Domenici Jr accuses Weh of 'dishonesty'

Republican gubernatorial candidate Pete Domenici Jr is accusing primary opponent Allen Weh of being "intellectually dishonest" after Weh distributed a news release to local bloggers - including ours -- using comments Domenici made about his chances of winning the general election this Fall.

“For him to have ripped out of context an innocent sentence was a half truth and reflects the same type of dishonesty we are trying to rid Santa Fe of,” Domenici said during a three-way call with NMPolitics.net Publisher Heath Haussamen and us.

"His excerpt from the 770KKOB interview ended with my statement about how hard it will be for Republicans to win without the best candidate. The rest of my statement concluded with, I'm saying I can win, and I'm concerned with the perception that I'm hearing (from Allen Weh) that says any of them (the Republicans running) can beat Denish. I don't agree with that," Domenici clarified.

Here’s the original transcript of what Weh provided:

Villanucci: Are you the best person to win the general?

Domenici: The general is going to be an extremely difficult election. The perception out there that somehow any of the five candidates can and should win the general, I disagree with strongly.

Villanucci: Who can’t win?

Domenici: I don’t know if I want to say particular names of who can’t win.

Villanucci: You obviously have a feeling on that. You said that not all of you can win, so somebody can’t, and you think you can. So, who can’t?

Domenici: Actually, I would even include myself in the group that

can’t.

But a review of the full audio transcripts revealed the Domenici went on to say:

“Actually, I would even include myself in the group that can’t. I don’t think this is a sure thing by any stretch of the imagination. It is going to be extremely tough. So I, that’s why I don’t want to go in the negative. I’m saying I can win and I’m concerned with the perception I’m hearing that says any of these five can win. I don’t agree with that.”

Domenici goes even further in a news release distributed after the telephone call, and claims it is Allen Weh who "cannot win."

"He has alienated too many Republicans and voters across the board,” Domenici said in the news release.

All four Republican candidates will try to pick up pre-primary convention delegates at nearly a dozen county meetings this weekend. Domenici said he'll attend at least two - in Bernalillo and Sandoval Counties.