John Block

Today is the GOP Primary! Here’s what you need to know before you vote — and why voting matters

Leave a Comment / New Mexico, Opinion, Politics / By

Today is the 2020 Republican primary, and New Mexicans will be heading to the polls to cast their votes for the nominees who will take on the Radical Democrats in November’s General Election. If you haven’t been following the primary too closely, that’s okay — here is some info to know before you vote today!

The Candidates

All three congressional districts have multiple candidates running and depending on your location, you will have a variety of candidates to choose from. If you are unsure what your district is, check your voter registration here. 

In the First Congressional District in the Albuquerque metro area, millennial attorney and fresh Republican face Jared Vander Dussen faces off against perennial candidate Michelle Garcia Holmes, who previously ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor and Albuquerque mayor. Also in the race is Brett Kokinadis, a former Democrat who ran the group, “New Mexico Democrats for Democracy.” The race will test if CD-1 Republicans are ready for energetic, new blood or if they will opt for a more familiar candidate.

In the Second Congressional District race in Southern New Mexico, former state Rep. Yvette Herrell faces off against deep-pocketed millionaire lobbyist and Trump critic Claire Chase, who once called President Trump an “a**hole unworthy of the office,” but now swears she supports the 45th Commander-in-Chief. Also in the race is Las Cruces businessman Chris Mathys, a veteran and former Fresno, California city councilman. The race’s winner will advance to the General Election and face-off against one-term incumbent Democrat Rep. Xochitl Torres Small, who votes with far-left Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), 94% of the time.

In the Third Congressional District in Northern New Mexico, three Republicans face off for the nomination. Former oil and gas administrator Alexis Martinez Johnson will face small businesswoman Karen Bedonie and former Santa Fe County Commissioner Harry Montoya. The race has not been as contentious as the CD-2 race, but it has had its ups and downs.

The United States Senate race is a big one — and in recent months it has turned increasingly heated. Former college professor and Trump Administration official Dr. Gavin Clarkson faces off against pro-life leader Elisa Martinez and former television weatherman Mark Ronchetti. Clarkson and Martinez have years of conservative credentials in their respective fields, while Ronchetti has no previous Republican Party support to speak of and has never voted in a primary election. Ronchetti also has been a staunch critic of President Trump, just in 2019 claiming the President made him leave the Republican Party, calling Trump “the Orange One,” who has taken a “part of his soul” that he’s “not getting back.” Voters will decide whether they want a proven pro-Trump conservative or a fair-weather NeverTrumper.

There are not many state legislative seats with contested primaries, but two Senate seats in New Mexico’s 19th and 41st districts have Republican incumbents being challenged by state representatives vacating their House seats to make a run for the upper chamber.

Rep. Gregg Schmedes, arguably one of the most vocal conservatives in the state, is challenging incumbent Jim White for Senate District 19 in Bernalillo, Sandoval, Santa Fe, and Torrance Counties. Schmedes won his House seat in 2018 and has been outspoken on just about every issue important to conservative voters. 

Senator Jim White has been around a long time, having served in the House and the Senate. He was elected to his Senate seat in 2016. White has one of the least conservative voting records of any Republican in the state—voting for both of Democrat Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s disastrous budgets, and for the anti-business, job-killing New Mexico “Green New Deal” in 2019. 

Rep. David Gallegos is challenging incumbent Gregg Fulfer for Senate District 41 in Eddy and Lea Counties. This is actually Fulfer’s first time running for office, as he received his seat by appointment when his father-in-law, Carrol Leavell, retired after 22 years in the legislature. 

David Gallegos has been a State Representative for District 61 for 8 years. Gallegos is a somewhat soft-spoken gentleman but isn’t short on conservative spiritedness. He can usually be seen whenever there is a pro-life or 2nd Amendment rally in Santa Fe, and even organizes the concealed carry trainings for other legislators at the statehouse. 

Where do I vote and who will be on my ballot?

Voting begins at 7:00 A.M. this morning, and polls close at 7:00 P.M. this evening. You can find your polling location here. If you ordered an absentee ballot, PLEASE DO NOT DROP IT IN THE MAIL. Deliver your ballot directly to a polling location. 

If you are unaware of all the choices that will be on your ballot, you can see your sample ballot by checking your voter registration here. 

FIND YOUR POLLING LOCATION
see your sample ballot

Why Voting in the Primary Matters

This election is a turning point for New Mexico, and the Republicans we vote for today will advance to the General Election. In simple terms, the stronger the candidates we choose in the primary are, the better their chance of winning in November. We must choose the most electable candidates who can bring conservatives together and give Democrats a run for their money in the General Election.

If we lose in the General Election to the Radical Democrats and don’t clinch a Republican majority in the New Mexico House or Senate, we will have a rough time since Democrats will no doubt gerrymander legislative seats to make them less competitive and harder for Republicans to ever win again. Since this is a census year, this will impact the candidates we choose this election. Our votes we make today will mean political life or death for our legislature — the governing body of our state and the only body that can hold an out-of-control governor accountable. 

Your vote today means a contribution to the future of our state, and will help lead us into a strong General Election. With President Trump at the top of the ticket — he needs us now more than ever to show up and vote for him and candidates who support him. It’s one of our last chances to make a difference for New Mexico.

Keller appears to stand by rioters, cries ‘racism’ — Mob sets Albuquerque ON FIRE, shoots at police

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On Sunday, Democrat Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller attended a rally supposedly in support of a Minneapolis man who died in police custody, George Floyd, decrying the man’s death and standing by the protesters across the country burning down cities and injuring people defending their businesses from looters. A black Federal Protective Service officer, Patrick Underwood, was murdered by Antifa rioters in Oakland, California over the weekend. 

But Keller appeared to support the lawless mob of protesters, saying in a speech on Sunday, “We stand with those calling for Justice. ‘I can’t breathe’ in so many ways is not just — it’s not just one more black man’s words. It is a cadence of suffering over oppression of racism that has gripped our country since our founding.” 

In a subsequent tweet, Keller wrote, “In this city, we believe that #BLACKLIVESMATTER. We are working hard to build an equitable city but we must do better. We see you. We hear you. We stand with you.” 

Sunday night, violent rioters “fired shots at police, broke windows at several buildings and set multiple fires,” according to reports by the Albuquerque Journal. 

Reports note that rioters shot at law enforcement in front of the historic Kimo Theater, threw Molotov cocktails at them, and started fires in the streets and in trashcans. 

UFC champ Jon “Bones” was present at the riots to break up the violence, taking spray cans away from Antifa terrorists, demanding, “Give me the spray can, give me the spray can.” 

He wrote in an Instagram post, “As a young black man, trust me, I’m frustrated as well. But this is not the way, we are starting to make a bad situation worse. If you really got love for your city (505), protect your s—.”

Mark Ronchetti agreed to work with George Soros-funded climate activists to ‘educate’ Republicans, used weathercast to push ‘climate change’ propaganda

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It has recently been uncovered that ex-television weatherman Mark Ronchetti was caught on-tape as a keynote speaker for a “climate change” activism conference held at the University of New Mexico hosted by the billionaire George Soros-backed environmental groups “Climate 350,” “March for Science,” and others. At the event, he claimed he “used to be a Republican until the Orange One,” who took a “part of his soul” that he’s “not getting back.” 

Now, he is running as a self-proclaimed “principled conservative” Republican for U.S. Senate. However, Ronchetti’s approval of climate change radicalism and the use of his platform on mainstream media network television to promote their propaganda contradicts his “principled conservative” claims. Rather than helping promote any of the conservative Republican issues he now claims to support, he used his platform with a major media network to promote an anti-Republican, anti-oil and gas climate change agenda.

The radical group Ronchetti partnered with, Climate 350, is currently funding a campaign called “Vote Climate” that plans to use people in the media to help “educate” the public, namely REPUBLICAN VOTERS who they believe do not acknowledge the “science of climate change.”

Holly Olivarez, in a presentation to an anti-oil and gas group shortly after the UNM event, she explained how Ronchetti confirmed he was covertly stressing the global warming issue in his weather forecasts:

“He and his team are now working on finding ways they can talk about climate change on the air without saying ‘climate change.’  He was honest about, if I say climate change on the air, I’m going to get fired, and I’m just a guy trying to make a living like anyone else.  So, I have to find ways.  So, he talks about how Spring is starting three weeks earlier than it ever has. Things like that.”

Olivarez went on to explain that Ronchetti has done his own global warming studies and “was appalled” at what he found.

The purpose of the climate change activist conference is to teach people, “How to Talk to Your Friends About Climate Change.” In fact, “finding ways they can talk about climate change on the air without saying climate change.” 

Republican voters should be shocked and alarmed at the weatherman’s liberal leanings — especially when it comes to his extreme anti-oil and gas “climate change” views. If elected, he very well could be the deciding vote to usher in the Green New Deal — the vehicle the Radical Left is using to decimate the oil and gas industry through the vessel of socialism.

Questions about Ronchetti’s loyalties to New Mexico oil producers arise in an uncovered video where Ronchetti lauds far-left Gov. Lujan Grisham’s anti-oil energy policies. He says he has been “on board” with the idea of climate change “for over 20 years.” 

Ronchetti told the anti-oil group that Gov. Lujan Grisham can’t pass her “green” energy policy “without huge oil and gas revenue. So, we have to replace that.” Then he mocked families who drive SUVs and President Trump.

Did Ronchetti’s KRQE forecasts covertly sell his liberal anti-oil & gas, climate change views? 

In previous broadcasts, viewers can see Ronchetti repeating climate change euphemisms on-air, such as him repeatedly talking about “El Niños” and “La Niñas” having “way high” temperatures, and looking at 

Ronchetti exchanges with “climate change” extremists

Ronchetti and a climate extremist named Jim O’Donnell have exchanged dozens of messages on Twitter, including mentions of meeting in-person. O’Donnell considers himself a proud “climate change advocate” who routinely pushes left-wing propaganda. And, like Ronchetti, attacks President Trump. 

In multiple correspondences between Ronchetti and O’Donnell, the two climate change conspiracy theorists exchanged in agreement about climate change as an “epidemic,” in some tweets using emojis to convey expletives. 

O’Donnell calls Fox News a national security threat, wants to “liberate America from Republicans,” and accuses President Trump of “treason.” Will Mark Ronchetti denounce JimO’Donnell?

The cost of electing an anti-oil, climate change extremist to New Mexico’s open U.S. Senate seat

The oil & gas industry provides one-third of the funding for New Mexico schools and 39% of the state budget. As New Mexicans we must fight to keep our oil and gas jobs; they feed our state’s economy. 

In New Mexico, our economy depends on the oil & gas industry jobs and tax revenue. It’s amazing that Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Radical Democrats in the New Mexico Legislature passed the Energy Transition Act, our own New Green Deal, designed to eliminate more than 60,000 oil and gas jobs in our state by 2050. 

This election, we must be diligent with our votes and advance strong candidates who will fight for our energy independence. 

As someone who worked on the government affairs team of a prominent oil producer with many resources in New Mexico’s Permian Basin oil patch, I’ve seen the hard work our men and women in the oil fields put in to keep our economy growing and providing our children a brighter future. 

This election could not be more important to keeping our values and rebuilding our economy, which is why we must elect pro-energy, pro-business, and pro-jobs candidates, who support President Trump’s economic policies that keep our country number one in energy production. 

We already have one-party rule here in New Mexico — the Democrats control every single statewide elected office and both chambers of the legislature. We need people willing to stand up against them, not to help push the Democrats anti-oil & gas agenda. The devastating results of electing a climate change extremist to the U.S. Senate would irreparably harm the remnants of our state’s infrastructure by the Radical Democrats.  

I urge you to vote on June 2ns and vote for pro-energy, pro-jobs candidates. If you’re unsure of your voter registered status, need to find your voting location, request an absentee ballot, or have any voting-related questions, please visit www.nmvote.org to make sure your voice is heard. Our state is relying on us. We must pick candidates who will stand up for our energy jobs that keep our communities running.

Haaland claims President Trump is glorifying police brutality after he calls for end to violent protests

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On Friday, socialist Rep. Deb Haaland (D-NM) took to Twitter to bash President Trump after he called for peace in Minneapolis, Minnesota, following violent protests in the street. The demonstrations, which include burning down and looting local businesses, appear to have started in response to claims of police brutality resulting in the death of George Floyd.

President Trump wrote on Twitter Friday morning, “I can’t stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis. A total lack of leadership. Either the very weak Radical Left Mayor, Jacob Frey, get his act together and bring the City under control, or I will send in the National Guard & get the job done right. These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!” 

Twitter later hid the tweet, claiming it was “glorifying violence.” Now, Halland is jumping on the bandwagon to hit Trump for wanting to end the senseless violence from rioters and looters in the streets. On Twitter, she wrote, “This is horrific. A President should never glorify police brutality. To our black community, know that I see you and you can count on me to stand up for justice.”

However, the President did not glorify violence. In reality, he sided with George Floyd and called for an end to the thuggish ravaging of the Minneapolis community. But this is not the first time Haaland has propped up violent protesters hurting people and property.

In August 2019, Haaland called a mob of violent “Antifa” domestic terrorists rioting in Portland, Oregon “peaceful protesters” despite 13 far-left rioters being arrested. During the protests, a young girl was maced while others had hammers thrown at them. 

After Haaland’s statement on Portland, The Republican Party of New Mexico Haaland called her out, with Chairman Steve Pearce writing, “Rep. Deb Haaland’s comments calling Antifa ‘peaceful protestors’ are reprehensible, and our Federal delegation should disavow Haaland’s irresponsible and incorrect statement that goes against our American values.”

MLG, Haaland, Luján team up to lead ‘organizing training’ for Biden

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On Saturday, New Mexico’s Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, Rep. Ben Ray Lujan (CD-3), and Rep. Deb Haaland (CD-1) will team up for an “organizing training” for the presumptive Democrat nominee for President, Joe Biden. 

The online event says it will be hosted in Pojoaque and will be run through a Zoom meeting.

The news comes as Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is being considered as a potential vice-presidential running mate by the Biden campaign. 

Lujan Grisham has lauded the former vice president, saying, “you want a vice president who was much like former vice president Biden. He knew how to govern, he had done a ton of work as a senator and in local government as well, and I think those are incredible attributes.” 

The entire New Mexico congressional Delegation has endorsed Joe Biden, with the exception of Rep. Xochitl Torres Small (NM-02), who is trying to toe the line as she has a tough election to keep her seat in the conservative-leaning district she currently represents.


New Mexico’s 2020 Democrat and Republican primaries will take place on June 2nd, where both parties will choose their nominees for the General Election, including putting a rubber stamp on Ben Ray Luján and Joe Biden as they run with no lasting competition in their respective races. 

Our Lady of Guadalupe, ‘Patroness of the Unborn,’ does not belong on pro-abortion MLG’s face

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On Thursday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (MLG) started off her coronavirus press briefing by showing off her new face mask, which featured had an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

The choice of clothing is surprising, as Our Lady of Guadalupe is a sacred image known as the “Patroness of the Americas” and the “Patroness of the Unborn,” who, since her apparition in 1531 to St. Juan Diego, brought cruel human sacrifice to an end all over the Americas.

In the 1400s and 1500s, babies were ripped out of their mothers’ wombs, their hearts ripped out while still beating, and their skulls thrown down temple pyramid steps. According to the early Mexican historian Ixtlilxochitl, it was estimated that one out of every five Mexican child was sacrificed to the Aztec “gods.” 

Throughout centuries, Our Lady has been the Patroness of the Unborn for her apparition and creation of a culture of Life in the Americas, spreading that message of peace across the world.

But according to the National Right to Life Educational Foundation, over 61,628,584 babies have been killed by abortion. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is an outspoken advocate for killing babies through abortion and has been lauded by multiple abortion up-to-birth groups, such as Planned Parenthood, which have given her endorsements for her gubernatorial and congressional runs. 

In 2019, Lujan Grisham unsuccessfully tried to ram through an extreme anti-life bill, HB-51, which would have legalized abortion up-to-birth for any reason and stripped away protections for women, including underage girls who would not need permission to get the procedure. 

Given Lujan Grisham’s unabashedly pro-abortion stance to end the lives of unborn children through her policy proposals and advocacy, she has no business using a religious figure as sacred as the Patroness of the Unborn Our Lady of Guadalupe, much less place her likeness and image on her face in the form of a mask. 

Pew Research reports that 34% of Christian adults in New Mexico are Catholic, and the Catholic Church’s 2014 numbers show over 1.4 million church members in New Mexico. 

Lujan Grisham, who claims to be a Catholic herself, appears to be once again shooting herself in the foot with her desecration of Our Lady. This week, it was also reported that she broke her own lockdown orders by purchasing high-end jewelry from an Albuquerque jeweler, Lilly Barrack, a non-essential business. 

Voters head to the polls on June 2nd, and her latest stunt may irk Catholic voters, pro-lifers, and people of faith into participating in the electoral process to elect pro-life leaders. Lujan Grisham has endorsed multiple Democrat candidates for the 2020 election, all of whom are pro-abortion extremists. Some candidates she has endorsed are challenging pro-life Democrats who voted against her 2019 abortion up-to-birth bill. 

Lujan Grisham’s latest stunt seems to be a sick way to spit in the eye of pro-lifers and desecrate a sacred image, which has continually given people hope for the unborn for generations. Our Lady of Guadalupe does not belong on pro-abortion extremist MLG’s face, but unfortunately, her past disregard for rules and norms of respect makes her foul gimmick predictable.

John Block is the editor of the Piñon Post and a longtime New Mexico political activist. With the Piñon Post, John looks to bring true representation to conservatives in the Land of Enchantment and cut through the mainstream media red tape by providing independent, fair, and conservative journalism to New Mexico. Follow John on Twitter @JohnforNM or send him an email at John@PinonPost.com.

In crippling blow to Dems and RINOs, Trump stands by cowboys slandered by fake news lies

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Early Thursday morning, President Donald Trump took to Twitter to show his support for New Mexico-grown group, Cowboys for Trump (C4T) as they are battling fake news lies from the leftist media, socialist Democrats, and RINOs (Republicans in Name Only). 

Last week, Democrats decried statements taken out of context by C4T leader and Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin, which they claimed threatened the lives of Democrats. The seven-second, deceptively edited clip left out Griffin’s full statement, in which he immediately explained he was not threatening Democrats physically, but politically. 

Some of the Leftists and RINOs who decried the statements included socialist U.S. Rep. Deb Haaland, Democrat New Mexico Speaker of the House of Representatives Brian Egolf, anti-Trump and anti-GOP lawyer A. Blair Dunn, who is representing the Democrat Party of Otero County in a frivolous lawsuit against Griffin, a fake “Republican” group lauded by socialist Democrats, and others. 

Cowboys for Trump’s tweet included a video of Griffin’s full statement with its full context, in response to a fake news leftist article written by The Daily Beast, claiming Griffin wanted “Democrats to die.” That claim is patently false. 

The President’s tweet to C4T reads, “Thank you Cowboys. See you in New Mexico!” The message from the Commander-in-Chief is sure to trigger the many leftist and RINO detractors looking to take down the pro-Trump organization and its leader as they ride across the country in support of the Second Amendment, the Right to Life, and opening up America.

The tweet also gives a signal that the President still has his eye on flipping New Mexico red in November and that he plans to come back for more rallies before the election.

Laura Ingraham blasts MLG violating her own edicts to buy jewelry: ‘Rules for thee but not for me’

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On Wednesday, Fox News’ Laura Ingraham called out New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham for breaking her own edict barring “non-essential” businesses from opening by having a high-end Albuquerque jewelry store, Lilly Barrack, sell her expensive jewels.

Later, the Governor’s spokesperson defended Lujan Grisham’s hypocritical conduct, saying, “The store was never ‘opened’ and a good safe process was followed… The governor has, of course in both her personal and professional lives adhered to all of the public health measures the state has enacted for the duration of this pandemic.” 

During Ingraham’s segment, she described Lujan Grisham’s conduct as “fraud,” and blasted her “rules for thee but not for me.” Ingraham also mentioned how the Governor is one of Democrat presumptive nominee for president, Joe Biden’s potential vice presidential picks. 

As well as Fox News’s coverage, national news and political outlets have covered the Governor’s despotic behavior, including the Associated Press, the Daily Wire, the Republican Governors Association, the Washington Times, the Washington Examiner, the Daily Caller, Dan Bongino, The Blaze, among others. 

We can end MLG’s abusive reign at the ballot box on June 2nd and November 3rd

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On Tuesday, it was reported that Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham broke her own “stay-at-home” order, where she had a staffer pick up “expensive” jewelry for her from Lilly Barrack on Paseo in Albuquerque. 

According to the article, Lujan Grisham’s aide had picked up the jewelry for her in April, smack dab in the middle of the Governor’s COVID-19 lockdown. Her strict orders forbade “non-essential” businesses from staying open under any circumstances. In late April, Lujan Grisham had fined a small pawn shop in Grants $60,000 for remaining open.

Lujan Grisham also sent her State Police to deliver a cease and desist order on Mother’s Day to New Hope Revival Church’s pastor, Caleb Cooper. The Truth or Consequences church was deputized by Sierra County Sheriff Glenn Hamilton, but the Governor was unrelenting in her crackdown.  

The Governor’s spokesman confirmed that the Governor’s forbidden purchase from the “non-essential” store did happen, saying, “Lujan Grisham did call an employee, saying they had a longstanding personal relationship. The employee came here [Lilly Barrack], got the jewelry and took it home, left it outside their home, and then someone came and picked it up.”

“The governor’s office first said it was a campaign staffer, then later told KRQE it was the governor’s friend, but wouldn’t release a name. They also said the transaction was entirely contact-less, remote, and permissible,” reported KRQE News. 

While New Mexico businesses and churches are being forcibly closed and facing crippling fines, Gov. Lujan Grisham is indulging herself in expensive jewels from a business clearly outside of her stay-at-home order. But small businesses, such as local restaurants are permanently closing by the hundreds, and other businesses are being forced into foreclosure.

New Mexicans can no longer stand Michelle Lujan Grisham’s tyrannical rule, clearly driven by delusional political ambitions of being Joe Biden’s vice-presidential pick. The Governor’s audition for a longshot nomination is more important to her than the wellbeing of the working families of New Mexico, struggling to put food on the table as a result of her despotic orders.

The primary election is just one week away, and New Mexicans have an opportunity to buck the Governor’s tyranny and choose pro-freedom candidates to go and fight for us and our rights in the General Election. Be it through the mail, voting early, or on Election Day, we cannot afford to get it wrong this time — or Gov. Lujan Grisham’s abusive rule is just a taste of what is to come.

If Republicans can take one of the two chambers of the New Mexico Legislature in 2020, we can stave off further detriment to our state by the Tiny Tyrant and protect the freedoms we have left as a people. We will not be scared into submission by Lujan Grisham’s repressive rule — which is why we must VOTE, VOTE, VOTE. 

Some have even contended that we can impeach Lujan Grisham if we secure the New Mexico House of Representatives, with an impeachment petition found at ImpeachMLG.com.

Listen, if you can afford to flock to Walmart or Costco to hoard toilet paper during COVID-19, you can show up to the polls or send in an absentee ballot for pro-freedom Republican candidates. Our future and our freedom are hanging in the balance and the only way to keep those freedoms is by utilizing the freedom men and women have died for: our right to vote. If you need to find more information or register to vote, find all the resources you may need here.

John Block is the editor of the Piñon Post and a longtime New Mexico political activist. With the Piñon Post, John looks to bring true representation to conservatives in the Land of Enchantment and cut through the mainstream media red tape by providing independent, fair, and conservative journalism to New Mexico. Follow John on Twitter @JohnforNM or send him an email at John@PinonPost.com.

Anti-Trump ex-lobbyist Claire Chase won’t fight for the working-class people of CD-2

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One week ahead of New Mexico’s primary election, New Mexico voters will see two very important things about the candidates and the campaigns they are running. First, they will see what lengths candidates will go to earn a vote — be that throwing out low blows on their primary opponents, or see what the outside groups supporting them will do. Second, they will see what lows their supporters will go to hit the other guy as hard as one can, to see if the sleaze they’ve dropped will stick.

Many candidates, mainly Claire Chase, has blatantly fumed hatred for President Trump, calling him an “a**hole unworthy of the office,” and claiming to have voted for pro-abortion Libertarian Gary Johnson for President in 2016. Now, Chase claims she did indeed vote for Trump. But after Trump won the presidency, she joked about moving to Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, and “Columbia” to escape Trump.

With just a week remaining, Chase, who has hired many of the same consultants tied to Jay McCleskey, the “slash and burn” political hitman, is sure to continue hitting her opponents below the belt with ad-hominem attacks and claims of non-existent “anti-Trump” sentiments, despite her deep-seated hatred for the President of the United States.

Opportunism is a funny thing — especially if it comes in the brand of Claire Chase, a multimillionaire ex-lobbyist whose constitution could not stomach the prospect of Trump as President, saying the 45th POTUS made her “throw up in [her] mouth.” Now, the NeverTrump candidate, whose experience equals a low-level ten-month staff position due to a vacancy in former Congressman Steve Pearce’s office and an eight-month stint at NM Oil and Gas Association, conveniently claims to love the President now, and also to be an avid “pro-life activist.” However, there is no evidence to back up either claim. Chase also claims to have been Pearce’s “most senior” legislative staffer, but that is untrue. 

During the 2019 pro-life fight against abortion up-to-birth HB-51, there was silence from Chase on the bill. Also, she has failed to produce a single piece if proof claiming she has done any work whatsoever in or for the pro-life movement. Her opponent, former Rep. Yvette Herrell constantly sponsored pro-life bills, and boldly stood up for Life as a legislator, working alongside Republicans and Democrats to defend the most vulnerable in our society: the unborn.

While Chase worked at NM Oil and Gas for the short period, the organization gave money to anti-oil Democrats while taking a neutral stance on the radical “Energy Transition Act,” New Mexico’s version of the “Green New Deal.” While Chase had the opportunity to act against the measure aiming to completely wipe out New Mexico oil and gas by 2050, she didn’t stand up for the hard-working oil producers in the Southeast corner of our state — despite claiming to be a champion of the industry. 

Chase also claimed to have “first-hand experience” as a pecan farmer, but there is no evidence showing she worked for the farm owned by the multimillion-dollar family she married into. Claire Chase was not listed on any ownership paperwork for Chase Farms, and neither was her husband, Chance Chase. 

Judging by the groups who have come to support Chase, such as the super PAC, “Defending Main Street,” run by the anti-Trump “Main Street Partnership,” it’s not ambiguous what kind of member of Congress she would be. A PAC called “Citizens for a United New Mexico” is closely tied to Chase’s campaign. Chase’s campaign chair, Nancy Brantley’s husband, George Brantley, gave over $25,000 to the PAC — a clear conflict of interest. The PAC has bashed both opponents Yvette Herrell and Chris Mathys with hit jobs. 

Despite working for both Rep. Steve Pearce (who serve in the New Mexico Legislature before serving in Congress), and the late Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM), who served in the U.S. Senate for over thirty years, she dares attack opponent Yvette Herrell as a “career politician,” despite Herrell spending a mere eight years in the New Mexico House of Representatives, and signing onto the U.S. Term Limits pledge By working for multiple congressional outfits in D.C. and for serving as a lobbyist in Santa Fe, wouldn’t that qualify Chase as the very thing she’s trying to portray Herrell as? Chase still has her (202) area code phone number, despite living in New Mexico — where a resident would use a (505) or (575) number.

During Herrell’s time in the Legislature, she was ranked the most conservative member and served in leadership roles for the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), which has hundreds of conservative Republican members from across the country as members. However, Chase and her allies have bashed ALEC, despite their record of conservatism. 

If that wasn’t enough, Chase hired Chris Grant of the consulting firm “Big Dog Strategies.” Grant was a legislative aide for disgraced ex-Congressman Chris Collins who was convicted of insider trading and resigned from Congress. Grant benefited from the insider trading tip from Rep. Collins, avoiding him a loss of $11,200. Now, Chase has hired the consultant despite his shady past.

But despite the facts not being on Chase’s side, she has been unrelenting in her bitter campaign against Herrell, sending out mailers bashing the former New Mexico legislator, and falsely claiming from an out-of-state surrogate that Herrell tried to bash Chase’s previous divorce — despite Herrell being divorced herself. 

The negative campaigning on behalf of Chase and her anti-Trump surrogates proves that she is willing to go to any low length to win the campaign by slinging mud but won’t address the countless facts showing her lack of a conservative, pro-Trump record, and her deep connection to the Washington, D.C. Swamp.

Unlike my own experience in D.C., working for a non-profit pro-life legal group, as a staffer for Chevron’s government affairs department championing oil and gas policy alongside the Trump Administration, as a manager for one of President Trump’s largest independent ally organizations, and as a pro-life sidewalk counselor on weekends, Chase has skewed her experience and made claims she cannot prove with any relevant experience.

New Mexico’s Second Congressional District needs a champion, and most importantly a REPRESENTATIVE of the people, who will work in their best interest when they get to D.C. The sprawling District full of hard-working, working-class patriots needs a champion for their interests. They need someone who will work day and night to support the values they care about while in the Nation’s Capitol, fight hard against the far-left extremists tearing down the fabric of our nation, support President Trump, and show up for the people of CD-2 when it matters. 

It is clear that the only person in this race who has a proven commitment to the people of the Second District is Yvette Herrell, a patriotic champion of, by, and for the people. Yvette isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty, and she doesn’t just give constituents lip service. Yvette’s proven, well-documented, and incomparable record of ethical leadership and strong advocacy for our most important issues, such as the Right to Life and our Second Amendment, is the only one in this race who can go head to head with Xochitl Torres Small and win — again. 

I’ve worked alongside Yvette while working as a committee aide at the New Mexico Legislature, and she treats everyone, from the janitorial staff to the Speaker of the House with respect, she does her homework, and most importantly, she fights — and fights hard for our rights.

We don’t need a multimillionaire ex-lobbyist who has never done a hard day’s work in her life as our representative — we need a worker. Yvette is the worker we need representing us in Congress.

John Block is the editor of the Piñon Post and a longtime New Mexico political activist. With the Piñon Post, John looks to bring true representation to conservatives in the Land of Enchantment and cut through the mainstream media red tape by providing independent, fair, and conservative journalism to New Mexico. Follow John on Twitter @JohnforNM or send him an email at John@PinonPost.com.

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