It backed her opponent, Democrat Martin Heinrich, in 2010 House race
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Wilson, trailing Democratic U.S. Rep. Martin Heinrich in voter surveys,
said 10 percent of polls are reliable and the only one that matters is
the November election.
Heinrich tonight enters the first of four debates with Wilson, and he
said the strategy that lifted him in the polls will not change one bit.
“I’m going to keep talking about the things that matter. People trust me
to fight for Medicare and Social Security, to look out for working
people,” he said in an interview.
Heinrich has been hitting Wilson for the last several days for signing
the “cut, cap and balance pledge,” which she has described as a move
toward fiscal responsibility for the federal government. Heinrich,
though, said those taking the pledge would open the way for deep cuts —
as much as 25 percent — in Medicare and Social Security.
He has made protection of those programs a cornerstone of his campaign.
Heinrich also went on the offensive today regarding matters of judgment
and spending. His camp sent out a statement reminding voters that
Wilson, as a congresswoman, voted exactly 10 years ago for the war in
Iraq.
Heinrich’s organization even sent quotes from Wilson in 2002, when she
said that Iraq “possesses and is further developing weapons of mass
destruction” to use against America.
Wilson said she looked forward to her first debate with Heinrich in a
campaign that began in the winter of 2011, after 30-year incumbent Sen.
Jeff Bingaman abruptly announced that he would not run for re-election.
Wilson said she relished the opportunity to discuss issues face to face
with Heinrich. She said he had not accepted other opportunities for
joint appearances.
Heinrich, right, countered that he agreed with no hesitation to the four scheduled
debates, all sandwiched around his other campaign appearances across the
state. He said this was an ample number for voters to evaluate the
candidates.
For Wilson, a preeminent issue heading into the debate is how best to foster economic growth.
She served in Congress for 10 years before losing a U.S. Senate primary
in 2008. Sitting Republicans in the Senate have called Wilson the
candidate who would best protect the state’s labs and Air Force bases
during a time of likely cutbacks to tighten federal spending.
Wilson’s record in the House of Representatives led to a high-profile
victory for her today — the NRA endorsement. The NRA backed Heinrich in
2010 when he won re-election to his seat in the House of
Representatives.
NRA President David Keene traveled to Albuquerque to endorse Wilson at an Albuquerque
shooting range, where a few dozen of his organization’s members on
hand to support her.
Keene said choosing Wilson over Heinrich was an easy decision because of
her consistent support for Second Amendment rights. The tougher call,
Keene said, was backing Heinrich two years ago in his race against the
GOP’s Jon Barela.
Keene called Wilson "a hundred percenter" in protecting Second Amendment freedoms.
Heinrich’s spokeswoman, Whitney Potter, said he was a supporter of the very issues that Keene believes in.
“As a gun owner and avid sportsman, Martin is proud of his strong record
on defending our Second Amendment rights and has been a champion of
protecting the places where shooters and sportsmen can actually use
their firearms,” Potter said.
Her reference was to legislation called the Hunt Act, sponsored by
Heinrich. It would expand access to public lands for hunters and
fishermen.
Wilson received criticism in northern New Mexico after her campaign
knocked Heinrich’s bill as “a political ploy by environmentalists
cloaked as sportsmen to further their liberal agenda …”
The first debate
Democrat Martin Heinrich and Republican Heather Wilson will
debate from 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday on television station KRQE, News 13.
Dick Knipfing will moderate.
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