Super PAC enters attorney general race
A Democratic super PAC booked at least $345,350 in TV ads aimed at the New Mexico attorney general’s race last week.
In fact, the Committee for Justice and Fairness is outspending the two candidates by nearly $100,000. So far, Democrat Hector Balderas is spending $133,415 and Republican Susan Riedel $120,144 in their race to replace Democrat Gary King, who is running for governor.
It’s the first significant ad buy in New Mexico this fall from an outside group. The ads will begin Oct. 9 and run through Election Day. The Committee for Justice and Fairness is funded by the Democratic Attorneys General Association.
Total political ad spending in the state is almost $7 million with nearly seven straight days of ads aired or scheduled, according to a New Mexico In Depth analysis of political ad contracts filed through Sept. 26 with the Federal Communications Commission. The numbers don’t include cable or satellite ads or radio advertising.
Here’s a look at advertising by affiliation:
GOP Gov. Susana Martinez continues to dominate ad spending, increasing her ad presence by nearly $174,000 last week. King, meanwhile, hasn’t aired TV ads for the last month. Martinez’s spending gives Republicans a $1 million in lead in political ad spending.
Incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Tom Udall has contracted for about $1.2 million in ads. His challenger, Republican Allen Weh, increased his ad buys by $76,040 last week to almost $447,000.
And Democrat Rocky Lara increased her ad contracts by $92,585 last week. She’s challenging GOP incumbent U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce in the 2nd Congressional District. Lara is buying time week-by-week thus far, while Pearce has ads scheduled through Nov. 3 on most stations.
Here’s a look at all the advertisers in the New Mexico market this year:
Fish, NMID’s data journalist, can be reached at fish@nmindepth.com or on Twitter @fishnette.
