DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE ACTION FUND PLEDGES TO HELP UDALL DEFEAT PEARCE

Group sees Udall-Pearce battle as classic one of the public interest-vs.-the special interests

Albuquerque, N.M. – Rep. Steve Pearce (R-NM) yesterday defeated Rep. Heather Wilson in the New Mexico Republican Primary, setting up a general election contest between himself and Rep. Tom Udall in the race for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Pete Domenici. The race will pit one of Congress' most anti-environmental members, Pearce, against on of its environmental champions.

Pearce's nomination triggers a second phase for Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund, which for several months has run a fully integrated, pro-Udall campaign involving extensive TV and radio ads and a growing door-to-door canvass, against both Pearce and Wilson.

"We've been pointing out since April that as U.S. senators, both Pearce and Wilson would be bad for New Mexico. And, unfortunately, extremist ring-wing forces have now succeeded in nominating the one who would be the worst of the two," said Rodger Schlickeisen, president of the Defenders Action Fund. "At least Wilson on rare occasion would vote against a special interest provision and to protect the environment. But Pearce is absolutely irredeemable. He never votes to protect the environment if big oil and other special interests want something else. He is an anti-environmental extremist in the true sense of the phrase."

"Steve Pearce has a lot of explaining to do to New Mexico voters," continued Schlickeisen. "He voted against fuel efficiency for cars and voted to give oil companies billions in tax breaks while New Mexicans are being squeezed at the gas pump.  He even voted to protect the makers of toxic chemicals that pollute the drinking water in his own district, all while accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars from big oil companies. He has consistently served the special interests instead of the people's interests."

Defenders Action Fund will continue to expose the extreme anti-environmental record of Steve Pearce. Its new, multifaceted campaign focuses on Pearce's record as he vies against Rep. Tom Udall, in the race for the U.S. Senate. 

"As a member of the House Natural Resources Committee, Pearce is responsible for protecting our air, land and water," added Schlickeisen, "but he has consistently done just the opposite." 

While sitting on the House Natural Resources Committee, Pearce has accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from big oil companies and has 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 February, Defenders Action Fund announced its endorsement of Rep. Tom Udall in his bid for the U.S. Senate. As a House member, Udall has consistently given strong support to clean, renewable energy and other efforts to combat the harmful effects of global warming.

"There are huge energy and environmental problems facing New Mexico and the nation," concluded Schlickeisen, "and it is vitally important that the political leaders New Mexico send to Washington be part of the solution and not part of the problem. There is no question that Steve Pearce, who is tied for the worst environmental record in Congress, is a big part of the problem."

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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.