![\"Secretary](\"http:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Oliver-and-Espinoza-336x183.jpg\")
Courtesy photos<\/p>
Secretary of state candidates Maggie Toulouse Oliver, left, and Nora Espinoza.<\/p><\/div>\n
The League of Women Voters recently cancelled a series of planned debates around the\u00a0state after more than eight failed attempts to contact Espinoza to invite her to participate, said Meredith Machen, president of the New Mexico chapter of the League.<\/p>\n
And Oliver skipped\u00a0two events\u00a0sponsored by the New Mexico Business Coalition that Espinoza did attend.<\/p>\n
But both are scheduled to be in attendance in Las Cruces on Thursday at a third event\u00a0sponsored by the New Mexico Business Coalition — though they’ll appear for separate interviews rather than in front of an audience together. That event, which also includes candidates for other offices, will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum. Click here<\/a> for more details.<\/p>\n The candidates\u00a0have also both agreed to attend a debate in Albuquerque in October<\/a>.<\/p>\n Oliver and Espinoza are vying in the Nov. 8 election to replace Republican Brad Winter, who has held the secretary of state\u2019s job since Republican Dianna Duran resigned\u00a0in October 2015<\/a> while facing criminal charges related to abusing the state\u2019s campaign finance reporting system. NMPolitics.net\u2019s profiles of Oliver<\/a> and Espinoza<\/a> reveal some substantial differences between the two \u2013 which is arguably why forums are so important.<\/p>\n The candidates have been hammering each other for skipping forums.<\/p>\n \u201cHow can voters trust \u2018No-Show Nora\u2019 Espinoza when she won’t debate?\u201d a recent press release from Oliver\u2019s campaign about the League of Women Voters forums asks.<\/p>\n Similarly, Espinoza\u2019s campaign responded by criticizing Oliver, who \u201cwas invited, had personally confirmed her attendance, only to have her campaign manager later call and cancel\u201d appearances at the two New Mexico Business Coalition forums.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is hypocritical for Ms. Oliver to avoid joint forums which I have attended, thereby developing her own record as \u2018Missing Maggie,\u2019 then have the audacity to turn around and accuse me of refusing to participate,\u201d Espinoza said.<\/p>\n Both campaigns provided explanations for their respective candidates\u2019 absences.<\/p>\n \u201cNMBC is a highly political organization with a clear agenda,\u201d said Alan Packman, Oliver\u2019s campaign manager. \u201cTheir events do not provide any opportunity for candidates to interact with each other or share a stage together.\u201d Still, Packman confirmed Oliver\u2019s attendance at Thursday\u2019s Las Cruces event, whose co-sponsors include the Republican Party of Do\u00f1a Ana County.<\/p>\n The New Mexico chapter of the League of Women Voters, Espinoza said, is \u201ca little out of sync with the national organization\u2019s guidelines and stated purposes.\u201d She said 17 of its members are openly backing Oliver and have donated a total of $8,000 to the Democrat\u2019s campaign, figures that Packman could not verify.<\/p>\n \u201cIf I appear in what is supposed to be a neutral forum but, unknown to the voters, it\u2019s actually in an overtly partisan setting, the crucial issues may well be ignored,\u201d Espinoza said. \u201cIt ill-serves the voters to allow manipulation of the campaign process and misdirect the voters in any way.\u201d<\/p>\n Espinoza said she would be doing voters \u201ca disservice\u201d by participating in such forums \u201cwhen the \u2018moderators\u2019 are virtually all participating in my opponent\u2019s campaign, some as heavy donors. I believe fair-minded New Mexicans understand that.\u201d<\/p>\n