On Thursday, the Albuquerque Journal held a debate between Lt. Gov. candidates Republican Sen. David Gallegos (R-Eunice) and Democratic Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard. It’s the closest thing voters will get to a gubernatorial debate after the Haaland campaign decided to suspend debate talks after months of back-and-forth.
The debate covered a swath of issues, but the main undercurrent was the economy and its weight on New Mexicans.
Gallegos said one issue that was a high priority for him was the exodus of younger New Mexicans leaving rural communities for other opportunities. He said, if elected, he would go out to rural communities and talk to business owners to help these local economies.
“[To] see what kind of red tape we can pull back,” Gallegos said. “Where we could help them to increase their ability to hire people and to grow their business.”
Gallegos said he trusts the experience of his running mate, former Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull, with helping small businesses and improving local economies.
“If we could mimic Rio Rancho anywhere in the state, we win,” Gallegos said.
Garcia Richard said she and her running mate, Deb Haaland, would focus on regulating rent and expanding government assistance.
“So, we are being squeezed here in New Mexico, New Mexican families, by the actions coming out of Washington,” Garcia Richard said.
When the topic of government assistance came up, Garcia Richard, who said she was once on Medicaid and WIC, said that she and Haaland are committed to supporting assistance, like funds for Medicare and Medicaid.
“If we can't provide healthcare for our residents, what are we doing?” Garcia Richard said. “If New Mexicans lose their healthcare coverage, they will end up in the emergency room, which actually is going to raise healthcare prices for all the rest of us.”
When they weren’t stumping for their own policies, candidates tried to tie the other to contentious politics.
Garcia Richard tried to link the Hull-Gallegos campaign to the Trump Administration, saying they “rubberstamped” trade tariffs and the war in Iran. Gallegos in response said he was not involved in politics at the federal level.
In an attempt to associate Garcia Richard with left-wing politics, Gallegos brought up Emerge New Mexico, a program that he claimed puts “socialist Democrats” into office. Garcia Richard said the program’s purpose was to increase the number of women in state government.
Despite their stark differences, the two candidates did align on some issues, like forest management to preemptively prevent fires and decrease their severity. They also agreed on diversifying energy options for the state. Gallegos wants more research on hydrogen, while Richard embraced geothermal energy.
More debates are booked for other races, like the debate between the 1st congressional candidates Melanie Stansbury and Didi Okpereke slated for October 13th on KOB.
