Barela now a 'Contender'

The National Republican Congressional Committee has advanced 1st Congressional Republican candidate Jon Barela to ’Contender’ status in its 2010 Young Guns program, a three-step program dedicated to electing open-seat and challenger GOP candidates nationwide.

“I’m proud of the work being done by our staff and volunteers, as we offer New Mexicans a clear alternative to the high-tax, high-spend status quo being offered by Martin Heinrich and Nancy Pelosi in Washington,” Barela said in a Monday news release. “I’m honored and excited to join the ‘Contender’ ranks in the NRCC Young Guns program.”

NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions said in a news release that Barela “has already proven that he will be a formidable candidate by meeting the Young Guns program’s rigorous goals and is well on his way to building a winning campaign that will put this seat back in the Republican column.”

“Jon is part of a strong and growing pool of candidates who are frustrated with the Democrat majority’s big-government ways and aren’t willing to stand by any longer,” Sessions said. “His campaign has put Martin Heinrich on notice that Americans are ready to turn the page on the failed experiment known as the Obama-Pelosi agenda.”

Former 2nd Congressional District Rep. Steve Pearce, who is trying to retake the seat from Democratic Rep. Harry Teague, was already listed as a contender in the NRCC program. Neither Republican 3rd Congressional District primary candidate, Tom Mullins nor Adam Kokesh, are in NRCC's program.

Last month, we caught up with Barela at an Albuquerque Tea Party sponsored candidate “Meet and Greet” event in Rio Rancho.

He told nearly 400 people, who attended the event, that “there is going to be a stark difference” between him and incumbent Democrat U.S. Rep. Martin Heinrich.



Recorded on January 16, 2009.