By Matt Grubs, NMiF Producer

A California-based Super PAC plans to pull a controversial campaign advertisement from New Mexico television stations. The ad, paid for by the Progressive Kick political action committee, criticizes candidate Michelle Lujan Grisham’s record as health secretary and, specifically, her management of the Fort Bayard medical center.

Joshua Grossman, founder of the Progressive Kick political action committee, told New Mexico in Focus Wednesday afternoon that the move has nothing to do with Lujan Grisham’s complaint to a local cable provider or the threat of a lawsuit.

Grossman says someone not affiliated with Eric Griego’s congressional campaign sent him a television ad that is substantially similar to the one produced and paid for by his group. Groups such as Progressive Kick are banned from communicating with or coordinating with candidate campaigns. The ad, shown below, is expected to run on Albuquerque television stations this week.

“Why spend our money if someone else is spending theirs to say the same thing?” Grossman asked.

As reported by Albuquerque Journal’s Jim Monteleone, the Lujan Grisham campaign sent a cease-and-desist letter to the Albuquerque offices of Comcast cable. Grossman’s group responded to the complaint, he says, and defended the ad.

Grossman says Progressive Kick still plans to run radio ads targeting the same issue and that airtime has already been bought. “If they haven’t started running today, they’ll be up tomorrow,” he said.

The Griego ad referenced by Grossman is below.

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