Pearce On The Air In New Mexico

Republican Rep. Steve Pearce will go up on the air this weekend with the first radio ad of his campaign for the Senate, pitching himself as the "consistent conservative" in a primary battle with his House colleague Heather Wilson.

The ad coincides with the congressman's statewide tour over the weekend, according to a campaign spokeswoman, and will air in multiple New Mexico media markets.

"We need consistent conservative leadership in Washington," Pearce says in the ad, according to a script provided by his spokeswoman. "Leadership guided not by the latest opinion polls, but by core conservative New Mexico values."

In the ad, Pearce argues he has worked to limit government spending, lowered taxes and cracked down on illegal immigrants. He also argues that he has opposed "big government schemes which promised socialized medicine, even for illegal aliens, at taxpayer expense."

This latter line seems like a swipe at Wilson, an often outspoken moderate who has sparred with the White House on occasion and backs contentious legislation before Congress to expand a popular state-run children's health care program. Pearce has voted consistently against the bill.

The two House Republicans are running to replace retiring GOP Sen. Pete V. Domenici.