Political forum covers wide topic spectrum

Political candidates at a Sept. 18 forum hosted by the Tucumcari Convention Center frequently agreed on state and national issues but just as often diverged with their proposed approaches.

The two-hour forum, sponsored by the Greater Tucumcari Economic Development Corporation and the Coalition of Renewable Landowners Associations, allowed candidates to give brief statements and answer written questions from about 30 people.

Attending were:

n Jack Chatfield, a Republican from Mosquero, and Mark McDonald, a Democrat from Raton, running for the New Mexico House District 67 seat that encompasses much of northeast New Mexico, including Quay County.

n Gary Johnson, a Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate and a former governor of New Mexico. He’s running against Democratic incumbent Martin Heinrich and Republican Mick Rich, both who did not attend the forum.

n Martin Zamora, a Republican from Clovis for New Mexico House District 63, which encompasses Curry, De Baca and Guadalupe counties. His opponent is Democratic incumbent George Dodge Jr. of Santa Rosa, who did not attend.

n Jefferson Byrd, a Republican candidate from Tucumcari for New Mexico Public Regulation Commission District 2. His opponent is Democrat Kevin Sanders of Tucumcari, who did not attend.

n Patrick Lyons, a Republican and former state senator from Cuervo running for New Mexico Public Lands commissioner. His opponents are Democratic candidate Stephanie Garcia Richard and Libertarian candidate Michael Lucero, both who did not attend.

The general election is Nov. 6.

Pot legalization

A question on whether the candidates supported the legalization of marijuana drew the most divergent responses.

Chatfield simply answered: “No.”

Zamora also said “no” on recreational use, but said he was open to it for medical use.

McDonald said he favored legalizing it, although Colorado decriminalizing it has “shown a ton of potential and pitfalls.” He said marijuana may prove useful with opioid addiction, substance-abuse problems and treating seizures in children.

Johnson, an admitted recreational user of marijuana, said legalizing it in New Mexico will lead to 30,000 new jobs, and the most vibrant states in the U.S. have decriminalized it.

Citing himself as an example of recreational use, Johnson said: “I am not a felon. I am not a criminal. Marijuana is a lot safer than alcohol.”

Nuclear waste

Candidates were asked whether they favored high-yield radioactive waste being stored in the state. Nuclear waste remains a hot-button topic after a experimental nuclear-waste borehole planned in Quay County was abandoned last year when residents opposed it.

Byrd said nuclear waste “needs to be dealt with” but was reluctant to accept it in New Mexico because of transportation issues.

Chatfield, noting the borehole controversy last year, said, “I was a ‘no thank you’ on that” but acknowledged “it’s a problem we’ll have to deal with.”

Johnson said New Mexico needs to take a closer look at storing waste, noting it could boost its economy by $15 billion a year. He said many of the current casks used to store nuclear waste provide an option of recycling the material once such a viable solution is found.

Lyons noted a nuclear-waste disposal site in Carlsbad and added: “Let’s keep it down there.”

Zamora declined to take a stance, saying “I’m not an expert” and pledged to study the issue.

Bipartisanship

Candidates were asked whether they would “work across the aisle” and compromise to pass legislation.

Byrd said he’ll compromise, “but I don’t capitulate” — especially if it means raising taxes.

Chatfield said: “I won’t compromise, but I’ll find common ground,” noting most politicians favor more jobs and clean water and air.

McDonald cited his campaign’s “More in Common” slogan. He said his parents are Republican, while he’s a Democrat. “It’s up to communities to find more in common,” he said.

Johnson said while governor, he lamented how politicians “devolved” into two parties instead of working for the public good. “That’s why I’m a big believer in term limits,” he said.

Zamora responded: “Yes. ... It’s about respect for New Mexico.”

Lyons said: “We try to work with everybody, and that’s why we’re going to win the election.”

Education

When the candidates were asked how to stop the outflow of people from New Mexico, they said better training at the high-school level was an answer.

Chatfield said school districts need to focus more on job training.

McDonald agreed more technical training needs to be offered to students to don’t want to go to college, but such training must be beneficial to the local job market. He cited wind-energy training in eastern New Mexico as an example.

Zamora said New Mexico leaders need to make the state more attractive for education and jobs. “To me, it’s all about jobs in this state,” he said.

All the candidates agreed schoolteachers are underpaid.

McDonald said leaders need to take a harder look at the teacher-evaluation system so educators don’t worry about their ability to “teach to the test.”

Chatfield, a former school board member, said districts need to maintain local control and added: “What is important is to think out of the box.”

Zamora advocated for smaller class sizes and “more discipline.”

Johnson said New Mexico teachers rank in the top 10 nationally in compensation when retirement benefits are added. He said school choice is a way for teachers to increase their pay through innovation.

Eminent domain

The candidates expressed reluctance to use eminent domain to seize land for public projects. At least two used the word “cringe” while speaking about it.

But none seemed willing to ban it.

“It has its place,” McDonald said, “but we need to be responsible with it, as well.”

Lyons said he’d rather “negotiate it, not litigate it” when seizing land for public use.

Chatfield said eminent domain is “sometimes necessary” but was especially reluctant to use it for the benefit of corporations.

Byrd said “as a property owner, it makes you shudder.” But he acknowledged the use of eminent domain if it was “justifiable.”

Health care

Candidates were asked what they would do to improve accessibility to health care.

Several candidates expressed frustrations with the health-insurance industry and blamed the federal government.

Chatfield said private enterprise “does better” than the government.

McDonald, whose background includes health care, said improving accessibility “takes a variety of efforts,” and communities “need to step up to take ownership.”

Johnson advocated a free enterprise approach to health care.

“If we let the free market loose in health care, the results would be incomprehensible,” he said. He added many surgeries would cost a few thousand dollars instead of tens of thousands.

Federal debt

Johnson prompted the only applause from the audience when he was asked what to do about the nation’s rising debt. He said if were elected to the Senate, he would introduce legislation to reduce spending and balance the budget.

He said if interest rates return to historic norms, all discretionary spending in Washington would have to go to the federal budget’s interest payments. He called it an “impending crisis” and pledged to not be “a wallflower in Washington.”

Later, he observed New Mexico would have more power in Washington because he would be a “swing vote” in the Senate