ALBUQUERQUE (AP) - About 100 New Mexico companies that contend President Bush is no friend of small business have established the first state chapter of a new national political advocacy group.

The group is  called Small Business for America and its founder and chief executive officer John Arensmeyer says it’s getting its start in New Mexico because the state has a lot of small businesses and is a battleground in the presidential election.

Arensmyer says New Mexico is the first official chapter.

The group, headquartered in Sausalito, California, calls itself nonpartisan, but most of its 25-member New Mexico steering committee members are Democrats.

Arensmeyer says the group has endorsed Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry.

 

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