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ALAMOGORDO — Each of the leading Republican candidates for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Pete Domenici is trying to convince GOP primary voters he or she is more qualified to pick up where the senior senator will leave off.

In a debate Tuesday in Alamogordo, U.S. Reps. Heather Wilson and Steve Pearce answered a series of prepared questions on topics ranging from the war in Iraq, health care, immigration and the economy.

Pearce told a crowd of about 100 that he stands for conservative values.

"I believe our New Mexico conservative values give us the ability to make significant progress for the future," he said.

Wilson told voters they "need to elect a common-sense conservative who can win in November."

Wilson attacked Pearce for voting to shut down Cannon Air Force Base in eastern New Mexico and criticized his claim that he supports securing the border when he voted against funding to hire more Border Patrol agents this year.

Wilson said the immigration issue is not as simple as building a fence, but she feels more money should be spent on border security.

"We have to hire the people that enforce the laws," she said. "It would pay for itself."

Pearce agreed that the border needs to be better secured and laws better enforced to keep immigrants from entering the country illegally.

"If you are in this country illegally, you must go to the back of the line behind those who are doing the right thing," he said.

Wilson said the answer to rising health care costs lies in the private sector, with a safety net for the elderly and children. She said current health care programs are troubled and should be limited to children from low-income families.

Pearce advocated a health savings account.

"We need to get young people to invest in health," he said. "We need preventative medicine; it causes less expense."

Both candidates said they favor lower taxes. Pearce added that "earmarks are completely out of control.

"We don't need to be paying for things like the Lobster Institute and the Hippie Museum," he said.