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Las Cruces Sun-News article, Gannett-USAToday Newspaper, Title and link only permitted.Teague: Congressional candidate should support NM energy industry

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

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...

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"

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...

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.

It just keeps getting worse for southern Dem Congressman Harry Teague. Perhaps the biggest news from a Politico report is that Teague's oil-based fortune has plunged in value from an estimated $40 million to$5 million. That may not be a paltry sum, but Teague wrote himself checks for $1.7 million to get elected in '08. Would he be able or willing to do the same this cycle in which he faces a very difficult opponent in former GOP Congressman Steve Pearce? And then there is the $2.7 million lawsuit leveled against four companies Teague owns. The suits are over outstanding...

Where's Harry? That's what the state's Democratic establishment is wondering, a month after potentially devastating news was revealed about how the southern NM congressman was running his oil businesses. Freshman Teague has been as quiet as a feather falling since a Politico article unveiled how his Hobbs-based energy companies dropped health insurance coverage for its 250 employees and how Rep. Teague, contrary to his public promise, has not yet divested himself of his energy holdings. Dems ask: what gives? Does Harry want to win a second term or not? Democrats, especially in liberal Dona Ana County, where Teague must pull...

When he ran for Congress in 2008, businessman Harry Teague boasted that he provided health insurance for all of his employees back home in New Mexico. But once he won his seat, Teague, a Democrat, voted twice against his party’s health care reform bill because “it tells businesses to do the right thing and provide insurance for employees but doesn’t guarantee or require affordable options.” What Teague didn’t say at the time: At the very moment he was voting against the bill, his own companies were eliminating health care coverage for employees. On Dec. 21, 2009 — as the health...

The discussion over what parliamentary procedures will be used in reconciling the House and Senate versions of healthcare legislation is a pivotal -- but not the final -- factor in the process. Reporting from Washington and Los Angeles The House Rules Committee meets Saturday morning as Democrats kick off a weekend of parliamentary maneuvering, lobbying and arm-twisting in the healthcare debate ahead of showdown votes set for Sunday. President Obama will meet in the afternoon with House Democrats and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, about 24 hours before the House is set to begin voting on a healthcare insurance overhaul,...

(D)espite the positive steps it takes, I must vote against this bill. But some measures Teague was viewed as a lean no, by others undecided. The road to victory for Pelosi without an abortion deal is narrowing. The liberal FiredogLake.com now says Pelosi may have to run the table to win without the Stu-pack.

President Obama won't get Rep. Harry Teague's vote on health care legislation this weekend. The Hobbs Democrat just announced he would vote against the bill.

New Mexicans following the endless twists and turns of the national health care debate might be interested in this new development: Rep. Harry Teague today voted with Republicans to force a separate vote on the health care bill. The Republican resolution failed on a 222-203 vote, with 28 Democrats - including Teague - voting in favor. Had it passed, Democrats would have been blocked from using a controversial "deem and pass" parliamentary tactic to get the bill to the president's desk. The "deem and pass" manuever could allow the bill to pass without individual members recording their votes ... Teague's...

Summary,3.18.09 HR1388, H. RES. 250, VETERANS AMENDMENTS, Hunter, Hill, and Teague 1:52 P.M. - DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 250, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with ten minutes of debate on the Hunter of California amendment. Amendment offered by Mr. Hunter. Amendment numbered 3 printed in House Report 110-39 to remove veteran's educational benefits from being taken into account when calculating the maximum award an individual could receive for participating in one of the national service programs. On agreeing to the Hill amendment Agreed to by voice vote. Who were the 39 people who voted against...

Real Clear Politics says southern N.M. seat the nation's 34th most likely to change party hands. ~~snip~~ Reid Wilson and Kyle Trygstad, in their "Top House Races, Continued," have come up with part two of the 50 most competitive races for the U.S. House, and they've put the race to fill Rep. Steve Pearce's 2nd Congressional District seat at No. 34 on the list. Here's what they had to say: 34. New Mexico 02 -- OPEN -- (Pearce (R) running for Senate) -- Two candidates who have largely self-funded make this race for the most Republican seat in New Mexico...

Thoughts from my USO tour to IraqI've just returned from a trip to Iraq after an initial stop in Kuwait with actor Marshall Teague, who you know from films like ''The Rock,'' ''Armageddon,'' and TV programs like, ''Babylon 5,'' ''Sliders,'' and of course ''Walker, Texas Ranger.'' We went to visit and encourage service members as part of a United Service Organization (USO) tour. I'll share some of the inspiring moments in next Monday's article (and maybe a photo or two)! As in past years, I left the region more inspired by our troops than I believe they were by me....

WILLOUGHBY, Ohio - Three of the four civilians killed and barbarically mutilated in Iraq were identified yesterday as Army veterans and a former Navy Seal. Family members and a spokesperson said Thursday that Jerko (Jerry) Zovko, 32, Michael Teague, 38, and Scott Helvenston, 38, died with another civilian Wednesday after they were hit by rocket-propelled grenades in a rebel ambush. The victims worked for Blackwater Security Consulting, a subsidiary of Blackwater USA based in North Carolina. Zovko's mother said she and her husband had suspected the worst, and their fears were confirmed yesterday when the president of Blackwater USA knocked...