Trump officially endorses Herrell in close southern New Mexico race against Torres Small
LAS CRUCES, New Mexico — President Donald Trump is throwing his support behind Republican challenger Yvette Herrell in a crucial Congressional race in southern New Mexico.
The president tweeted that Herrell had his “complete and total endorsement” and pointed to her support over border security, “brave law enforcement,” and the Second Amendment.
The endorsement comes as Herrell is seeking to unseat Democratic U.S. Rep. Xochitl Torres Small in the traditionally conservative-leaning district that sits along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Torres Small defeated Herrell in 2018 by less than 4,000 votes. She is among the most vulnerable Democrats in Congress.
Both candidates have released ads to show that she will work with members of the other party.
The district, one of the poorest and with one of the highest percentage of Hispanic residents in the country, has been hit hard with the economic downturn and the pandemic. Yet gun rights are expected to play a factor in this traditionally Republican-leaning, sprawling district that stretches from the lucrative oil region of the Permian Basin to the U.S.-Mexico border.
Herrell spent a portion of the week touring New Mexico in what was billed as a "Women for Trump" bus tour that included stops in Las Cruces and Albuquerque as well as Carlsbad, Hobbs, Artesia and Roswell.
“We are seeing such enthusiasm for President Trump, so to be on a bus like this and to be able to engage with voters and get them excited for the upcoming election, I couldn’t be more excited to part of the whole team,” Herrell said.
At the bus tour rallies, only small numbers of people wore masks as people often gathered shoulder-to-shoulder.
New Mexico Democratic Party Chairman Marg Elliston called it irresponsible and dangerous to hold such events without encouraging masks and social distancing.
Trump is confronting push-back from state and local officials worried that his campaign rallies are routinely flouting public health guidelines.
