VOTE411 Voter Guide

The Lt. Governor's primary constitutional role is presiding over the State Senate, and I've spent 14 years serving in that body. I already know the rules, the relationships, the pressure points, and the personalities. I know the difference between a bill that moves and one that dies in committee, and why. Beyond the Legislature, I bring 30 years with Gas Company of New Mexico and 16 years with Ramirez and Sons Construction--real-world experience in the industries the Senate's work directly affects. As a rural Hispanic 14th generation New Mexican, I bring a perspective that reflects communities too often unheard in Santa Fe.

Accountability: New Mexico has a spending problem masquerading as a revenue problem. I'll push for rigorous auditing of waste, fraud, and abuse--and make findings public. Public safety: I'll advance sentencing reform, oppose catch-and-release policies, and ensure officers have the resources and legal protections they need. Education: I'll champion accountability-based reform, value-added assessment, and expanded school choice for every family regardless of zip code. Affordability: I'll fight for policies that let small businesses breathe, grow our energy sector responsibly, and reduce the regulatory burden crushing working families.

Presiding over the Senate is a leadership role, and I intend to treat it that way. Fourteen years in the Legislature means I understand the procedural rules, have relationships throughout the chamber, and know how to move a body through its work without sacrificing deliberation. I will preside with fairness and consistency, apply the rules evenly regardless of party or personality, and ensure every member--majority and minority alike--has a full and fair opportunity to be heard. A Senate built on procedural integrity gets more done. That is the standard I will hold.

Transparency is a structural commitment. I'll use the Lt. Governor's office as an active conduit between state agencies and the New Mexicans they serve, particularly rural communities that feel like an afterthought in Santa Fe. That means statewide outreach every year, not just election years. It means pushing agencies to communicate plainly and responsively. And it means publicly naming failures when agencies aren't meeting expectations, because sunlight is the most powerful accountability tool we have.

I am New Mexico’s 26th and longest-serving Secretary of State. I have nearly 20 years of experience in county and state-level government, serving as Bernalillo County Clerk for 10 years before being elected to my current role. I have been involved in New Mexico politics since 1994, working for Senator Jeff Bingaman, serving as President of a New Mexico chapter of EMILYs List, and as director of the New Mexico chapter of the League of Conservation Voters. I will be ready on day one to serve with the next Democratic governor of New Mexico as both a trusted advisor and a fighter for bold legislation as President of the Senate in the Roundhouse.

My top priority is lowering the cost of living for our families. Skyrocketing prices are making life even harder for New Mexicans. The current Administration is ripping health care, food assistance, housing security, and energy security away from working people. I will work with the next Democratic governor and the Senate to support legislation that protects earned benefits, closes gaps in federal funding, and taps into New Mexico's wealth to invest in our people. I will support growing universal free childcare and improving public education, protecting women's reproductive freedom, preserving our environment, and combating climate change.

I have cultivated positive working relationships with senators from across New Mexico over decades of work in politics. I will be a Lt. Governor who listens to legislators and keeps an open door. I also support modernizing the Legislature with paid salaries at the median earning level for New Mexicans. This will allow legislators to focus on their work without worrying about financial insecurity, and open the door to serving for more young and working-class New Mexicans. Modernizing the legislature should also allow for more professional staff to assist our legislators with the deluge of bills they receive each session.

The Legislature and the Executive Branch should have an open and positive working relationship, and it is clear that better transparency and trust between them are needed. Throughout my career, I have implemented transparency reforms and focused on good governance in my offices as County Clerk and Secretary of State. We have seen the results in speedier election reporting, more access to voting sites and information, and consistent efforts to communicate clearly with the public. I believe these principles are applicable everywhere, and I plan to utilize them as Lt. Governor.