Torres Small has fundraising lead over Herrell in race for Congress

LAS CRUCES - In the race to replace Steve Pearce as the representative for New Mexico’s Second Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, Democratic candidate Xochitl Torres Small has a significant fundraising advantage over her Republican opponent Yvette Herrell, according to postings on the Federal Election Commission website.

Torres Small finished the reporting period that ended June 30 with $495,980 cash on hand, according to the FEC filing. Herrell finished with $100,294 cash on hand.

The Torres Small campaign said it raised $615,000 in just the second quarter of 2018. For the six-month period of Jan. 1 to June 30, Torres Small raised $934,714 in total receipts (anything of value) and $901,668 in total contributions.

The campaign listed $438,734 in spending during the six-month period, leaving $495,980 cash on hand, with $6,330 in debts and loans owed.

The report for Herrell lists $522,357 in total receipts and contributions. She lists $422,063 in total spending for the year, leaving the campaign with $100,294 in cash on hand and no debt.

A large number of the contributions to Torres Small are listed as coming from ActBlue, a nonprofit established in 2004 to help progressive political candidates raise money over the internet.

Individual donations also included Zuni Tribe ($2,700) and Sandia Pueblo ($1,000), as well as Las Cruces City Council member Jack Eakman ($250), former council member Sharon Thomas ($500) and state Rep. Nathan Small ($500), the candidate’s husband.

Several progressive political action committees and labor unions had contributions to Torres Small of $5,000.

Herrell received $5,000 donations from the House Freedom Fund, Value in Electing Women PAC and Lifepoint Health Inc. PAC.

Other individual contributions for Herrell included $250 from Rawson Building Supply, $450 from Royal Jones and $500 from the campaign of former Rep. Terry McMillan.

The war chests for both campaigns are dwarfed by that of the man they are seeking to replace. Including his three PACs — People for Pearce, Friends of Steve Pearce and Pearce For Senate — Pearce has $5.6 million in cash on hand.

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Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver had originally ruled that funds raised by Pearce during his tenure in Congress could not be used in his current campaign for governor, where he is running against fellow Congressperson Michelle Lujan Grisham. That decision was later overturned by the courts.

FEC reports show that Lujan Grisham has just $8,281 in cash on hand.