Torres Small, Herrell agree to two televised debates

RIO RANCHO — Democratic U.S. Rep. Xochitl Torres Small and Republican challenger Yvette Herrell have agreed to at least two televised debates in a closely watched race in Southern New Mexico.

Torres Small and Herrell said this week they agreed to participate in a KOB-TV debate and another sponsored by KOAT-TV and the Albuquerque Journal.

Both say they’d like to add some more debates in the El Paso market, which is home to many residents in the southern part of the district.

The scheduled debates come two years after Torres Small defeated Herrell by less than 4,000 votes in 2018. But the two never faced off in a televised debate and Herrell, a former state lawmaker from Alamogordo, faced criticism for avoiding televised debates and focusing on conservative media appearances.

This time, however, Herrell immediately challenged Torres Small to debate shortly after winning her heated GOP primary in June.

This week, Herrell released her first television ad where she speaks in front of chili and oil fields to reintroduce herself to general election voters.

The tone is different from her Republican primary campaign where she emphasized her strong support for President Donald Trump and touted her endorsements from U.S. House Freedom Caucus members — some of the most conservative members of Congress who have refused to work with Democrats on many issues.

Torres Small has released a series of ads where she touts putting “politics aside” and working with Trump to pass a COVID-19 relief package.