Byrd Campaign Manager Rey Herrera. Photo by Salvador Zapien/ladailypost.com

By Greg Kendall

GOP Dist. 3 Congressional candidate Jefferson Byrd was unable to attend Saturday’s grand opening celebration of the Republican Party of Los Alamos Headquarters, 1362 D-1 Trinity Dr.

Standing in for Byrd, his Campaign Manager Rey Herrera spoke with the Los Alamos Daily Post about his candidate’s hopes for beating Democratic incumbent Rep. Ben Ray Luján.

Herrera said that the big issues are easily seen in comparing Congressional Districts 2 and 3.

“We don’t have to go very far to see Congressional District 2 is booming … mining petroleum is taking off and unemployment is 4 percent there. Mr Luján has not really put up a fight to stem the tide of job loss in Congressional District 3. Jeff Byrd is very motivated to do that,” Herrera said.

U.S. Congressional Dist. 3 candidate Jefferson Byrd. Courtesy Photo

Herrera said that he believes Byrd’s chances of winning the seat are very good.

“We want Mr.Luján to feel comfortable in his slim lead and take that right up to November. We are learning a lot about what people are happy and not happy about. There is a large element that is not very happy with the representation they are getting out of Mr.Luján,” Herrera said.

Herrera described Byrd as, “a rancher, a New Mexican who knows what it is like to run a small business.” He said that running a small ranch gives Byrd a unique license to know what it is to be a steward of the land. A major goal of Byrd’s, according to Herrera, is to stem the growth of the EPA in being such a “controlling and job killing entity.” 

As campaign manager, Herrera said that he encourages Los Alamos voters to visit Byrd on Facebook, Twitter or http://www.jeffbyrd2012.com/.