujillo.
A political action committee linked to the progressive Center for Civic Action, Nuevo Mexico en Accion, sprouted up at the end of April and has targeted Trujillo.
The two Democratic candidates for state House District 43, in Los Alamos, are keeping it local.
Christine Chandler outraised and outspent Pete Sheehey as the two vie to succeed outgoing Democratic Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard of Los Alamos, who is running for state land commissioner.
Chandler reported spending nearly $7,000 and raising about $4,000, while Sheehey spent about $2,000 and raised about as much.
Neither candidate reported receiving money from lobbyists or political action committees. And all but one donor had an address in either White Rock or Los Alamos.
In the Democratic primary to succeed retiring state Rep. Nick Salazar, D-Ohkay Owingeh, in District 40, Joseph Sanchez raised more than $22,000 and spent about $13,000, including expenses for radio ads. Mora County Commissioner Paula García raised about $6,000 and spent around $7,000.
While Sanchez enjoyed support from some big donors, including a PAC for employees of Public Service Company of New Mexico and the tobacco company Altria, García got funds from a few sitting legislators and a PAC connected to OLÉ.
The numbers for a third Democrat in the race, Río Arriba County Commissioner Barney Trujillo, were not immediately available.
Democratic state Rep. Bill McCamley of Messilla Park in Southern New Mexico reported raising around $27,000 in the primary race for state auditor. And he spent big, dropping more than $134,000 and leaving him to start May with about $17,000 on hand. Most of the money he spent — $120,000 — went to television ads.
McCamley went “viral” in the last few weeks with an ad knocking President Donald Trump’s proposal for a wall on the southern border. A report for his opponent, Brian Colón, was not immediately available. Republican incumbent Wayne Johnson reported raising around $16,000. He had about $51,000 in the bank and does not face any competition in the GOP primary.
Democrats Stephanie Garcia Richard and Garrett VeneKlasen, executive director of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation, also reported spending on television ads in the primary race for state land commissioner. VeneKlasen raised more money in the three-way race, bringing in about $49,000 and spending around $58,000. Garcia Richard raised about $24,000 and spent around $23,000. State Sen George Muñoz of Gallup raised $13,000 and spent about $5,000.
Pat Lyons, the only Republican in the race, raised about $11,000 and spent around $1,000.
State Sen. Howie Morales of Silver City led fundraising in the Democratic Party primary for lieutenant governor, bringing in about $37,000. Doña Ana County Commissioner Billy Garrett raised about $15,000, and a report was not immediately available for former state Rep. Rick Miera of Albuquerque.
Democratic Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver continued to enjoy a large advantage in fundraising, raising about $23,000 and leaving her with about $136,000 in the bank at the beginning of May. She does not have any competition in the primary election. Libertarian Sandra Jeff has raised about $5,000, and a report was not immediately available for Republican JoHanna Cox.
Democratic state Attorney General Hector Balderas raised $14,100. After considering a run for governor before deciding to seek re-election, Balderas has nearly $904,000 in the bank. Republican challenger Michael Hendricks raised nearly $1,600 and had almost $36,000 on hand. Libertarian candidate A. Blair Dunn raised $6,500 and had nearly $6,000 on hand.