Lyons, Baca square off in Las Cruces

This is video of Lyons’ introductory remarks during Friday’s debate.

This is video of Baca’s introductory remarks during Friday’s debate.

Pat Lyons fired the first shot during a debate in Las Cruces between the two state land commissioner candidates Friday night, but after that, things remained fairly cordial.

Republican incumbent Lyons, during his opening remarks, said he received a grade of “A+” from the National Rifle Association, then pointed out that Democratic challenger Baca was the only statewide candidate to receive a grade of “F” from the organization.

Baca took time during an answer to a question to respond by listing the nine guns he owns.

“One of those is loaded right next to my bed,” Baca said, adding that the NRA gave him a low grade because of his opposition to concealed weapons.

About 110 people were present for the debate, held during the 19^th annual banquet of the Southwest Consolidated Sportsmen. Unlike some other candidates, the two engaged in a real debate that included unscripted questions from those who attended the event.

The campaign has been a nasty one. Baca leads Lyons in the polls by a few percentage points, but Lyon’s fundraising dwarfs that of Baca.

The land commissioner is charged with managing state land and bringing in money for New Mexico’s public schools. He or she does that primarily through leases to oil and gas and agriculture organizations.

Both spoke of the importance of the office to preserving New Mexico’s future.

“We’re a little known agency, but we make a big difference,” Lyons said.

Lyons touted what he has done as land commissioner – bringing in more than a billion dollars for New Mexico’s schools. Baca, who was land commissioner in the 1980s and 1990s, said making money is no longer enough, and New Mexico must begin thinking to the future, when the oil and gas leases that bring in almost all the revenue from state lands no longer exist because the wells have dried up or technology has made them irrelevant.

Lyons said he is thinking to the future and has begun leasing land to wind energy companies.

The constitutional charge of the land office is to make money off New Mexico’s land to fund schools. Baca said that’s no longer enough, and the state must also focus on preserving land. He proposes a constitutional amendment that will allow for more conservation of state lands.

Baca proposes another constitutional amendment that would limit the power of the land commissioner by creating a state land board responsible for approving or denying permanent sales and trades of state land.

“If you really want to permanently protect hunting and fishing in New Mexico, you should go for this constitutional amendment,” Baca said.

Lyons said he’s already protecting the land, and is still bringing in lots of money for schools. He said he has invested $1 million each year in taking care of the state’s land.

“We’re the commissioner that has put $1 million each year into this,” Lyons said. “That’s sufficient.”

Baca said he believes more of the money the state makes of its land annually should be spent on preservation.

“We really need to dramatically increase the amount of funding that is going to wildlife habitat,” Baca said.

Both candidates wrote guest columns about the Otero Mesa for my blog in June. You can read Lyons’ by clicking here and Baca’s by clicking here.