In a short and fiery second debate Monday, state Sen. Richard Romero and U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson stepped up their attacks against each other.
The Rotary Club of Albuquerque hosted the 30-minute debate at the Sheraton Old Town. Wilson, a Republican, and Romero, a Democrat, are campaigning for New Mexico's 1st Congressional District seat.
In her opening remarks, Wilson said Romero's campaign advertisements "took American politics to a new low" by linking her to Osama bin Laden.
"Let me tell you something, Richard," Wilson said, turning toward Romero, her voice shaking. "The war on terrorism isn't a joke, and this isn't a part-time job."
Wilson said a plan Romero supports that requires the inspection of all cargo entering the United States would endanger Americans.
"It makes all the sense in the world to screen cargo on all of our airliners," Romero said.
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Romero criticized the Bush administration and Wilson for the decision to invade Iraq, the federal deficit and job loss.
Romero said despite the law's good intentions, the No Child Left Behind Act has failed because the Bush administration has underfunded it.
Wilson said the law, which President Bush enacted in his first year in office, is beginning to work.
She said the first year resulted in a 5 percent increase in reading achievement and a 7 percent increase in mathematics achievement in the 50 largest U.S. school districts.
Romero contrasted the fiscal policies of Wilson and Bush with what he said were his achievements in the Legislature, including 12 consecutive balanced budgets, repeal of the gross receipts tax on food and medical services, and a middle class personal income tax cut.
"All of these tax cuts have helped create jobs in New Mexico," he said. "The rest of the nation has seen a net job loss since George Bush has taken over as president."
Asked what strategies the United States should pursue in Iraq, Wilson stressed support for the interim Iraqi government headed by Ayad Allawi and the gradual turnover of security authority to Iraqis. She said she disagrees with Romero's statements on a radio program Thursday that the United States should send more troops to Iraq or "buy more allies."
Wilson said Romero is running a negative campaign.
"We can't afford dead weight on the back bench throwing bombs," she said.
Romero said more American troops are needed to stabilize Iraq, which is rife with violence and insecurity as a result of Bush's policies.
"She blindly follows the administration - 91 percent of the time - on anything," he said. "George Bush, Tom Delay and Carl Rove tell her what to do. We need to get Halliburton out of there and give those French and German companies part of the money that they're making there. That's how you buy them."
Wilson said she was "absolutely shocked" Romero would "buy the French" as an ally.
"Is that the kind of foreign policy we need?" she said.
EJ Walton, audience member, said Wilson clearly won the debate, but her remark about Romero throwing bombs was a cheap shot.
"He took a few at her too," Walton said. "Maybe it leveled the playing field a little bit."
Wilson challenged Romero to a debate on national security and homeland security. She said the New Mexico Press Association agreed to host the debate.
She said she wanted to go one-on-one with Romero, with no notes and no press secretaries.
