The Democratic candidate challenging New Mexico House Rep. Marian Matthews (D-Albuquerque) for the District 27 seat has filed an ethics complaint alleging Matthews failed to disclose that she paid for campaign text messages to prospective voters in the district.
Abby Foster, an attorney seeking the Democratic nomination in the upcoming June 2 primary, said Matthews broke state campaign finance laws when she sent residents in Albuquerque’s Northeast Heights a text message on Saturday urging them to head to the polls amid expanded early voting.
The text message touts Matthews’ efforts as a legislator to address the statewide doctor shortage through the use of interstate medical compacts and notes Matthews intends to introduce similar legislation if re-elected. “I hope you’ll go vote and I appreciate your support,” the text concludes.
The text message does not detail who paid for the advertisement, Foster notes. State law requires such disclaimers on “advertisements that are disseminated by a candidate.”
In a news release, Foster called the text message a clear violation of state law and accused Matthews of “keeping important information from HD27 voters.”
“I’m not angry with Matthews, just continually disappointed,” Foster said in the statement.
Foster’s campaign filed a complaint with the New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office on Monday and said it is requesting an “expedited” investigation, given that only two weeks remain before the June 2 primary.
Eli Il Yong Lee, Matthews’ campaign manager, acknowledged in a statement to Source NM that the campaign forgot the “Paid for by” portion of the text message, but he said any suggestion that the campaign tried to deceive voters is “laughable.”
“The text message starts with, ‘Hi, this is Representative Marian Matthews’ and the image features her photograph and campaign logo,” he said. “We’d much prefer if Marian’s opponent stuck to the issues like healthcare access, rather than engaging in gotcha politics and mindless attacks.”
Lindsey Bachman, director of Communications, Legislative and Executive Affairs for the Secretary of State’s Office, told Source NM in an email Tuesday that the office had received the complaint and is “making a determination as to the appropriate next steps.”
Foster and Matthews are competing in the Democratic primary. The House District 27 seat also features a Republican primary race between Jahnelle Garcia and Robert “Bob” Godshall.
Source NM reporter Danielle Prokop contributed to this article.
