NM-Sen: Chávez Attacks Udall... Again

by: Trent Thompson

Thu Nov 08, 2007 at 10:35 AM EST

Apparently frustrated with attempts by local activists to Draft Tom Udall into the US Senate race, Democrat Marty Chávez is back on the attack:

“This will not be a sweet primary. It just won’t,” Chavez said during a telephone interview. “The contrast in records between me and the Congressman won’t situate him well for the general election.”

In other words, Chávez claims Udall is too liberal for New Mexico. Nice to see the GOP talking points being broken out so early in the campaign, even before Chávez's potential primary opponent has made a decision about the race.

However, Chávez's attempts to paint Udall as a politician "so far to the left" clash with what he had to say about the congressman in a conversation with local bloggers:

“If you look issue by issue I doubt you’ll find much difference ... You will find that we will vote together almost all the time.”

Perhaps it's a good thing Udall is holding off on announcing his intentions; it'll give Chávez the time he needs to decide whether Udall is a "great congressman" with an admirable voting record or an out-of-touch liberal.