Free Republic

HOBBS — Former U.S. Rep. Harry Teague says he enjoyed his time in public service but has no plans to seek another office.

Arizona took a public-relations punch to the gut after passing the nation's toughest anti-illegal-immigration law earlier this year, but anyone who thinks (or hopes) the state Legislature will lower its profile on the border-security issue in 2011 likely will be disappointed.The state is positioned like never before to expand its efforts to combat illegal immigration. The November election saw Republican Jan Brewer elected to a second term as governor, largely on the strength of her decision to sign the headline-making law, while the Republican Party added to its already sizable majorities in the state House and Senate.Most significantly of...

The Albuquerque Journal’s final polls of the 2010 election cycle show races shifting even further toward Republicans in the final days. Republican Susana Martinez led by 10 in the Journal poll of the governor’s race. Democrat Gary King led by 10 in the attorney general’s race, but that means his lead has been cut in half in the last month. And in the 1st and 2nd congressional district races, Republicans Jon Barela and Steve Pearce each led by 3 points in the Journal polls.

Prospects look good for Republican candidate Steve Pearce to take back his seat from Democratic Rep. Harry Teague in New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District. A new Tarrance Group poll taken for Pearce shows him leading 50 percent to 41 percent, Roll Call reports. That’s the biggest advantage Pearce has shown in a public poll. The race has attracted national attention, with both parties’ national campaign committees putting money into the race. Several business and environmental groups also have made independent expenditures. The National Republican Congressional Committee has a presence in the district now, but the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee stopped...

This election is about a clear choice on America's way forward. It's about whether you want a government to take care of you, or one that gives you the opportunity to take care of yourself and prosper through your own hard work. If you believe more government programs, subsidies and regulations — all enacted with good intentions — are the way to lead us out of recession and make us competitive in a tough global economy, then the three Democrats seeking re-election to New Mexico's U.S. House of Representative seats would be the way to go. If you think we...

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has reduced its TV ad buy in the 2nd Congressional District race as Democrat Harry Teague is struggling to defend himself against attacks from Republican Steve Pearce related to his company’s cutting of health care for employees. The DCCC, the campaign arm of Democrats in the U.S. House, has canceled this week’s TV ad buy in the El Paso media market. The group also appears to have increased its buy in the Albuquerque market for the 1st District race between Democrat Martin Heinrich and Republican Jon Barela while scaling back its buy in that market...

The attacks on Democratic Rep. Harry Teague’s personal character and his conduct as a businessman are intensifying in the tight race for New Mexico’s Second Congressional District. A brief recap: Last week, Republican challenger Steve Pearce came out with a tough TV ad accusing Teague of pocketing $3 million from his family energy business, and then announcing — four days before Christmas — that he would eliminate his employees’ health insurance. Teague responded with testimonials from five employees praising his integrity. Now, Republicans are pointing out that three of those employees were co-defendants in a sexual-harassment lawsuit brought against Teague’s...

Former guv calls the House hopeful a "principled conservative" in Wednesday note. Palin's endorsement via Facebook: Steve Pearce for New Mexico With less than four weeks until Election Day, the momentum is clearly on our side. We must keep it going! Today, I’m happy to endorse another principled conservative running for Congress. Steve Pearce, in New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District, understands what makes this country great. As a decorated military veteran, Steve served our country with honor and distinction. As a successful business-owner, he has created real jobs for New Mexico...

The showdown in New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District between Democratic Rep. Harry Teague and Republican challenger Steve Pearce is shaping up as a nail-biter. Pearce, who held the southern New Mexico seat in the U.S. House from 2003 until 2009, has caught up to first-term incumbent Teague, according to a new Journal Poll. Forty-five percent of the 2nd District voters surveyed Sept. 27-30 said they would vote for Pearce, while 44 percent supported Teague. The district wide survey results have a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points. "We've got a classic close race on our hands,"...

Campaign ad for Steve Pearce, R candidate for Congress, NM-2."Four Days"

Immigration takes larger role in races across U.S. Despite being waylaid by the courts, Arizona's immigration law is still growing as a powerful political force, shaping elections across the country and creating a new generation of campaign stars in and out of the state. The law's sponsor has become a sought-after kingmaker in Republican primaries, one of the chief legal advisers is running for statewide office in Kansas, and several Arizona sheriffs backing the law have earned substantial television airtime. Maybe the most obvious example is Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, who has used the law to take control of her...

Independent voters in New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District — who could hold the key to the race — were almost evenly divided in a Journal Poll that found a close general election contest developing between Democratic Rep. Harry Teague and Republican challenger Steve Pearce. Teague, serving his first term in Congress, was the first Democrat to win election to southern New Mexico's 2nd District congressional seat in 28 years. He is trying to fend off a challenge from Pearce, a Republican who held the same southern New Mexico seat from 2003 until 2009. Sanderoff said Teague's slight edge in the...

(CNN) - At a Tea Party rally Sunday on the U.S.-Mexico border in support of tough immigration laws, Arizona Senate candidate J.D. Hayworth slammed his opponent, Arizona Sen. John McCain, and turned McCain's words back on the veteran senator. On a ranch in Hereford, Arizona, and with the border fence visible several hundred yards behind him, Hayworth also praised Arizona's new immigration law that was signed by the state's governor, who has spent the last two days campaigning with McCain. Pulling a word from a McCain letter on immigration which first surfaced in April, Hayworth said it was time to...

SIERRA VISTA — A Border Tea Party Rally will be held close to the fence separating the U.S. from Mexico. The Sunday event on private property will be from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. with a stage 60 feet from the border. A number of speakers will talk about border security, including Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, whose roundups of illegal immigrants have angered civil rights groups. Also scheduled to speak is Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever and Arizona State Sen. Russell Pearce, one of the architects of Senate Bill 1070 calling for Arizona law enforcement agencies to question individuals...

Time: August 15 · 9:00am - 2:30pmLocation: Cochise County, AZ Ranch, 1720 S Border Monument Rd., Hereford, AZ Sponsor: Stand With Arizona (and Against Illegal Immigration) United We Stand For Americans, The Patriot Caucus, and the American Border Patrol will be hosting the first Arizona Border Tea Party Rally known as the “United Border Coalition." The Rally’s purpose is to show support for Arizona and its rights to enforce the ‘Immigration Laws’ that the Federal Government won’t. SB1070 is a common sense law that enables Arizona to enforce federal law on illegal immigration. The United Border Coalition Tea Party will...

The Doña Ana County wilderness bill that New Mexico’s U.S. senators and local activists are trying to push through Congress before the end of the year puts U.S. Rep. Harry Teague in a very tough political spot. The Democratic is in a difficult re-election battle against former GOP U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce. It’s a Republican-leaning district in a Republican leaning year, and Pearce already has an advantage.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio makes a guest appearance on Roundtable Politics to explain why he believes that JD Hayworth is a better candidate for U.S. Senate than John McCain. Some of the reasons include JD's 98% 12-year lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union, and McCain's low 81% lifetime rating and history of flip-flopping, especially on illegal immigration.

Obama Justice Department “asks that this Court ignore Congress’ intentions that states and localities play a vital role in immigration enforcement efforts.” Washington, DC Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced today that Arizona State Senator Russell Pearce has filed a memorandum with the United States Court for the District of Arizona opposing the Obama Justice Department’s “Motion for Preliminary Injunction,” which would prevent sections of Senator Pearce’s SB 1070 from taking effect on July 29. Senator Pearce, author of the new enforcement measure, filed a “Motion for Intervention” with the Court on July...

Arizona State Senator Russell Pearce is on a roll. Pearce is the author of the Arizona of the recent Arizona immigration law that Democrats, led by Barack Obama, are wrongly and stupidly deriding. Eric Holder suggested that the law might be un-Constitutional, but I am still waiting for that shoe to drop. Not only does the law mirror current Federal law, a nearly identical law has existed in Prince William Country in Virgina for the last three years. So bring it on, Eric. Bring it on, Barry. I doubt that a challenge will ever see the light of day. If...

PHOENIX -- E-mails to and from Ariz.state Sen. Russell Pearce reveal the immigration enforcement debate may not stop with SB 1070, the controversial immigration law. Pearce, R-Mesa, the author of Arizona’s immigration law, has been writing to some of his constituents about what he plans to accomplish next. In e-mails obtained by CBS 5, Pearce said he intends to push for a bill that would enable Arizona to no longer grant citizenship to the children of illegal immigrants born on U.S. soil. Pearce writes in one e-mail: "I also intend to push for an Arizona bill that would refuse to...