DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE ACTION FUND LAUNCHES "TWO BAD FOR NEW MEXICO" CAMPAIGN

Multifaceted campaign will highlight extreme anti-environmental records of Reps. Steve Pearce and Heather Wilson

WASHINGTON – A campaign to shed light on the extreme anti-environmental records of New Mexico Representatives Pearce and Wilson was today launched by Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund. The multifaceted campaign, "Two Bad for New Mexico", focuses on the two members of Congress, who are locked in a primary battle to decide who will compete against Rep. Tom Udall, in the race for U.S. Senate.  TV ads began airing throughout New Mexico today, coinciding with the launch of the www.2Bad4NM.org website.

"Pearce and Wilson have spent their time in Congress promoting the wishes of special interests, instead of protecting the interests of New Mexico's citizens and the American Southwest" said Rodger Schlickeisen, president of Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund. "They sit on key committees charged with protecting our air, land and water, yet both have atrocious conservation records that have earned them a well-deserved spot on our target list. The Southwest will be horribly damaged by global warming, and yet these two fight against solutions to the problem." 

Pearce and Wilson sit on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Energy and Commerce Committee, respectively. Both have accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from big oil companies and have repeatedly voted against clean energy solutions and efforts to combat global warming, as well as voting to give oil companies billions in tax breaks. In 2007 the Action Fund identified Pearce in one of its accountability campaigns targeting members of the House who had their "head in the sand" on global warming.

In February Defenders Action Fund announced its endorsement of Rep. Tom Udall in his bid for the U.S. Senate. Udall has a score of 100% on the Defenders Action Fund Conservation Scorecard this year and a long record of support for clean, renewable energy and other efforts to combat the harmful effects of global warming.

"The 2008 elections are a wonderful opportunity for New Mexico voters to elect a pro-environment senator who will protect the public interest instead of the special interests," continued Schlickeisen. "In the process, they can also rid the New Mexico delegation of two of the environment's worst enemies, Pearce and Wilson, who time and again have used their privileged positions to thwart legislation that would make America greener, safer and more prosperous.

"The environmental challenges we face are great indeed and we need serious leaders to embrace them. Pearce and Wilson are part of the problem in Washington; Tom Udall is part of the solution. He is a true conservation champion and we are proud to do our part to help elect him to the Senate."
The TV ad entitled "Coin" will run for one week.  Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund has also opened a campaign office in Albuquerque and intends to launch a large grass-roots campaign, mobilizing thousands of members and citizens across New Mexico.   

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The Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund (www.defendersactionfund.org) provides a powerful voice in Washington to Americans who value our conservation heritage. Through grassroots lobbying, issue advocacy and political campaigns, the Action Fund champions those laws and lawmakers that protect wildlife and wild places while working against those that do them harm.