GOP Blasts Teague on Cap-and-Trade Bill

July 1, 2009

Rep. Harry Teague probably saw it coming, but the national and state Republican parties are hammering him for supporting a sweeping House energy bill last week.

The National Republican Campaign Committee today began using robocalls and radio ads in southern New Mexico to call attention to Teague’s vote in support of the bill, which includes a cap-and-trade system of reducing greenhouse gases.

Republicans are calling it “cap-and-tax.” Part of the reason Teague said he voted for the bill was because it included concession s for small New Mexico refineries and rural electric co-ops.

Here’s the content of the NRCC robocall:
“Your Congressman, Harry Teague voted this past Friday for a huge national energy tax – a tax on natural gas and electricity that will hit every American family and small business. The Wall Street Journal said this tax “will likely be the largest tax in American history.” A tax that will move more American jobs overseas while unemployment continues to rise. Even Democratic Congressman John Dingell called this bill “a tax and a great big one.” A tax Warren Buffett calls “huge – regressive” forcing “many poor people to pay a lot more for electricity.

Call Harry Teague now at 575-393-0510. Let him know that his vote on the Nancy Pelosi National Energy Tax is a vote against American families.”
The state Republican Party – and former 2nd District Rep. Steve Pearce – also weighed in with a press release today.
“After only six months in Washington, Congressman Teague has demonstrated that he has become a San Francisco Democrat,” said NM GOP chairman Harvey Yates Jr. in a statement. “He is more closely aligned with Nancy Pelosi than he is with the people of New Mexico.”

Pearce called Teague’s vote “an insult to southern New Mexicans.”

Pearce has said he might challenge Teague in the 2010 race for the 1st District seat.
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