Xochitl Torres Small

Xochitl Torres Small

Democratic Party

Prior offices

U.S. House New Mexico District 2

Successor: Yvette Herrell

Predecessor: Steve Pearce

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Elections and appointments

Last election

November 3, 2020

Personal

Profession

Attorney

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Campaign YouTube

Personal Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

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Xochitl Torres Small (Democratic Party) was a member of the U.S. House, representing New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2019. She left office on January 3, 2021.

Torres Small (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District. She lost in the general election on November 3, 2020.

Prior to her election to Congress, Torres Small was an attorney at Kemp Smith LLP, specializing in environmental law, healthcare, and litigation. She previously was a field representative for Senator Tom Udall (D). She also served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Robert Brack on the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico.

Committee assignments

U.S. House

2019-2020

Torres Small was assigned to the following committees:^[Source]

• Committee on Homeland Security
• House Committee on Armed Services

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Key votes

See also: Key votes

Ballotpedia monitors legislation that receives a vote and highlights the ones that we consider to be key to understanding where elected officials stand on the issues. To read more about how we identify key votes, click here.

Key votes: 116th Congress, 2019-2021

The 116th United States Congress began on January 9, 2019, and ended on January 3, 2021. At the start of the session, Democrats held the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives (235-200), and Republicans held the majority in the U.S. Senate (53-47). Donald Trump (R) was the president and Mike Pence (R) was the vice president. We identified the key votes below using Congress' top-viewed bills list and through marquee coverage of certain votes on Ballotpedia.

Key votes: 116th Congress, 2019-2021
Vote	Bill and description	Status
Yea	Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2020   The Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2020 (H.R. 1044) was a bill passed by the House of Representatives seeking to increase the cap on employment-based visas, establish certain rules governing such visas, and impose some additional requirements on employers hiring holders of such visas. The bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House to suspend the rules and pass the bill as amended.	Passed (365-65)
Nay	The Heroes Act   The HEROES Act (H.R. 6800) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to address the COVID-19 outbreak by providing $1,200 payments to individuals, extending and expanding the moratorium on some evictions and foreclosures, outlining requirements and establishing finding for contact tracing and COVID-19 testing, providing emergency supplemental appropriations to federal agencies for fiscal year 2020, and eliminating cost-sharing for COVID-19 treatments. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (208-199)
Yea	For the People Act of 2019   The For the People Act of 2019 (H.R.1) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to protect election security, revise rules on campaign funding, introduce new provisions related to ethics, establish independent, nonpartisan redistricting commissions, and establish new rules on the release of tax returns for presidential and vice presidential candidates. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (234-193)
Yea	CARES Act   The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (H.R. 748) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on March 27, 2020, that expanded benefits through the joint federal-state unemployment insurance program during the coronavirus pandemic. The legislation also included $1,200 payments to certain individuals, funding for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, and funds for businesses, hospitals, and state and local governments. This bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House.	Passed (419-6)
Yea	Equality Act   The Equality Act (H.R. 5) was a bill approved by the House Representatives that sought to ban discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity by expanding the definition of establishments that fall under public accomodation and prohibiting the denial of access to a shared facility that is in agreement with an indiviual's gender indenitity. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (236-173)
Yea	Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019   The Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019 (H.R. 8) was a bill approved by the House that sought to ban firearm transfers between private parties unless a licensed gun dealer, manufacturer, or importer first takes possession of the firearm to conduct a background check. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (240-190)
Yea	American Dream and Promise Act of 2019   The American Dream and Promise Act of 2019 (H.R.6) was a bill approved by the House Representatives that sought to protect certain immigrants from removal proceedings and provide a path to permanent resident status by establishing streamlined procedures for permanant residency and canceling removal proceedings against certain qualifed individuals. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (237-187)
Yea	National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020   The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (S. 1790) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on December 20, 2019, setting policies and appropriations for the Department of Defense. Key features of this bill include appropriations for research/development, procurement, military construction, and operation/maintenence, as well as policies for paid family leave, North Korea nuclear sanctions, limiting the use of criminal history in federal hiring and contracting, military housing privatization, and paid family leave for federal personnel. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (377-48)
Yea	Families First Coronavirus Response Act   The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R. 6201) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on March 18, 2020, addressing the COVID-19 pandemic by increasing access to unemployment benefits and food assistance, increasing funding for Medicaid, providing free testing for COVID-19, and requiring employers to provide paid sick time to employees who cannot work due to COVID-19. The bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House.	Passed (363-40)
Yea	Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019   The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act (H.R. 1994) was a bill passed by the House Representatives that sought to change the requirements for employer provided retirement plans, IRAs, and other tax-favored savings accounts by modfying the requirements for things such as loans, lifetime income options, required minimum distributions, the eligibility rules for certain long-term, part-time employees, and nondiscrimination rules. The bill also sought to treat taxable non-tuition fellowship and stipend payments as compensation for the purpose of an IRA, repeal the maximum age for traditional IRA contributions, increase penalties for failing to file tax returns, allow penalty-free withdrawals from retirement plans if a child is born or adopted, and expand the purposes for which qualified tuition programs may be used. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (417-3)
Yea	Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act   The Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act (H.R. 3) was a bill approved by the House Representatives that sought to address the price of healthcare by requiring the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to negotiate prices for certain drugs, requiring drug manufactures to issue rebates for certain drugs covered under Medicare, requiring drug price transparency from drug manufacturers, expanding Medicare coverage, and providing funds for certain public health programs. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (230-192)
Yea	Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020   The Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (H.R. 1865) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on December 20, 2019, providing appropriations for federal agencies in fiscal year 2020. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (297-120)
Yea	Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019   The Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019 (S. 1838) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump (R) on November 27, 2019, directing several federal departments to assess Hong Kong's unique treatment under U.S. law. Key features of the bill include directing the Department of State to report and certify annually to Congress as to whether Hong Kong is sufficiently autonomous from China to justify its unique treatment, and directing the Department of Commerce to report annually to Congress on China's efforts to use Hong Kong to evade U.S. export controls and sanctions. This bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House.	Passed (417-1)
Yea	MORE Act of 2020   The MORE Act of 2020 (H.R. 3884) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to decriminalize marijuana by removing marijuana as a scheduled controlled substance and eliminating criminal penalties for an individual who manufactures, distributes, or possesses marijuana. This bill required a simple majority vote from the House.	Passed (228-164)
Yea	Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020   The Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020 (H.R. 6074) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on March 6, 2020, providing emergency funding to federal agencies in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Key features of the bill include funding for vaccine research, small business loans, humanitarian assistance to affected foreign countries, emergency preparedness, and grants for public health agencies and organizations. This bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House to suspend the rules and pass the bill.	Passed (415-2)
Yea	Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019   The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 (H.J.Res. 31) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on February 15, 2019, providing approrations for Fiscal Year 2019. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (300 -128)
Yea	John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act   The John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (S. 47) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Doanld Trump on March 12, 2019. This bill sought to set provisions for federal land management and conservation by doing things such as conducting land exchanges and conveyances, establishing programs to respond to wildfires, and extending and reauthorizing wildlife conservation programs. This bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House.	Passed (363-62)
Yea	William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (On passage)   The William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (H.R. 6395) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and vetoed by President Donald Trump on December 23, 2020. Congress voted to override Trump's veto, and the bill became law on January 1, 2021. The bill set Department of Defense policies and appropriations for Fiscal Year 2021. Trump vetoed the bill due to disagreement with provisions related to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, the renaming of certain military installations, limits on emergency military construction fund usage, and limits on troop withdrawals. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House on passage, and a two-thirds majority vote in the House to override Trump's veto.	Passed (335-78)
Yea	William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Overcoming veto)   The William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (H.R. 6395) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and vetoed by President Donald Trump on December 23, 2020. Congress voted to override Trump's veto, and the bill became law on January 1, 2021. The bill set Department of Defense policies and appropriations for Fiscal Year 2021. Trump vetoed the bill due to disagreement with provisions related to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, the renaming of certain military installations, limits on emergency military construction fund usage, and limits on troop withdrawals. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House on passage, and a two-thirds majority vote in the House to override Trump's veto.	Passed (322-87)
Yea	Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019   The Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 (S.24) was a bill passed by the 116th Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on January 16, 2019, that requires federal employees who were furloughed or compelled to work during a lapse in government funding to be compensated for that time. The bill also required those employees to be compensated as soon as the lapse in funding ends, irregardless of official pay date. This bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House to suspend the rules and pass the bill.	Passed (411-7)
Yea	Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors. (Article 1)   The 2020 impeachment of Donald Trump (R) was a resolution before the 116th Congress to set forth two articles of impeachment saying that Trump abused his power and obstructed congress. The first article was related to allegations that Trump requested the Ukrainian government investigate former Vice President Joe Biden (D) and his son, Hunter Biden, in exchange for aid, and the second was related to Trump's response to the impeachment inquiry. The House of Representatives approved both articles of impeachment, and the Senate adjudged that Trump was not guilty of either charge. The articles of impeachment required a simple majority vote in the House.	Guilty (230-197)
Yea	Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors. (Article 2)   The 2020 impeachment of Donald Trump (R) was a resolution before the 116th Congress to set forth two articles of impeachment saying that Trump abused his power and obstructed congress. The first article was related to allegations that Trump requested the Ukrainian government investigate former Vice President Joe Biden (D) and his son, Hunter Biden, in exchange for aid, and the second was related to Trump's response to the impeachment inquiry. The House of Representatives approved both articles of impeachment, and the Senate adjudged that Trump was not guilty of either charge. The articles of impeachment required a simple majority vote in the House.	Guilty (229-198)

Elections

2020

See also: New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District election, 2020

New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District election, 2020 (June 2 Democratic primary)

New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District election, 2020 (June 2 Republican primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House New Mexico District 2

Yvette Herrell defeated incumbent Xochitl Torres Small and Steve Jones in the general election for U.S. House New Mexico District 2 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Yvette Herrell (R)	53.7	142,283
		Xochitl Torres Small (D)	46.3	122,546
		Steve Jones (Independent) (Write-in)	0.0	117

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 264,946
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Watch the Candidate Conversation for this race!

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House New Mexico District 2

Incumbent Xochitl Torres Small advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House New Mexico District 2 on June 2, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Xochitl Torres Small	100.0	48,095

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 48,095
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House New Mexico District 2

Yvette Herrell defeated Claire Chase and Chris Mathys in the Republican primary for U.S. House New Mexico District 2 on June 2, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Yvette Herrell	44.7	26,968
		Claire Chase	31.5	19,017
		Chris Mathys	23.8	14,378

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 60,363
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2018

See also: New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District election, 2018

See also: New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District election (June 5, 2018 Democratic primary)

See also: New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District election (June 5, 2018 Republican primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House New Mexico District 2

Xochitl Torres Small defeated Yvette Herrell in the general election for U.S. House New Mexico District 2 on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Xochitl Torres Small (D)	50.9	101,489
		Yvette Herrell (R)	49.1	97,767

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 199,256 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House New Mexico District 2

Xochitl Torres Small defeated Madeleine Hildebrandt in the Democratic primary for U.S. House New Mexico District 2 on June 5, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Xochitl Torres Small	72.6	25,395
		Madeleine Hildebrandt	27.4	9,577

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 34,972
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Angel Pena (D)
• David Alcon (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House New Mexico District 2

Yvette Herrell defeated Monty Newman, Gavin Clarkson, and Clayburn Griffin in the Republican primary for U.S. House New Mexico District 2 on June 5, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Yvette Herrell	49.0	16,023
		Monty Newman	32.0	10,474
		Gavin Clarkson	12.4	4,060
		Clayburn Griffin	6.6	2,143

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 32,700
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• John Volpato (R)

Campaign themes

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Xochitl Torres Small did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign website

Torres Small’s campaign website stated the following:

“	COVID-19 The most pressing issue facing New Mexico right now is the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact it has had on small businesses and communities across our state. It is critical that we’re finding ways to work together to stop the spread of COVID-19 while staying safe and healthy and supporting our small businesses and economy. In Congress, I’ve reached across the aisle to find those solutions, working with Democrats, Republicans, and President Trump to pass the CARES Act which provided Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for thousands of businesses across our state. And when those loans weren’t reaching our smallest small businesses fast enough, I called for increased transparency into the lending program to ensure that the businesses on New Mexico’s Main Streets were getting their fair share. I’ve also worked with Republicans to support our rural healthcare providers who are on the frontlines by fighting to ensure that they have enough testing, personal protective equipment (PPE), and supplies to effectively fight the spread of COVID-19. And through the passage of four relief packages, I’ve helped secure millions of dollars in relief funding for our rural hospitals giving them the support they needed to keep their doors open and to safely serve their community. There is still a long way to go in our battle against COVID-19, though, which is why I am keeping up the fight and advocating for policies that will allow us to recover faster. That starts with an infrastructure plan that puts Americans back to work helping to rebuild our roads and bridges and improving broadband and cell phone coverage in every corner of the country. It’s also why I’ve called for the creation of a task force that ensures our rural communities get their fair share and are not left behind in the COVID-19 recovery. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT We need to create an economic foundation that gives everyone a fair shot at the American Dream. For too long, we’ve had politicians in Washington who didn’t understand our local priorities. That is why in Congress, I stood up to my party and urged leadership to pass the United States Mexico Canada Agreement, an improvement on NAFTA negotiated by President Trump and Congressional leaders, that would help our state’s agricultural industry as well as its trade economy. It’s also why I’ve fought to protect our state’s energy industry from a complete ban on fracking because I know that if we stop fracking today we’ll have to close our schools tomorrow. It is critical for New Mexico’s future that we remain a net energy exporter. I have spent my career delivering for southern New Mexico. I fought to protect water for our farmers, to bring new funding and support to New Mexico State University—from STEM education to energy research—and to increase broadband throughout our rural communities. I also worked to protect our public lands because I know that our parks and public lands are not only what makes southern New Mexico so beautiful, but they also serve as a significant economic driver for our communities. I will continue to fight for living wages for hard working New Mexicans and work with stakeholders to provide incentives to attract businesses that offer good-paying jobs. I’ll support investment in 21st century infrastructure, from safe roads to broadband and cell phone service. I’ll find creative ways to streamline interaction with government agencies, so New Mexico businesses can operate as efficiently and effectively as possible. And I’ll continue to fight for funding for workforce training and development programs that connect K-12 students to local universities, education programs, and local businesses to prepare New Mexico’s students for the jobs of the future, right here at home. HEALTHCARE Everyone should have access to quality, affordable healtcare. I’ll always put southern New Mexicans first — and that’s exactly what I’ve done in Congress, taking on the pharmaceutical companies to lower the cost of prescription drugs, standing up for our veterans by working to fix the VA, and protecting and strengthening Medicare. We deserve an advocate who understands the unique healthcare needs of rural communities. I’m proud to have brought Democrats and Republicans together to introduce legislation to reduce the doctor shortage in rural America and improve telehealth services, because an expecting mother shouldn’t have to drive hours for every single prenatal appointment and veterans shouldn’t have to get on a bus in the middle of the night to get to a doctor’s appointment in Albuquerque the next day. And now, during this unprecedented time, it is critical that we provide support and relief to our rural hospitals that are on the frontline of this pandemic. That is why I’ve introduced bipartisan legislation that would ensure 20% of all healthcare relief funding goes to our rural providers. It’s also why I’ve fought to ensure that rural providers have the testing, PPE, and resources they need to keep their communities safe and defeat COVID-19. IMMIGRATION Our immigration system is broken—politicians use it as a talking point instead of trying to solve the problem. I’m working with everyone to fix that. That’s why I brought Democrats and Republicans together to work on legislation to provide more funding, tools and technology to border patrol agents, and am fighting to ensure all vehicles crossing the border are scanned to crack down on smugglers, drug dealers, and human traffickers. By using New Mexican ideas, we are creating solutions that will help keep our southern New Mexico communities safe. Having grown up and worked along the border, I also know that a fundamental part of our border security is a clear and moral immigration system. We need a border that is both strong and vibrant. That’s why I was proud to vote for bipartisan legislation that would provide a path to citizenship for DREAMers. It’s also why I introduced legislation to expand and streamline access to work visas that would support and grow our agricultural workforce. VETERANS Our veterans have sacrificed to serve this country and defend our freedom. It is our duty to honor veterans by providing them with the comprehensive services they were promised and deserve. I am fighting for a VA that is fully funded, fully staffed, and accessible to veterans wherever they are. That means making sure all veterans have more accessible transportation options available to them to VA clinics or their preferred healthcare provider through an integrated veteran’s healthcare system. It means that the VA is actively reaching out to veterans to ensure that they are getting the services they need and expanding its telehealth services, which I’ve co-sponsored legislation to do. It also means ensuring that veterans have access to the most up-to-date and effective treatments, including for mental health conditions like PTSD and depression. Mental health treatment must be a priority if we are to reduce the staggering number of veteran suicides which is why I introduced legislation that would help to better identify veterans at risk of suicide so that they can get the care they need. It is critical we provide better transition services to service members as they return to civilian life and their communities. Our veterans need to understand the resources that are available to them, and we need to provide a full suite of services, including actively connecting veterans to job opportunities and programs that combat homelessness. EDUCATION Quality education will allow us to break the cycle of poverty and enhance our communities. As a product of Las Cruces Public Schools and the daughter of a teacher and National Education Association member, I will always be a strong advocate for public education and will keep fighting to ensure that every student—regardless of income, location, or background—has access to an excellent education. In Congress, I’m working to level the playing field because in southern New Mexico we face some unique challenges in providing strong public education to our rural and diverse communities. These unique challenges need targeted solutions. That’s why I’ve worked to address critical physical and digital infrastructure needs in our public education system by supporting measures that would invest in new schools to replace outdated ones and build out our broadband network bridging the digital divide. It’s also why I’ve fought to protect mandatory funding for Hispanic serving institutions (HIS) as well as to broaden the applicability of Pell grants so that they can be used for vocational training programs. Moving forward, I’ll continue to work to advocate for more federal investments so states can increase pay for teachers and reduce class sizes so every child has the chance to learn. Finally, I’ll invest in early childhood education and work toward universal access to Pre-K for all New Mexican families.	”
—Xochitl Torres Small’s campaign website (2020)

2018

Campaign website

Small's campaign website stated the following:

Health Care

Everyone should have access to quality, affordable health care. I’m fed up with politicians in Washington playing games with our health care. I’ll always put southern New Mexicans first — that means taking on the pharmaceutical companies to lower the cost of prescription drugs, standing up for our veterans by working to fix the VA, and protecting and strengthening Medicare.

We need an advocate who understands the unique health care needs of rural communities. On the campaign trail, I met an expectant mother who drives hours for each of her prenatal appointments. She’ll have to make that same trip once she goes into labor. This isn’t right, and that’s why, in Congress, I’ll work across party lines to expand rural health care access by providing incentives for medical professionals to serve our rural communities.

Education

Quality education will allow us to break the cycle of poverty and enhance our communities. As a product of Las Cruces Public Schools and the daughter of a teacher and National Education Association member, I will be a strong advocate for public education and will fight to ensure that every student—regardless of income, location, or background—has access to an excellent education.

In Congress, I will work to level the playing field. In southern New Mexico, we have some unique challenges in providing strong public education to our rural and diverse communities. These unique challenges need targeted solutions. That’s why I’ll fight for increased funding for our public schools so that all students have access to the tools and technology they need to succeed in school and in life. I’ll work to increase funding for English language learning programs. I’ll advocate for better pay for teachers so we can retain and attract the best educators to guide our children, and I’ll push to reduce class sizes so every child has the chance to learn. Finally, I’ll invest in early childhood education and work toward universal access to Pre-K for all New Mexican families.

Economic Development

We need to create an economic foundation that gives everyone a fair shot at the American Dream. Politicians in Washington don’t understand our local priorities. I have spent my career delivering results for southern New Mexico. I fought to protect water for our farmers, to bring new funding and support to New Mexico State University—from STEM education to energy research—and to increase broadband throughout our rural communities. I also worked to protect our public lands because I know that our parks and public lands are not only what makes southern New Mexico so beautiful, but also serve as a significant economic driver for the community.

In Congress, I will fight for living wages for hard working New Mexicans and work with stakeholders to provide incentives to attract businesses that offer good-paying jobs. I’ll support investment in 21st century infrastructure, from safe roads to broadband and cell phone service. I’ll find creative ways to streamline interaction with government agencies so New Mexico businesses can operate as efficiently and effectively as possible. And I’ll continue to fight for funding for workforce training and development programs that connect K-12 students to local universities, education programs, and local businesses to prepare New Mexico’s students for the jobs of the future, right here at home.

Veterans

Our veterans have sacrificed to serve this country and defend our freedom. It is our duty to honor veterans by providing them with the comprehensive services they were promised and deserve. I am committed to fight for a VA that is fully funded, fully staffed, and accessible to veterans wherever they are. That means making sure all veterans have more accessible transportation options available to them to access VA clinics or their preferred healthcare provider through an integrated veteran‘s healthcare system, and that the VA is actively reaching out to veterans to ensure that they are getting the services they need. It also means ensuring that veterans have access to the most up-to-date and effective treatments, including for mental health conditions like PTSD and depression. Mental health treatment must be a priority if we are to reduce the staggering number of veteran suicides.

We also need to provide better transition services to service members as they return to civilian life and their communities. Our veterans need to understand the services that are available to them, and we need to provide a full suite of services, including actively connecting veterans to job opportunities and services that combat homelessness.

Campaign advertisements

The following is an example of an ad from Small's 2018 election campaign.

"Person Not the Party" - Torres Small ad released October 24, 2018

Noteworthy events

Decision to self-quarantine for coronavirus on March 20, 2020

See also: Government official, politician, and candidate deaths, diagnoses, and quarantines due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2021

On March 20, 2020, Torres Small announced a two-week self-quarantine after coming into contact with someone who later tested positive for coronavirus.

Coronavirus pandemic
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COVID-19, also known as coronavirus disease 2019, is the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The first confirmed case of the disease in the United States was announced on January 21, 2020. For more of Ballotpedia's coverage of the coronavirus impact on political and civic life, click here.

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Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by Steve Pearce (R)	U.S. House of Representatives - New Mexico District 2 2019-2021	Succeeded by Yvette Herrell (R)

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New Mexico's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Martin Heinrich (D)

Ben Luján (D)

Representatives

District 1

Melanie Ann Stansbury (D)

District 2

Gabriel Vasquez (D)

District 3

Teresa Leger Fernandez (D)

Democratic Party (5)