ALBUQUERQUE—The Steve Pearce for Governor campaign released the following statement in response to Michelle Lujan Grisham's energy plan.

"The Lujan Grisham energy plan is a government mandate to raise taxes, drive up costs for consumers and businesses, bankrupt the state budget, crush our most vital industry and job creator, and further weaken New Mexico's education system.

"Just yesterday, Lujan Grisham proved again she is incapable of showing any leadership on energy issues as the only Democratic member of Congress to vote 'present' on a resolution on the impact of raising taxes on energy. Today, she is campaigning with a pro-carbon tax governor. As if that's not contradictory and bizarre enough she recently made the laughable claim to the Albuquerque Journal that she supports New Mexico's energy producers including oil and gas. So which is it?

"New Mexico voters deserve answers from their elected leaders on where they stand on raising new taxes on energy. Instead, Lujan Grisham gives them a partisan sleight of hand while planning job-killing regulations and an energy program certain to bankrupt the state.

"Steve Pearce has the experience and the plan to get New Mexico's economy moving. As Governor, he will pursue an all of the above energy policy rather than pick politically connected winners and losers like Solyndra. Given Lujan Grisham's long history of insider deals with her corrupt firm Delta Consulting, it is easy to imagine her administration doling out favors and taxpayer money to her cronies.

"In the race for Governor, Steve Pearce has the only plan to create jobs, grow and diversify our energy resources without government mandates and without cronyism, so that we can finally fix our economy and our schools," said Pearce for Governor campaign manager Paul Smith.

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