(Santa Fe New Mexican, The (KRT) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) May 26--Congressional candidate Benny Shendo Jr. took another stab Sunday at explaining his remarks about rival Ben Ray Lujan's sexuality, saying he plans to hold a meeting this week on gay-rights issues and wants to talk with the race's front-runner one-on-one.

But Lujan's camp said it has no interest in such a get-together. "I think in terms of Benny Shendo and all that stuff, we've already commented on that," Lujan spokesman Mark Nicastre said. "As far as what he's saying now, that's not something we're not going to comment on."

In a Sunday news release, Shendo's campaign said the fallout from his statements continues to create a broad range of reactions. "Even the most painful ones represent an opportunity for us all to grow, learn more about this important issue, struggle with new levels of understanding of the tolerance that is such a key part of the progressive platform, and for Benny to do what Benny does best -- bring people together from all sides of the issue with genuine respect to solve the common challenges we face," the release says. "Therefore, Benny will be convening a meeting this coming week with exactly that intent."

The release doesn't provide a time or place for the meeting, and efforts to reach Shendo for follow-up questions Sunday were unsuccessful.

The e-mail also takes a fresh shot at Lujan, saying that of the reaction Shendo has received, "The vast majority applauded Benny for having the courage to stand up and point out yet another example of the hypocrisy and dishonesty of the Lujan political machine."

The e-mail also takes aim at fellow 3rd Congressional District candidate Don Wiviott. "The Lujan campaign did all it could to stir up anger and hate, fanning the flames of anti-gay v. gay-rights resentments," it says. "Donald Wiviott joined the fray and, instead of calling for progressive dialogue, he personally added fuel to the flames with incendiary remarks. Then his campaign used it as an opportunity to send out a fundraising e-mail."

The race has six Democratic candidates, and a new Albuquerque Journal poll showed Lujan leading with 29 percent, followed by Wiviott with 23 percent and Santa Fe County Commissioner Harry Montoya with 7 percent. In fourth place, Shendo has 5 percent, while a third of voters polled remained undecided.

The news release also says Shendo continues to receive backing from the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender community, although in an interview last week, Shendo declined to say who supports his statements.

Shendo also has yet to show corroboration for his claim that Lujan is living a closeted homosexual "lifestyle," an assertion he first made at a candidate forum in Farmington last week. Lujan has called the assertions false and said he is not gay.

On Friday's In Focus on KNME-TV Channel 5, interviewer David Alire Garcia asked Shendo, "Who appointed you the sexual-orientation police in this campaign?"

Shendo responded, "The question that I was really posing is about honesty and I believe I've addressed that, at least from my perspective, in a written statement, and that's were I want to leave it at this time."

Alire Garcia then asked Shendo if he regretted his Farmington statements. "There's a lot more to it, and I think I believe that as time goes on, hopefully we can come to the bottom of this," Shendo said.

Primary voters go to the polls June 3.

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