Forty women stood on stage with Sen. John Kerry on Sunday night.
"I was like 5 feet away," said pilot Cindy Aspden. "That was pretty amazing."
Ruben Pulido, spokesman for the Kerry campaign, said different groups of people get the chance to stand with the senator each time he's in the state.
Aspden said although she did not get to shake the senator's hand, he was a phenomenal speaker who isn't wishy-washy when it comes to addressing the issues.
Kerry, the Democratic presidential candidate, visited Santa Fe this morning and will remain in New Mexico to prepare for Wednesday's presidential debate.
He said he will take the inspiration from New Mexico into that debate.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
The focus of his visit to Eclipse Aviation was choices.
He said those choices affect everything in American lives.
"It's about presidential judgment," Kerry said. "It's about who you're fighting for."
Instead of lowering the cost of health care, Kerry said this president chose to side with drug companies. When he could have helped kids in after-school programs, he said President Bush decided to give a tax cut to the wealthy.
"What else has he (Bush) done to ruin my life?" Aspden said.
The cut in overtime pay is a problem she said doesn't demonstrate President Bush's desire to help the middle class.
Kerry said he is all about helping the middle class and creating jobs.
About 800 people showed up for the event.
Kerry has visited New Mexico eight times, but he said according to Vice President Dick Cheney, he has never been in the state.
"It's coming down to the last hours, and I'm here in New Mexico," Kerry said. "George Bush is still in the state of denial"
New Mexico has five electoral votes in the presidential race. Kerry said the state of denial has none.
"I like my chances," he said.
The senator spoke to the crowd for about 20 minutes. In attendance were Lt. Gov. Diane Denish, Sen. Richard Romero and Congressman Gregory Meeks.
Kerry said the politicians are "a bunch of people who are smart and know how to deliver."
With voting underway, Kerry offered a challenge to New Mexicans - to get as many people to vote for him as possible.
"We're going to trust you, because I trust the American people," he said.
For whoever gets the most people to vote, he said they will receive a personal invitation to the inauguration ceremony.
Aspden said she tells people the same things, to get out there and vote for Kerry or at least vote for the issues.
She said one of the things that would affect her as a pilot would be domestic cabotage, which would allow foreign airlines to fly in the United States.
"If domestic cabotage goes through, Americans will be losing decent jobs," she said. "Then we'll have a more insecure airline industry."
Kerry said he would take each ounce of energy from New Mexico during his stay to help take back the country.
He said if New Mexicans helped him become president on Nov. 2, he would make America safer, fund after-school programs, create jobs in America and restore America's role in the world.
"I will have your back," he said.
