Former Rep. Yvette Herrell’s (R-N.M.) campaign is running an ad featuring an Albuquerque small business owner praising her plan to bring down inflation. That same small business owner, Candace Baca, posted 9/11 conspiracy memes on Facebook last week.
On Baca’s public Facebook page, where she promotes her cattle ranch business, Baca recently suggested that the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks were staged.
“If you don’t know the truth about 9/11 by now, you probably still drink tap water,” Baca posted on Sept. 11, the 23rd anniversary of the al-Qaeda attack.
“100% of people who think jet fuel melts steel beams are vaccinated,” Baca wrote on the same day.
Herrell is challenging Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) in the state’s toss-up 2nd District.
The Herrell campaign ad is running in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe media market and the El Paso media market. In the 30-second spot, Baca speaks direct-to-camera about how “politicians make it tough for family businesses like mine to stay open.”
“Costs are skyrocketing and Gabe Vasquez is not helping,” Baca says. “We need someone who has our best interests at heart and that’s Yvette Herrell. Our jobs and wallets are safe with Yvette.”
Herrell spokesperson Casey Conlee said in a statement that “These posts were made after the ad was recorded and are clearly not reflective of Yvette Herrell’s views whatsoever – anyone who says otherwise is playing political games.”
The Herrell campaign didn’t respond when we followed up by asking if they would pull the ad from the air.
Baca didn’t return a request for comment.
