I dedicated my career to improving the lives of those in New Mexico, whether fighting to create good-paying jobs for hardworking New Mexican men and women, increasing access to quality, affordable health care, and protecting New Mexico’s natural resources. I’ve proudly represented New Mexico in the U.S. Senate since 2021, where I’ve worked every day to lower costs, strengthen public safety, protect food assistance and affordable health care, expand broadband, and invest in New Mexico’s future. Prior to the U.S. Senate, I was proud to serve as a member of the House of Representatives for over 10 years, including as chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and as the Assistant Speaker of the House.
Across our state, families are feeling the squeeze as the cost of everyday necessities continues to rise. Reckless tariffs are driving up prices and making it harder for hardworking New Mexicans to put food on the table. I will be a relentless advocate for policies that bring down costs and put families first. I also remain steadfast in the fight to ensure that every New Mexican has access to high-quality, affordable health care. And I will continue working to grow our local economy by supporting the diverse industries that create jobs across the state and investing in infrastructure that improves our roads and delivers reliable broadband.
New Mexicans spend their lives paying into Social Security, and they deserve to know that the program will be there to support them upon retirement. As a member of the Senate Finance Committee, I know Social Security benefits are a vital lifeline for retirees and people with disabilities. Social Security must be protected from cuts and Republican-led efforts to reduce benefits. I was proud to support the Social Security Fairness Act and see it enacted into law. This bill repeals the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), which currently reduce benefits for certain recipients. I’m also proud to support the Social Security 2100 Act, which eliminates the Social Security tax cap.
The United States has not significantly updated its immigration laws since the 1980s, which is why I have long championed comprehensive immigration reform to address our broken immigration system and create an earned pathway for legal immigration. I support legislation like the DREAM Act to provide a legal pathway for Dreamers, the SECURE Act, which provides qualified Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) recipients a path to legal permanent residency, and the Farm Workforce Modernization Act to reform and modernize our temporary agricultural worker visa program. I am also a proponent of modern and effective border security that uses technology rather than walls to keep out narcotics and the cartels.
Growing up on a small family farm in New Mexico, I learned early that water is life. That is why I believe we must ensure our federal laws respect our ways of life and treat water as the life-giving resource it is. As a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I introduced legislation like the ACEQUIAS Act to ensure farmers and ranchers qualify for drought disaster assistance, and legislation to guarantee greater federal respect for our traditional land grants and acequias. I also believe we have a duty to support responsible, clean energy policies that protect our environment, improve our air quality, and encourage innovation. I’ll continue to ensure that New Mexico is a leader in the clean energy economy, benefiting our families.
Health care is a human right, not a privilege for the few. The Affordable Care Act that voted for in 2009 made critical reforms that expanded New Mexicans access to care. I continue to fight against the attempts to rip health care away by repealing the ACA and gutting Medicaid. I am also a co-sponsor of Medicare for All because every single person deserves high-quality health care when they need it, no matter how much money they make. Access to health care means being able to afford it, which is why I voted to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices so seniors and American taxpayers stop being overcharged.
Self- employed most of my adult life in multiple industries that include Oil and Gas, agriculture both farming and ranching, construction and some manufacturing. Most of my business ventures required significant knowledge in finance, employee relations and regulatory compliance. I have an extensive knowledge of constitutional law both state and federal. Multiple years of experience in civil and regulatory matters.
My highest priorities going into the US Senate will be social security solvency reducing the federal debt and deficit. Reduction in the size of the government and its regulatory stranglehold on business and citizens.
We can address this issue with earnings from a windfall sovereign wealth fund. I have a plan to supplement the revenue paid into social security that supplemental income is structured to help offset the imbalance we currently have. This will be a permanent solution that properly administered will prevent the reduction of benefits we are facing in 2032. The goal of this plan is to provide a permanent solution to this issue.
My first priority is to remove from the immigration system political advantage for either party. My position on this matter is best communicated with what I would consider as my goals. Provide to the American people an immigration system that brings into our communities the best and brightest from all over the world. Immigrants that will assimilate into the American culture and way of life whose dreams and aspirations when fulfilled benefit not just them but all Americans. Any policy that takes us toward that goal is a policy I will support. That would include temporary visas.
First, we establish non-political, science-based standards then establish practical and sensible goals and or benchmarks moving forward with a plan that provides a standard future generations can maintain.
Remove political advantage for either side from healthcare. Find a goal, set the goal then go to work. Bumper sticker slogans and press clips will not solve this issue. Healthcare is too important to use as a political pawn.
