Las Cruces water attorney Xochitl Torres Small to seek seat being vacated by Pearce
LAS CRUCES - Xochitl Torres Small, of Las Cruces, has announced her candidacy for the open seat in New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District.
Torres Small, a water attorney and former staffer for Sen. Tom Udall, is a first-time candidate running to expand opportunities for New Mexico families, especially those in rural communities, according to a news release from her campaign.
“As the daughter of a teacher and a social worker in Las Cruces, I learned early the values of hard work and having your neighbor’s back — something that seems long forgotten in Washington today,” Torres Small said. “To solve our greatest problems, we need a new crop of leaders ready to bring New Mexicans of all backgrounds together to find common sense solutions. I’m running to expand opportunities for hardworking families and to strengthen our rural communities with better access to healthcare, broadband service and good-paying jobs.”
Torres Small is one of a host of Democratic candidates campaigning to fill the seat currently held by Republican Steve Pearce. Pearce is vacating the seat to run for New Mexico governor. Many Republicans have also announced their intentions to seek the seat.
On Wednesday, Ronald Fitzherbert, a Democrat from Las Cruces, announced he would be dropping out of the race and endorsing Torres Small.
“With the announcement of candidacy by Xochitl Torres Small I can finally feel good about withdrawing from the race," he said.
Torres Small enters the race with over a dozen other endorsements, including from mayors Ken Miyagishima of Las Cruces, and Diana Trujillo of Anthony; State Senators Bill Soules and Jeff Steinborn; State Representatives Doreen Gallegos, Rudy Martinez and Joanne Ferrary;former State Rep. J. Paul Taylor; Las Cruces City Councilor Gill Sorg and former Councilor Sherry Thomas; Grant County Commissioners Harry Browne and Alicia Edwards; as well as former Doña Ana Commission Chair Oscar Vasquez Butler, Pat Salazar of Milan and Merrie Lee Soules, the Democratic candidate for this Congressional seat in 2016.
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Torres Small has worked in the public, private and nonprofit sectors.
She previously served as a field representative for Udall, where she helped bring farmers, conservationists, and communities together to protect New Mexico’s water, the news release stated. She also worked with teachers, college instructors, and business leaders to create better job opportunities for local graduates.
After that, Torres Small clerked in New Mexico for Robert C. Brack, a federal judge with one of the heaviest criminal dockets in the country. There, Torres Small saw the personal costs and the financial burden the nation bears because of a broken immigration system. the news release stated.
Torres-Small graduated cum laude from Georgetown University and received her law degree from the University of New Mexico Law School. She's worked in private practice in Las Cruces, where she’s carved out an expertise in water, according to the news release.
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She currently sits on the board of directors for Mountain View Market Co+op and La Semilla Food Center, and is a member of the Public School Capital Outlay Oversight Task Force. She lives in Las Cruces with her husband Nathan Small, a state representative.
To learn more, visit www.XochforCongress.com, facebook.com/XochitlforCongress and on Twitter @XochforCongress.