NEWS
Trump lawyer asks gubernatorial candidate to pull ads
Duke Rodriguez says he'll stop using president's image but calls the ads 'political parody,' not an endorsement claim
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SANTA FE 鈥� Donald Trump hasn鈥檛 been an active figure in New Mexico鈥檚 three-way Republican primary race for governor 鈥� at least until now.
An attorney representing Trump and his Never Surrender Inc. political committee sent a letter to GOP candidate Duke Rodriguez this week, demanding he stop using Trump鈥檚 likeness in campaign mailers and digital ads.
The use of the president鈥檚 image 鈥済rossly mischaracterizes鈥� Trump鈥檚 stance on the race, attorney Domenic Aulisi with the Dhillon Law Group wrote in a letter to Rodriguez that was obtained by the Journal.
鈥淧resident Trump has not endorsed Mr. Rodriguez for governor,鈥� Aulisi also wrote. 鈥淭he advertisements nonetheless use President Trump鈥檚 image in a manner plainly intended to give voters the false impression that President Trump has endorsed Mr. Rodriguez, that President Trump supports Mr. Rodriguez鈥檚 candidacy, or that Mr. Rodriguez has President Trump鈥檚 approval 鈥� none of which is the case.鈥�
The letter also warned of legal consequences if the ads in question are not pulled but did not specify what action might be taken.
Specifically, the mailers sent out by Rodriguez鈥檚 campaign feature a picture of Trump wearing an Uncle Sam hat along with the words: 鈥淚 want you to vote Duke Rodriguez for New Mexico governor!鈥� A similar digital ad was also sent out to certain registered voters.
Rodriguez said Tuesday he had not yet received the letter, but insisted his campaign had not claimed a Trump endorsement.
鈥淭he imagery was political parody and expressive speech commonly used in American political advertising,鈥� Rodriguez told the Journal.
However, he also said his campaign would discontinue any future use of the imagery in question out of respect for Trump鈥檚 decision not to endorse in New Mexico鈥檚 primary election.
An endorsement from Trump has become a coveted accessory for many Republicans running in contested primaries, while GOP candidates who get on the wrong side of the president have been defeated in around the country.
In New Mexico, Republican Mark Ronchetti landed Trump鈥檚 endorsement in the state鈥檚 2022 race for governor but was defeated by Democratic incumbent Michelle Lujan Grisham.
So far in this year鈥檚 election cycle, Trump has endorsed Republican Greg Cunningham of sa国际传媒官网网页入口, who is seeking to oust U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez, D-N.M., in the state鈥檚 2nd Congressional District.
But the president has not endorsed any of the three Republicans vying for the party鈥檚 nomination for governor in next month鈥檚 primary election. In addition to Rodriguez, small business owner Doug Turner and former Rio Rancho mayor Gregg Hull are the other two GOP candidates on the ballot. A recent Journal Poll on the race found Hull in the lead, with a high number of undecided voters.
The state Democratic Party highlighted Rodriguez鈥檚 troubles with the Trump-inspired ads in a Tuesday news release, claiming New Mexico voters deserve to know whether the GOP nominee in the race for governor would seek the president鈥檚 endorsement.
鈥淭rump is deeply unpopular in New Mexico; however, we all know that Republicans won鈥檛 stand up to his extreme MAGA agenda,鈥� said state Democratic Party spokesman Daniel Garcia.
However, Rodriguez said his campaign would remain focused on key issues facing New Mexico, citing crime, healthcare access, economic opportunity, education and restoring confidence in state government as among his top priorities.
Dan Boyd covers state government and politics for the Journal in Santa Fe. Follow him on Twitter at @DanBoydNM or reach him via email at dboyd@abqjournal.com.
