Environmental group spends most on candidates

Verde Voters Fund backs land commissioner hopeful, 2 PRC contenders

An environmental group is spending big on a few usually lowkey races ahead of the Democratic Party primary election June 5.

CVNM Verde Voters Fund, linked to Conservation Voters New Mexico, spent more money than any other political action committee in the state during the last several weeks as it bought up advertising to support a slate of candidates for land commissioner and two seats on the Public Regulation Commission.

The spending shows that conservationists are hoping to shake up a few races that may not be high profile but are nonetheless turning into showdowns over the state’s policies on land and energy.

Verde Voters spent nearly $378,000 during the last campaign finance reporting period, which spanned from April 3 through May 7. According to reports filed earlier this week, the group spent much of that money buying television and online advertising.

For land commissioner, Verde Voters has endorsed Garrett VeneKlasen, who faces two opponents — state Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard and state Sen. George Muñoz — in the Democratic Party primary. Verde

Voters also is backing Steve Fischmann as well as Janene Yazzie in their bids to oust Sandy Jones and Lynda Lovejoy, respectively, from seats on the Public Regulation Commission representing Southern and Western New Mexico. The incumbents and their challengers will face off in the Democratic Party primary, too, with Fischmann and Yazzie arguing that Jones and Lovejoy are too supportive of major utility companies.

“Part of going big and talking about the PRC is really talking to people and explaining to people the day-to-day impact the PRC can have regulating the utility industry,” said Liliana Castillo, a spokeswoman for Conservation Voters New Mexico. “… The PRC literally impacts people’s electric bills.”

Another group that ranked

among the top-spending PACs of the last several weeks also is targeting Jones and Lovejoy. Responsible Leadership New Mexico reported spending nearly $42,000, much of it on voter outreach.

Apparently established in just the last few months, the group has raised the vast majority of its money from the Green Advocacy Project, an environmental group with an address in Palo Alto, Calif.

The top-spending PACs also included the Committee on Individual Responsibility, which is connected to the New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association.

It spent $44,000 supporting Democratic legislators and PACs.

Meanwhile, the Brian Egolf Speaker Fund and the House Democratic Campaign Committee continued gearing up for the party’s efforts to hold onto and expand its majority in the state House of Representatives. The two groups spent a combined $73,000 on campaign costs.

In fundraising, the PACs that brought in the most money included Better Future for New Mexico, a new liberal group apparently funded by out-ofstate organizations — State Victory Action and the Civic Participation Action Fund. It was followed by the Verde Voters Fund and Responsible Leadership New Mexico.

PACs are required to report fundraising and spending again May 31, just days before the primary election.