SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A political fund for environmental conservation causes in New Mexico plans to devote $500,000 to highlighting financial ties between Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Pearce's and the oil and natural gas industries, starting with local television ads this week.

Conservation Voters New Mexico Executive Director Demis Foster said the ads — including social media outreach — take aim at Pearce for accepting campaign donations from the oil and gas sector while siding with the industry in Congress over concerns about public health and environmental pollution.

The publici...