Dem super PAC pushes ‘weaker’ of 2 GOP candidates in race against Torres Small

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico — A Democratic-leaning super PAC is jumping into the southern New Mexico contested GOP U.S. House primary and running commercials in support of a President Donald Trump ally that Democrats believe they can defeat in November.

Patriot Majority PAC began airing television commercials recently attacking oil executive Claire Chase for previous critical social media posts about Trump while praising former state lawmaker Yvette Herrell for supporting Trump's border wall. The ad urges Republican voters to "make a better choice."

Republicans are calling on that political action committee to pull the ads that seek to favor the one GOP candidate over another.

Herrell said she agrees with 125 Republicans who signed a letter and asked her to denounce the commercials by the Patriot Majority.

Critics say Democrats want Chase to lose in the GOP primary because she'd be a tougher candidate against Democratic U.S. Rep. Xochitl Torres Small in the general election to represent New Mexico's southern district. 

Herrell lost to Torres Small in 2018 by fewer than 3,000 votes.