ELECTIONS

Otero County voters meet local, state candidates

Jacqueline Devine
Alamogordo Daily News
New Mexico Secretary of State Republican candidate, Nora Espinoza discussed her campaign at the Otero County Conservatives meet and greet Thursday evening at the Historic Sands Theater.

ALAMOGORDO – Local and state candidates took the time to discuss their platform at a special Otero County Conservatives meeting Thursday evening at the Historic Sands Theater.

The meet and greet was a chance for candidates to persuade Otero County voters to go out and vote for them for the Nov. 8 general election.

Both Democrat and Republican candidates were invited to the special meeting to speak to voters.

Democrat Merrie Lee Soules, who is running for Congressional District 2 against Republican incumbent Rep. Steve Pearce made an appearance at the meet and greet along with New Mexico Secretary of State Republican candidate, Nora Espinoza, Sen. Ron Griggs, R-Dist. 34, Republican incumbent State Rep. Yvette Herrell, Democratic candidate Denise A. Lang who is also running for the District 51 seat against Herrell, Republican incumbent State Rep. James Townsend, R-Dist. 54, Independent candidate Freddie “Joe” Nichols III who is running for the District 54 seat against Townsend, Republican presumptive 12th Judicial District Attorney John Sugg, Democratic candidate Susan Wheatley who is running for the Otero County Magistrate Judge Division I seat, Republican presumptive County Commissioner of District 3 Lori Bies, Republican incumbent County Clerk Robyn Holmes, Democratic candidate Stephanie L. DuBois who is also running for the Otero County Clerk seat, Republican presumptive County Treasurer Laura Whiteside and Republican presumptive County Probate Judge Latanya Boyce.

Libertarian and Independent candidate Freddie "Joe" Nichols III is running for the District 54 seat against incumbent Rep. James Townsend.

Soules said she was very pleased to be able to attend and meet with voters as Election Day is right around the corner.

“I think it’s tremendously important that voters go and cast their vote and choose the direction of government and that they have the opportunity to hear from the candidates, this is the best way,” Soules said. “My opponent (Steve Pearce) has been in Washington for 12 long years, he is a political operator. He wasn’t here this evening, he was missing in action. I believe he has given up on us, on the people of Southern New Mexico. It’s time to get our government back to work. My heart is right here in Southern New Mexico.”

Herrell read a statement on behalf of Congressman Pearce as he was unable to attend the event due to a prior commitment.

Reading from Pearce's statement, Herrell said all of us are looking for government that is effective, efficient, and accountable to the people.

"I hold myself and my staff accountable to you here in New Mexico to uphold the principles you elected me to stand up for. I have proven I can work across party lines by my actions," Herrell read from Pearce's statement to the audience. "I repeatedly work with Democrats when they are right and oppose Republicans when they are wrong. I voted against a Republican Speaker of the House and have defied the Washington special interests. I oppose Democrats and Republicans when they spend too much."

According to Pearce's statement, Pearce opposed the Obama Administration when they ignored science.

"I voted for Obama’s law to reduce student loan rates for college," Herrell read from Pearce's statement. "I worked with Sens. Heinrich and Udall to bring Facebook to Los Lunas. I am currently working with them to bring two F-16 squadrons to Holloman Air Force Base, which will strengthen America’s security and help the local economy. I put New Mexico families first, so I will eagerly work with everyone to help our state."

Espinoza was also grateful to be able to attend the meeting and discussed Voter ID registration to those in the audience.

“These platforms are great because there are some people who don’t know you,” Espinoza said. “The majority of the people here support Voter ID. We must protect the system and the sanctity of each individual vote. It’s exciting to know that 75 percent of New Mexico supports this.”

A new face that came out to campaign was Libertarian Freddie “Joe” Nichols III of Artesia who is running as an Independent against Townsend for the District 54 seat.

“I have a long history in Southeast New Mexico, my family dates back to the early 1800s,” Nichols said. “I have a passion for restricting government and empowering people."

Democratic candidate Susan Wheatley who is running for the Otero County Magistrate Judge Division I seat discussed her qualifications for the magistrate judge seat at the Otero County Conservatives special meeting Thursday evening at the Historic Sands Theater.

Nichols said he enjoyed talking to the people to present the Libertarian message of keeping government small.

Sugg, for the first time, spoke about his first official duty as 12th Judicial District Attorney since he was appointed by Gov. Susana Martinez. His first official duty was attending Alamogordo Police Department fallen officer Clint Corvinus’s funeral.

“Unfortunately the first day in office was one of the saddest days of my life. It was Sept. 10 and I attended officer Clint Corvinus’s funeral,” Sugg said. “What was supposed to be a very joyous, celebratory day turned very tragic when he was gunned down.”

Sugg said he has been campaigning hard for his position for the past two years and is glad to be able to represent the people of Lincoln and Otero County.

Wheatley took the opportunity to speak of her candidacy and tell voters to choose the best possible candidate aside from their party affiliation.

“I believe that all of us are reasonable folks here in Otero County. I think we have more commonalities than differences between us. I think that we can discern who the best possible candidate is without looking at what alphabetical letter goes behind their name on the ballot,” Wheatley said. “I’ve been running now for four and a half months and as soon as I accepted my party’s nomination to be on the ballot I started visiting the Magistrate Court on a weekly basis. I did that to observe and educate myself. I’m an extreme underdog in this county but that’s just who I am and how I do things. I pledge to stud hard and work long hours if you vote for me.”

For information on early voting visit the Otero County Clerk’s Office, 1104 N. White Sands Blvd. Suite C or call 437-4942. More information can also be found on their website at http://co.otero.nm.us

For more information regarding the upcoming general election, visit the Secretary of State’s Office at http://sos.state.nm.us