The race for the GOP Guv nod flirted with the personal Wednesday as multi-millionaire businessman Allen Weh rained down the pain on rival Susana Martinez. Weh, responding to Martinez's televised charge that he favored amnesty for illegal immigrants, threw the kitchen sink at the Dona Ana County District Attorney. Observers saw it as an attempt to have the party faithful lose trust in her personal character as the race remained tight as a vise.

Weh left the clear impression in his rip-roaring 30 second spot that Martinez did not pay her taxes. The ad says:

Martinez says she'd fight corruption, but auditors caught her red-handed. Martinez failed to pay taxes.

But in documents the Weh camp released to support the charge, it turns out that as district attorney Martinez hired 24 individuals to destroy closed cases and paid them as personal service contractors. The state auditor, in a 2008 report, said they should be placed on the DA's payroll and pay the required employment tax. So Martinez failed to pay her taxes? Hmmm.

The Martinez camp will likely respond with their own TV ad, but one of her operatives came with this early reaction:

There is a big difference between honestly contrasting on an issue and personally smearing someone with a lie."

And there's more. Weh pulled dining expense records for Martinez and her staff while on official business and roasted her for "extravagant dinners. luxury hotels, dinner at Hooters, even I-pods." Here is a transcript of the ad:

Why is Susana Martinez attacking? Because that's what career politicians do. Martinez says she'd fight corruption, but auditors caught her red-handed. Martinez failed to pay tax taxes. Look how Martinez spends our tax dollars. Extravagant dinners. Luxury hotels. dinner at Hooters, even I-pods. Wasting our money. Breaking the rules. Careerpolitician Susana Martinez--a false campaign, unpaid taxes, bad judgment.

The Weh campaign also released reimbursement records showing that Martinez and her staff ate at, among other places, the upscale Ruth's Chris Steak House in Scottsdale, AZ. Everything in the records appeared to be for meals consumed while on official business. (The state did not reimburse for the booze on the tabs, just the food.)

This ad comes close to going over the top because of the big stretch on Martinez and taxes, but it is potentially damaging as Martinez remains relatively unknown. Calling into question her integrity could raise doubts about her.

Martinez left herself open for some of this. She had flatly said a couple of years ago she would not plea bargain felony DWI cases, but she did. And she told TV news here that her office has always passed examinations from the state auditor with flying colors. But that wasn't the case, even if it was an innocent oversight like not putting contractors on the payroll.

But an objective look at Weh's ad leads one to conclude that the ominous delivery and excellent production values (they turn Susana's hand red when they charge she was caught "red-handed") are the real highlights of this hit piece--not the content.

We posted the support documents for the Weh ad here and here.

DEM LIGHT GUV ACTION

On the five way race for the Dem nod for Light Guv which our May 12 poll showed Brian Colon with a healthy lead over Lawrence Rael and Joe Campos, an Alligator writes:

I'm amazed at the latest TV ads by Campos and Rael. They should have been up two weeks ago with the positive stuff, and at this point should have been laying into Colon with a 20-10 ad, That's 20 seconds of negative and 10 seconds of positive. But,alas, they don t know what they are doing.

The other two candidates in that race are state Senators Jerry Ortiz y Pino and Linda Lopez.

TAKING IT SERIOUSLY

In this, the year of the anti-incumbent, NM House Speaker Dem Lujan is taking seriously--very seriously--the challenge he is receiving from Carl Trujillo. Lujan spent more than $27,000 last month on his campaign for a 19th term. The 74 year old leader from Nambe outspent the 43 year old Trujillo who has loaned himself $10,000.

The latest campaign finance reports show Trujillo had less than $1,500 in cash. Luján had more than $118,000, raised over the years when he had no election challenges.

Insiders will watch this race closely. A huge upset would be a Trujillo win, but the margin of a Lujan victory will also be closely monitored to see if there is any weakness as he faces a grouch electorate.

And to the North of Lujan five term moderate state House Republican Jeannette Wallace is seeing two Dems vy to take her on in November. Wallace hasn't had an opponent for ten years. That tells you that the voters are tired of both parties--not just the Dems.

IN BIG BERNALILLO
Sisi Miranda
Bernalillo County Sheriff Manny Gonzales failed to score the endorsement of the ABQ Journal in that crowded race for the Dem nomination for sheriff. The nod went to Sisi Miranda, a 25 year retired veteran of the ABQ police department.

Gonzales is well-financed and has party support, so he is still high on the favorites list, but the Miranda endorsement gives her a boost. She would be the first female sheriff in county history.

On the Republican side, retired APD commander William Kurth gets the Journal's blessing. Kurth has been piling up the endorsements over rival Dan Houston. Recently, GOP state Rep. Larry Larranaga endorsed Kurth.

UNM FALLOUT

Could the continuing turmoil at the University of New Mexico be impacting fund-raising? The UNM foundation reports it will not meet its goal of raising $90 million for the fiscal year that ened June 30. It says it will probably take in between $70 and $80 million. No doubt the recession ravaged state economy is playing a role in that decline, but the stormy state of campus affairs could also be starting to take a financial toll.

The next Governor will have a full plate, but they will need to reserve some space on it for troubled UNM.

AG ACTION