Susana Attacks Dems in New Ad

"Governor Susana Martinez Lays Out Positive Record & Vision For The Future" is the subject line of the news release announcing Martinez's latest campaign ad.

But actually, this positive, visionary spot is an attack ad -- at least the first part of it -- where all five of the Democrats running for governor morph into former Gov. Bill Richardson before your very eyes.

Running against Richardson worked for Martinez in 2010, even though the other name on the ballot was Diane Denish, not Richardson.

"Five politicians, same old failed agenda," an unseen narrator says. "Like social promotion, passing children to the next grade even when they can't read. New Mexico deserves better,"

Most of the ad though deals with education. "We're investing more in education than ever before," Martinez says in the ad. "But money alone isn't the answer. We raised standards and gave struggling students more help."

The narrator says "Graduation rates up. Reading scores on the rise."

There's more to do but let's focus on moving forward, not turning back," the governor says.

More in tomorrow's New Mexican.