Ronchetti Needs The Support of the "Also Rans"

Above, Mark Ronchetti.

If one believes the Cook Political Report on the New Mexico gubernatorial race being a "toss up", it appears that Republican nominee for governor Mark Ronchettie is within an eyelash of beating Michelle Lujan Grisham in November.

As I see it, the primary campaign was a rough one by Republican standards with Ronchetti and Dow campaigns mud-slinging. One can argue that Ronald Reagan's 11th Commandment, "Thou shall not speak ill of a fellow Republican" was violated.

That aside, it will be interesting to see if the other Republicans who ran for governor during the primary will come out to publicly endorse Ronchetti. He will need to mend fences to bring the party together to win in November. Endorsements from the "also rans" will be necessary to accomplish that.

So far, I haven't seen any candidate endorse Ronchetti. We'll have to wait and see.

Ronchetti Campaign Smear Violates Reagan's "11th Commandment"

Above, Mark Ronchetti. Ronchetti campaign photo.

Back when Ronald Reagan ran for governor of California, he introduced the "11th Commandment", "Thou shall not speak ill of a fellow Republican."

Well, Mark Ronchetti's campaign manager has gone "scorched earth" against fellow gubernatorial candidate Rebecca Dow with a false ad accusing her or promoting a sexual predator. The ad was so blatantly dirty that it even caused another gubernatorial candidate, Jay Block, to come to her defense.

This violates Reagan's famous "11th Commandment".

According to the Piñon Post:

Mark Ronchetti, a Republican candidate for governor, recently sent out a mailer and aired a television ad making untrue claims about state Rep. Rebecca Dow (R-Truth or Consequences). The attacks from the Ronchetti campaign make claims regarding a lawsuit involving a sexual predator who assaulted children at a daycare, AppleTree Education Center, which Dow helped found.

In Ronchetti’s television ad and mailer, he claims Dow “promoted” the pedophile and then “bullied” the victim’s family. Despite Dow being cleared of all wrongdoing whatsoever in the case, Ronchetti, whose campaign is being run by scorched earth political consultant Jay McCleskey, appears to be weaponizing the child’s trauma for political gain. McCleskey is known for his “win at all costs” tactics, resulting in even lengthy litigation where he has paid hundreds of thousands to candidates he defamed.

Even fellow Republican candidate, Sandoval County Commissioner Jay Block, who is critical of Dow, spoke out against Ronchetti’s attack that went too far, despite his disagreements with the state representative. 

Unless Ronchetti repudiates this ad, I will refuse to back him in the general election should he win the GOP nomination.

Ronald Reagan would repudiate this kind of attack on a fellow Republican.

To read more, go here.

New Mexico Republican Deal Breakers

Claire Chase has been violating Ronald Reagan's 11th Commandment (against Yvette Herrell) with attack ads: "Thou shalt not speak ill of a fellow Republican." That would be a deal-breaker for me if I lived in the district. Makes me wonder if she's a troll for Torres-Small.

A video surfaces of Republican U.S. Senate Candidate Mark Ronchetti badmouthing Donald Trump last year.

From the Albuquerque Journal:

Mark Ronchetti’s rivals for the Republican nomination in the U.S. Senate race are criticizing the former television meteorologist for saying at a climate change event last year that he was a Republican “until the orange one.”

Gavin Clarkson labeled Ronchetti a “Never Trumper” in a YouTube ad showing a clip of the comments made at a University of New Mexico event, which appear to be a reference to President Donald Trump. And Elisa Martinez called for him to withdraw from the race.

I am supporting Elisa Martinez for U.S. Senate, but in this matter, I agree with Gavin Clarkson (I would vote for him should he get the nomination).

We don't need any "Jeff Flake RINOs" representing New Mexico.