At this time in an election cycle your blog likes to provide a sample of what's hitting the mailboxes, still the main method of campaign communications in legislative races. All 112 of them are up for election this year so there's plenty of paper jamming those boxes. 

Let's start with this negative hit in what may be the hottest contested House primary race--Dem Rep. Ambrose Castellano of Las Vegas in District 70 versus progressive challenger Anita Gonzales who is running against him for the third time

Progressive groups are throwing money and mail at the race as seen in this piece attacking moderate Dem Castellano over his enviro record. 

Castellano, who beat Gonzales 51 to 49 percent in the 2022 primary, came with this defense of his record:

It is unfortunate that the smear tactics will continue till election day. The group putting this out is a progressive group who endorsed my opponent--Conservation Voters NM. . .These are people that don’t want me there because I stand up for you the constituents of District 70, and I will continue to do so as long as you the constituents want me there. So please get out and vote on June 4 and vote for me to continue being your representative. 

MODERATES HIT BACK

The progressives are hitting the moderate Dems hard and many of the attacks center on the Paid Family Leave Act which was defeated in the House last legislative session when 11 Dems joined with Republicans to defeat the measure. 

Those  moderate Dems are fighting back, including ABQ Dem Rep. Marian Matthews in District 31 in the far NE Heights. She faces progressive challenger Greg Seeley. Matthews ripped the progressives over their hits against her in this op-ed:

Heading down to Roswell, we find state Rep. Candy Ezzell favored to win the GOP state senate primary in District 32 against challenger Chad Hamill but not without taking some hits

The anti-Steve Pearce wing of the NMGOP is fielding PAC 22 to attack Ezzell and other R's. Ezzell being one of them.

The PAC is headed by outgoing GOP Senate Minority Leader Greg Baca. Ordinarily such a PAC is deployed to support incumbent senators and candidates in primaries that are uncontested but that tradition has been thrown out as the deep division in the GOP continues.

Ezzell is seeking the seat being vacated by disgraced GOP Senator Cliff Pirtle who is supporting Hamill. She responds to a flurry of attacks:

There are four accusations: 1) I enriched myself at the expense of taxpayers, 2) raised your taxes, 3) voted for healthcare for illegal immigrants, and 4) voted for Critical Race Theory. Each of these are 100%, absolutely, provably false. On my website I address each. . .Who is running PAC22, and why are they attacking me? They are a group of moderate and liberal Republicans, petty and desperate for attention. This group includes the former senator (Cliff Pirtle) for this district, who has left this seat in disgrace, and who does not want to see me elected. This is an ugly, personal attack, and it speaks to the character of both my opponent and the people supporting him. You know that I am someone who always speaks the truth, especially when folks don’t want to hear it. . . These people are snakes. They do not have your interests in mind. They only think about themselves. This race should be about issues that concern the folks of District 32.  

Pirtle gave $25,000 of his campaign funds to PAC 22. Sen. Crystal Brantley of the ex-Guv Susana Martinez wing of the GOP, as is Leader Baca, gave $10,000. 

The PAC reports $291,000 in cash on hand for the closing weeks to support GOP candidates of their choosing. 

Ezzell, a rancher, has served in the House from Roswell since 2005. No Dems are running for the seat which is all R all the time. 

THE BOTTOM LINES

In a first draft Monday we omitted the name of Clayton Pryor, a GOP candidate for Bernalillo County Clerk. 

This is the Home of New Mexico Politics.