Congressman Pearce campaigning for governor's seat

ALAMOGORDO – With the primary election on the horizon, June 5, U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce is hitting the road campaigning for his run as governor of New Mexico.

Pearce is the sole Republican candidate for governor, with a crowded field contending for the Democratic nomination that includes U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham of Albuquerque.

Term-limited incumbent Republican Gov. Susana Martinez will leave office at the end of 2018.

Pearce said he met with local businesses, officials and constituents while visiting Alamogordo to spread the word of his run for governor.

Pearce was born in 1947 to a large working-class family and was raised in Hobbs, New Mexico.

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Pearce said his family struggled financially but said his upbringing makes it easy for him to relate to the hardworking people of New Mexico.

He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in economics from New Mexico State University and received a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Eastern New Mexico University.

As a Vietnam War veteran, Pearce said he understands the hardships military men and women go through. He said he will continue to support the U.S. Armed Forces.

According to Pearce’s official website, in 1996, Pearce was elected to the New Mexico House of Representatives, where he served until 2000. During this time, he was elected as Caucus Chair and served on the Appropriations Committee. He was widely recognized for his work in economic development, in which he applied the commonsense principles he had gained as a small-business owner.

In 2002, Pearce was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served until 2009. Pearce continues a lifetime of service as New Mexico’s only conservative voice in Washington. He was appointed by his peers to serve on the House Committee on Financial Services and the House Committee on Natural Resources. He also continues to serve as chairman emeritus of the Congressional Western Caucus, according to Pearce’s website.

He said he believes he is the only candidate with the experience to be governor of New Mexico.

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“I served in the state legislature and I’ve been a business owner creating jobs. I then served in the federal legislature,” Pearce said. “I’m really the only one that has the depth of background in my opinion to take care of the many problems that we’re facing.”

If elected, Pearce said he has a plan to improve the state of New Mexico that includes four basic areas; the economy, education, poverty and crime.

“New Mexico has really unique potential but no one is out there activating it. I want to get out there and make it happen. That’s it in a nutshell, I’m right for the future of this state. I have the background to do it and I felt like I had a moral obligation to run for it,” Pearce said. “There are four things I think that have to occur simultaneously. One is to grow and expand the economy, fix education – I want to attack poverty and crime. We can’t continue on the path that we’re on in the state with the crime that we have.”

When it comes to creating jobs and the economy of New Mexico, Pearce said southern New Mexico has tremendous potential.

“When it comes to growing the economy, look at it here, southern New Mexico has some of the most dramatic potential in the state,” he said. “We’re trying to get more aircraft out at Holloman that will create more jobs. On the offside, I was at the test facility three weeks ago, to discuss dramatic expansion capability there. I’ve been talking to the Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson so Holloman can increase in size. Statewide, I see tremendous potential. People always talk about diversifying the economy but nothing ever happens.”

On education, Pearce wants to let teachers, teach.

“We want teachers today to be behaviorists, pastors, etc., but they weren’t trained to do that,” he said. “I want to put apprenticeship programs into every school district in the state that we can. This would be a prime area. You got a lot of jobs out in the base that with the right training people can have long term careers. Those jobs at the base generally have good benefits. These are important jobs and to use apprenticeship programs in our schools would be a key part of it.”

Pearce said his experience growing up not having a lot of money will make him the perfect candidate to help others in need.

“I grew up in desperate, poor circumstances but I watched our family grow out of it,” he said. “One of the key elements in Medicaid is if your able bodied, and don’t have kids it can help people get back on their feet and restore their dignity of being able to make their own way in life. That’s one of the most powerful human emotions to know I can do it on my own. So, let’s help people solve that. Many of these people have given up on people in poverty. I haven’t given up because I came exactly where they’re coming from.”

Pearce said his four basic platforms go hand-in-hand when it comes to making New Mexico a better state.

“Once we address the first three issues you’ll start to see crime decrease,” he said.

Looking back on his career as a congressman, Pearce said he believes his biggest accomplishment has been being a voice for the voiceless and defending his constituents.

“I think defending the constituents is the biggest thing I’ve accomplished. I didn’t go to Washington to fight the government, I’ve been the voice to stand up for everyday common folks,” Pearce said.

He said he is asking for New Mexicans to vote for him on election day because he will do his best to represent every New Mexican. He said he believes it’s his duty.

“I’m the only one that brings the heavy business background along with 20 years in policy both at the state legislative point of view and federal point of view,” Pearce said. “Out of my family, I’m the one who stayed. All of them left the state. I stayed here because I love this state and I wanted to raise a family here so they can keep their kids here. I want everyone to know that if I’m elected we can get the truck out of the ditch. It’s going to take hard work, but New Mexico is strong.”