The state Democratic Party has singled out Republican gubernatorial candidate Susana Martinez in a news release about Martinez's campaign finance report filed yesterday.
No, it's not about contributions from questionable people. It's about the fact that the overwhelming number of contributors to Martinez were from folks close to home:
Although Dona Ana District Attorney Susanna Martinez calls herself a candidate for statewide office, its clear that she’s a long way from having a statewide base of support. An analysis of the finance report that Martinez submitted yesterday to the Secretary of State reveals that only nine New Mexicans who live outside of the 2nd Congressional District made contributions to her campaign.
“Susanna Martinez has been a candidate for Governor for several months, but she has yet to show a grasp of statewide issues or anything that remotely resembles a statewide base of support,” said Josh Geise, Executive Director of the Democratic Party of New Mexico. “With only nine New Mexican contributors outside of Susanna Martinez’s home region, it’s simply hard to take her seriously as a statewide candidate.”
It's a valid point that Martinez will have to expand her support if she expects to win. But you have to wonder: If she's such a weak candidate, wouldn't the Democrats want her to win?
UPDATE (2 p.m.): The Martinez camp responds:
“Democrats are attacking Susana Martinez because they know she can win and her record is one that closely aligns with the concerns of voters. This race will be about important issues and the very real challenges confronting the electorate like the corruption running rampant in the Richardson/Denish Administration and the huge budget deficit they have created, not politically expedient attacks.”
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