The race to be New Mexico's top cop pits state auditor Hector Balderas, a rising star in the Democratic Party, against Republican Susan Riedel, a former prosecutor and judge with more than two decades of legal experience.
Balderas wants to build an agency that would serve as a watchdog to ferret out fraud, waste and corruption.
Riedel says she knows how to put criminals behind bars and would do the same for officials who abuse the public's trust.
The two are vying for the spot being vacated by Democratic Attorney General Gary King, who is trying to unseat Gov. Susana Martinez.
Balderas holds a campaign cash advantage, but Riedel countered Friday with a television ad touting her efforts to seek justice in the case of a murdered Las Cruces teen.
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