Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center
Gary Smith
Northern New Mexico is abuzz with the strange story of a suspected tire-slashing politician.
Republican Gary Smith was a failed primary candidate for New Mexico's 1st Congressional District. He has been arrested twice and is alleged to have slashed dozens of tires of his Republican opponent, his former campaign manager and others connected to the GOP.
Smith, 65, was arrested on Dec. 28 in Albuquerque and charged with criminal damage to property after surveillance video showed a man puncturing tires at the home of Republican Janice Arnold-Jones.
He was arrested again on Jan. 2 on charges of aggravated stalking after additional surveillance video showed a man matching Smith's description near Arnold-Jones' home.
Arnold-Jones and Smith were both candidates in the Republican primary for the 1st District seat in 2012. In April, a judge ruled Smith