House candidates distancing from Cowboys for Trump leader

Two U.S. House hopefuls in a Southern New Mexico race are distancing themselves from a Cowboys for Trump leader who said some Black athletes should “go back to Africa” as he faces mounting pressure to step down from his county commissioner’s seat.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Xochitl Torres Small said in a statement late Saturday that recent remarks by Couy Griffin were “another example of dangerous rhetoric” coming from someone who also is an Otero County commissioner.

“This type of divisiveness strikes at the heart of our New Mexican values. His comments should be condemned by all, and I call on Yvette Herrell to join me in denouncing them,” Torres Small said.

The campaign of Republican former state lawmaker Yvette Herrell sought to distance itself from Griffin’s remarks after Torres Small’s statement. “Yvette also disagrees with Commissioner Griffin’s comments,” Herrell campaign manager Michael Horanburg said.

Griffin was a strong supporter of Herrell during her GOP primary. He also took a photo with Torres Small after he delivered a glass of sand from then-White Sands National Monument for Christmas. The monument is now a national park.

Last week, Griffin faced criticism after he posted a Facebook Live video in which he said some Black NFL players should “go back to Africa” if they wanted to stand for “Lift Every Voice and Sing” — traditionally known as the Black national anthem — as a gesture of solidarity against racial injustice.

Griffin also offered to give people of color what he called a “101” lesson on racial identity and said anyone who does not identify as “American” first or opposes the Second Amendment right to bear arms should leave the U.S. or “go home.” Griffin said he used a poor choice of words in the video but said he was not a racist. He said after news of the video spread the reelection campaign of President Donald Trump told him it would be distancing itself from Cowboys for Trump.