Heinrich And Domenici Start To Square Off; He Takes First Dig at Her While She Spends More On Bio TV And Continues To Grapple With Abortion

The politicos are still waiting for something with edge from GOP US Senate candidate Nella Domenici. 

She comes with a second TV ad that like the first is a soft bio spot. "Trailblazer" is "a story of Nella’s hard-fought journey to success as a mother, a student, and businesswoman."

The ad follows the standard formula of raising Domenici's positive ratings in preparation for her eventual attacks on Dem Senator Martin Heinrich and the hits that will then come her way. The question is whether the standard formula is the right one to pull off an upset in a Democratic state. 

Heinrich has now made his first comments about his wealthy opponent. In an MSNBC interview he questioned her "way of life" and her stance on abortion: 

Most New Mexicans just can't see themselves in a hedge fund executive. It’s a way of life that is completely foreign to them. And connecting with voters is at the center of what any campaign is all about. . . 

The Dobbs decision and other efforts to ban IVF and other things that take away our fundamental freedoms motivated a lot of people to go to the polls. If you look at where primaries changed hands from incumbents to challengers in New Mexico (primary night), much of it was motivated by this issue. And I think it is not going away. My opponent refuses to talk about it. But that's not going to make [it] go away. It’s going to be a very active discussion in the run-up to November.” 

Heinrich's statement that conservative state House Dems were defeated by progressives on primary night was motivated in large part by the abortion issue echoes what Dem state Rep. Day Hochman-Vigil told our KANW radio audience.

Domenici was questioned about it in a post primary interview:

Domenici notes that with the U.S. Supreme Court ruling abortion access is no longer a federal issue but is a matter decided at the state level. “Our state has its abortion policy, which, as a federal senator, I don't have any influence over,” Domenici said. When asked whether she would back legislation that would restrict abortion access at the federal level, Domenici indicated that she would not. But she wants to concentrate on reducing abortions by addressing unintended pregnancies. She argues that this can be accomplished through education and expanding access to contraception and birth control. “It is really very simple, if we can reduce the number of unintended pregnancies, we will reduce the number of abortions, and that is the right thing for our country to do,” she said.

Heinrich's campaign has yet to cut any TV ads but the state Democratic party is filling the void with this digital hit piece:

Nella Domenici touts her record as a New York hedge fund executive. She doesn’t want you to know that as CFO of Bridgewater Associates, she got rich while exploiting American workers. Maintaining ties to the Chinese Communist Party and Vladimir Putin. And investing in Chinese military companies later sanctioned by the U.S. She called it the “pinnacle” of her career. Now, she’s trying to buy our Senate seat. 

STILL DEM

The Senate race is still ranked solid Dem despite partisan polls that put it in play. It is not but Domenici's personal wealth is enough to keep her front and center while still in need of that aforementioned "edge" to advance in a serious way.

ABQ attorney Armand Huertaz is still talking about her first ad: 

I wanted to find a spin zone for Nella’s first ad, but I could not. It is terrible, corny, and lame. I rate it as good as mayonnaise left in the sun. A Rolex purchased from a guy on the sidewalk had more authenticity than that spot. I am not saying she should pack up and leave already, but that was not the necessary first splash needed. Just be yourself. The voters appreciate authenticity. 

"Mayonnaise left in the sun?" Hey, Armand, you're moving in on our territory with that catchy stuff. 

MAKE IT FIVE

Longtime activist Rick Lass writes from Mimbres in the SW about the Monday blog on RFK Jr. working to make the New Mexico presidential ballot:

Hi Joe, Was happy to see you reporting on the Kennedy Ballot Access drive. If Kennedy makes the ballot, New Mexico voters will have five choices. Chase Oliver got the Lib nomination and Jill Stein is on track to get the Green one. Almost like a real democracy like they have in Europe and in most of the Americas. Wouldn’t that be nice?

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