Xochitl Torres Small

Xochitl Liana Torres Small (first name pronounced SOH-cheel; born November 15, 1984) is an American attorney and politician who represented New Mexico in the United States House of Representatives from 2019 to 2021 and later served in senior leadership roles at the United States Department of Agriculture. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the U.S. representative for New Mexico’s 2nd congressional district for one term and went on to become Under Secretary of Agriculture for Rural Development from 2021 to 2023 and the 15th United States deputy secretary of agriculture from 2023 to 2025, acting as the department’s chief operating officer.

Torres Small was born on November 15, 1984, in Portland, Oregon, to Marcos and Cynthia “Cynta” Torres, both of whom were educators. She was raised in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and is a third-generation Mexican American. She graduated from Mayfield High School in absentia while completing her International Baccalaureate Diploma at Waterford Kamhlaba United World College of Southern Africa in Mbabane, Eswatini. She went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and later received a Juris Doctor from the University of New Mexico School of Law, preparing for a career that combined law, public service, and international and domestic policy.

After law school, Torres Small built a career in public service and legal practice in New Mexico. From 2009 to 2012, she worked as a field representative for U.S. Senator Tom Udall, gaining experience in constituent services and federal policy as it affected communities across the state. She subsequently served as a federal law clerk in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico from 2015 to 2016. Following her clerkship, she practiced as a water attorney with the Kemp Smith law firm, focusing on water and natural resources issues that were central to the economic and environmental life of the region.

In the 2018 elections, Torres Small ran as a Democrat for the open U.S. House seat in New Mexico’s 2nd congressional district after Republican incumbent Steve Pearce declined to seek reelection in order to run for governor of New Mexico. Running as a moderate Democrat, she defeated Madeline Hildebrandt in the Democratic primary and faced Republican state Representative Yvette Herrell in a closely contested general election. On election night, Herrell led in the initial count and some New Mexico media organizations projected that Herrell would win. As additional ballots were counted the following day, Herrell’s lead narrowed, media outlets rescinded their projections, and on November 7, 2018, after all absentee ballots were tallied, the New Mexico Secretary of State declared Torres Small the winner. She took office on January 3, 2019, representing the interests of her largely rural and energy-producing district during a significant period in American political life.

During her term in Congress from 2019 to 2021, Torres Small participated actively in the legislative process and held assignments on several key committees. She served on the House Committee on Armed Services, including the Subcommittee on Readiness and the Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces. She also served on the Committee on Homeland Security, where she was a member of the Subcommittee on Border Security, Facilitation and Operations and chaired the Subcommittee on Oversight, Management and Accountability. In addition, she served on the Committee on Agriculture, including the Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research and the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management. In her first week in office, she joined other members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus in traveling to the U.S. Border Patrol station in Alamogordo, New Mexico, where eight-year-old Guatemalan immigrant Felipe Gómez Alonzo had died in custody, underscoring her engagement with border and immigration issues. GovTrack reported that during her two years in Congress she was the primary sponsor of three bills that became law, got her bills out of committee the tenth-most often among House freshmen, and missed approximately 0.4 percent of House votes. She was a member of the Blue Dog Coalition, the Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and the New Democrat Coalition. In the 2020 presidential election, she stated that she would vote for Joe Biden despite disagreeing with some of his positions on energy policy, and during her 2020 reelection campaign she emphasized votes on oil and gas issues that at times diverged from broader Democratic Party stances.

Torres Small sought reelection in 2020 in a rematch against Yvette Herrell. Republicans targeted New Mexico’s 2nd district as a key pickup opportunity, and OpenSecrets reported that Torres Small outspent Herrell by over $5 million. During a campaign debate, Herrell described herself as “unashamedly pro-God, pro-life, pro-gun, pro-business and pro-family,” while Torres Small highlighted her record on energy and her willingness to buck her party on oil and gas votes. Despite polling that showed a close race, Herrell defeated Torres Small in the general election, winning 54 percent to 46 percent. Torres Small’s service in Congress concluded on January 3, 2021, after one term in office.

Following her congressional service, Torres Small transitioned to senior roles in the executive branch. On June 18, 2021, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate her as Under Secretary for Rural Development at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She was confirmed by the Senate by voice vote on October 7, 2021, and in that position she oversaw federal programs aimed at strengthening rural economies, infrastructure, and services. On February 15, 2023, President Biden announced his intent to nominate her as United States deputy secretary of agriculture. After a nomination hearing on May 10, 2023, the Senate confirmed her on July 11, 2023, by a vote of 84–8. She was sworn into office on July 17, 2023, becoming the 15th deputy secretary of agriculture and serving as the department’s chief operating officer from 2023 to 2025.

In her personal life, Torres Small married Nathan Small, who in 2016 was elected to the New Mexico House of Representatives representing the 36th district; he won reelection in 2018 with 59.9 percent of the vote. Torres Small is a Lutheran and has remained closely associated with New Mexico throughout her career in law, elective office, and federal administration.