RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) - The first major debate among GOP hopefuls in a crucial U.S. House race in New Mexico had a noticeable absence - a Republican who skipped debates in 2018 and lost the seat.
Former state lawmaker Yvette Herrell declined Thursday to participate in the debate with two of her opponents on KIVA in Albuquerque. It was the first radio debate in an increasingly nasty Republican primary fight.
The winner of the primary gets to challenge Democratic U.S. Rep. Xochitl Torres Small of Las Cruces.
In a statement, Herrel said she skipped the debate because host Eddy Aragon had “endorsed against her.”
Aragon said he had endorsed oil executive Claire Chase in the race - and makes endorsements in many GOP primary contests - but always allows candidates equal time on the station.
Las Cruces businessman Chris Mathys also is vying for the GOP nomination and participated in the debate with Chase.
Herrell lost to Torres Small in 2018 by less than 3,000 votes. She faced criticism for refusing to participate in televised debates.
The Herrell campaign said she would participate in a KRWG TV/FM debate Tuesday and much smaller events hosted by county Republican groups with no journalists. Her campaign had previously challenged opponents to three television and three radio debates.
The first debate came days after The Associated Press reported that Herrell exchanged text messages with a conservative provocateur cartoonist seeking to create a meme about Chase’s first marriage. Retired U.S. Marine Jared Richardson also told The AP that Herrell had called him to spread false rumors about Chase’s first marriage.
Herrell denied she was spreading rumors about the topic.
Her opponents said they weren’t surprised that Herrell avoided the first debate.
“This is how Yvette Herrell ran her campaign when she lost to Torres Small,” Mathys said. “The voters of southern New Mexico deserve to hear directly from the candidates who wish to represent them.”
Chase campaign manager Mike Berg said Herrell is afraid to answer direct questions about her previous tepid support of President Donald Trump and her connection to the cartoonist.
“Yvette Herrell is continuing her pattern of ducking debates, just like when she lost in 2018,” Berg said.
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