Guest Commentary by Dave Contarino – Governor Bill Richardson was always forward thinking and he pressed those of us closest to him to follow suit. Whether challenging staff to look skyward with Spaceport America or building on the transcontinental spirit of America’s railroads with the Railrunner, Richardson imparted on his

The controversy surrounding Democrat state Rep. Andrea Romero is widening after a taxpayer-funded public relations firm hired to assist New Mexico’s Jeffrey Epstein “truth commission” became entangled in Romero’s personal political crisis — and then abruptly parted ways with the commission. Romero, who chairs the Survivors Truth Commission examining Epstein’s

By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper. The New Mexico Supreme Court ruled Thursday that neither Matthew Wayne Herman nor Anthony Allison will appear on the November ballot, siding with county clerks in Sandoval and San Juan counties and closing out a two-week legal fight over how late a political party can

New Mexico Democrats have lost their effort to place replacement candidates on the November ballot in two state House districts after the New Mexico Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the party missed a clear statutory deadline. The divided decision, with Justice Michael Vigil dissenting, leaves Republican candidates unopposed in House

Hull and HaalandThe first major public poll of the '26 gubernatorial chase seems to rule out a blow-out win by Democrat Deb Haaland but nudges only slightly, if at all, that big boulder that lies on the path to victory for Republican Gregg Hull. The ABQ Journal survey conducted August

Sen. Wirth and Sen. TrujilloThere will be a new power player in Santa Fe come November and their rise to prominence will have little to do with the election. Sen. Peter Wirth, who has served in the powerful position of Senate Majority Leader since 2017, is leaving leadership and indications

Democrat state Rep. Andrea Romero’s short-lived stint working for the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office ended with her resignation — but the political fireworks only intensified after New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez publicly torched the Santa Fe lawmaker following her criticism of his office. Romero resigned from the six-figure-paying

The judge overseeing Democrats’ attempt to force a replacement candidate onto the ballot in New Mexico House District 23 has extensive ties to the state’s Democratic political establishment — including a marriage to one of New Mexico’s most prolific progressive fundraisers and strategists. That history is drawing fresh scrutiny as

By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — New Mexicans on Medicaid should keep an eye out for a turquoise envelope in the mail this week. It contains important information about changes to Medicaid rules coming because of President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” as well as resources to help New Mexicans comply

Commentary by Pat Davis, nm.news — During last year’s state legislative session, legislators passed, and the governor signed, a sweeping package of medical licensure and malpractice reform bills to fill what hospital companies and think tanks called “a growing shortage of health care providers.” But new data from the state’s

The bizarre Chicago hotel incident that helped end Democrat state Rep. Joseph Hernandez’s reelection campaign grabbed the headlines. But Hernandez’s own campaign-finance reports, as we exclusively reported last week, reveal another spectacle: more than $101,000 in reported spending, including cash withdrawals, gift cards, hotels, big-box stores — and at least

New Mexico Democrats are asking state judges to rescue two state House races after their original nominees bailed out too late to satisfy a key deadline in state election law — with county clerks arguing the statute simply does not allow the party to substitute new candidates under the circumstances.

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez today filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico against the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche, seeking records necessary for the New Mexico Department of Justice’s (NMDOJ) investigation into allegations that DEA agents

One of New Mexico’s most reliably conservative industries says President Donald Trump’s new executive order opening borders to beef imports just as ranchers begin culling herds sends the “wrong signal at the wrong time.” This story was originally published at New Mexico Political Report, a nonprofit news service covering politics

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson made a high-profile stop in New Mexico Wednesday to rally support for Republican congressional nominee Greg Cunningham, highlighting one of the GOP’s biggest opportunities to expand its narrow House majority this November. And Johnson arrived with a message from President Donald Trump himself. The Louisiana

New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver’s office is sounding the alarm after the U.S. Supreme Court handed President Donald Trump a key victory in his push to tighten mail-in voting rules ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. In a statement posted online Tuesday, Toulouse Oliver’s office claimed the

Corner to Corner by Columnist Diane D. Denish — Farewell Dolly Parton. May you rest in peace and may your melodies ring in our hearts, at our weddings, at our funerals, and all our celebrations where an angel on earth is always welcome. Corner to Corner Diane Denish is a

PIÑON POST EXCLUSIVE — New Mexico House Rep. Joseph Hernandez is already under fire after apologizing for a bizarre Chicago hotel incident involving allegations of public nudity, banging on guest doors, and police escorting him off the property. In a stunning new development, Hernandez has withdrawn his candidacy for reelection,

By Kevin Hendricks, NM Political Report Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury is giving state agencies until Friday to publicly account for how Project Jupiter, the sprawling AI data center campus near Santa Teresa, will meet its water needs. Stansbury’s office sent a formal letter Monday to five state officials demanding answers on

A first-term New Mexico state representative is withdrawing from his race for reelection after confrontations last month with Chicago police who responded to reports of a man “running naked in the hallway” of a hotel where legislators were staying during a national conference. This story was originally published at New

A federal judge in Santa Fe is preparing to decide if New Mexico’s two-tiered system for qualifying candidates in elections protects the two-party system by placing unreasonable requirements on smaller parties looking to qualify candidates for the ballot. U.S. District Judge Margaret Strickland is scheduled to hear arguments in the

House Speaker Mike Johnson is headed to New Mexico on Wednesday to campaign with Greg Cunningham, the Republican candidate looking to oust Democratic Congressman Gabe Vasquez in the sprawling Second Congressional District covering Southern New Mexico and Albuquerque’s Westside. This story was originally published at New Mexico Political Report, a

New Mexico, which is run by far-left Democrats in every place of state power, plans to keep paying for transgender-related medical services for minors even after the Trump administration’s new federal rule cuts off Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program funding for such treatments. The move means New Mexico taxpayers

By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Families in the Duke City who rely on federal housing funding got a boost this week, even as the larger fight over that money goes on in Washington. U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury, a Democrat, announced Wednesday at Saranam’s Westside campus more than $7.6 million

By Damien Willis, Organ Mountain News, Las Cruces — The New Mexico Supreme Court has temporarily halted two state actions tied to Project Jupiter, staying an air-quality permitting proceeding and an emergency authorization allowing water from a new well to be used for construction of the massive data center project

New Mexico House Rep. Joseph Hernandez has broken his silence after a police report and eyewitness accounts described a bizarre late-night disturbance at a Chicago hotel involving allegations of public nudity, banging on guest doors, and a police escort off the property. Hernandez, a Shiprock Democrat who represents House District

Guest commentary by Paul Gessing — Even during what has been a very busy summer news cycle New Mexico’s recently created universal “free” childcare system has remained in the news. National media cheered the program’s creation and the first-in-America expansion of government, but the true story of New Mexico’s universal

A newly released Chicago police incident report is raising more questions about New Mexico House Rep. Joseph Hernandez’s brief explanation of a late-night hotel encounter that reportedly involved a disturbance, public nudity allegations, and a police escort off the property. Hernandez, a Shiprock Democrat, previously described the episode as a

By Pat Davis, nm.news — With less than 90 days until New Mexico chooses a new governor, the first public polling of the 2026 gubernatorial race shows that former Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland is enjoying a commanding 17-percentage-point lead over former Rio Rancho Mayor Greg Hull in early

New Mexico is one of the biggest dairy and cattle states in the country — which also means the state is also one of the biggest producers of cow manure. Last week, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich joined a Congressional effort to clean up the mess. Heinrich has officially signed on

Guest commentary from Jennifer Foote — When skilled nursing care fails, it does so quietly, behind closed doors, away from public view, and at the immense cost of our state’s most vulnerable seniors and disabled residents. Guest CommentaryJennifer Foote is a partner at the law firm of Harvey, Foote &

New Mexico Democrats are sounding the alarm over Republican gubernatorial candidate Gregg Hull after he suggested he would work with other governors in the region, including Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, on policy — a prospect that apparently has the Democratic Party of New Mexico in full fundraising panic. In a

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is firing back at Democrat U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández after the New Mexico congresswoman claimed she was blocked from speaking with detainees during a tour of the Torrance County Detention Facility. Leger Fernández, who represents New Mexico’s 3rd Congressional District, posted Wednesday that she

Democrat lieutenant governor nominee Stephanie Garcia Richard is openly directing immigrants to report federal immigration enforcement activity and seek legal help after a Santa Fe ICE arrest sent New Mexico’s left into a full-scale meltdown. In a social media post, Garcia Richard wrote, “To our [illegal] immigrant neighbors: you belong

A former treasurer for a New Mexico labor organization has pleaded guilty in federal court after prosecutors say he used union funds for unauthorized personal expenses and hid the misuse through false and incomplete financial reports. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced that Max Jaramillo,

U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez is facing fresh scrutiny after a new Fox News Digital report raised serious questions about the New Mexico Democrat’s carefully crafted working-class image. Vasquez, who represents New Mexico’s competitive 2nd Congressional District, has repeatedly tried to cast himself as a humble, blue-collar candidate who understands families

A major center-right advocacy group is launching a six-figure ad campaign in New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District targeting Democrat U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez over his vote against legislation that included a ban on taxpayer funding for gender-transition procedures for minors. American Action Network, or AAN, announced the new New Mexico

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is suddenly getting attention from national Democrats with their eyes on 2028 — and she appears eager to position the state as the party’s new presidential testing ground. According to a new report from Politico, several potential 2028 Democrat presidential contenders have been reaching

By Jesse Jones, The Paper. & New Mexico Political Report — A Gallup native is in line to become one of the country’s top health officials after President Donald Trump nominated Dr. Heidi Overton to lead the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Overton has deep academic and civic ties to

A national higher education watchdog says the University of New Mexico-Albuquerque is falling badly short on free expression, viewpoint diversity and intellectual openness, giving the state’s flagship university credit for just three out of 20 measures in a new campus free speech report card. The American Council of Trustees and

By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper. & New Mexico Political Report— Republican gubernatorial candidate Gregg Hull says comments he made at an Aug. 11 Hobbs meet-and-greet about working with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on abortion are being taken “out of context,” though in a phone call with The Paper. he confirmed

When far-left Democrat U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez had one of his clearest opportunities to stand up for New Mexico’s long-suffering Downwinders, he didn’t. Instead, Vasquez joined his fellow Democrats and voted against the final H.R. 1 package that contained the historic expansion of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) —

With more than $70 billion available to invest for the benefit of New Mexico, why doesn’t the State Investment Council just buy PNM instead of letting them sell to Blackstone, a private equity company? This story was originally published at New Mexico Political Report, a nonprofit news service covering politics

By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper.Democrat Elise Falanga Taylor is ending her campaign for New Mexico House District 23, saying she won’t let what she calls “vile tactics” from Republicans overshadow the issues at stake. Incumbent Rep. Alan Martinez, the House Minority Whip, denies he or his campaign had anything to

New Mexico has produced plenty of political scandal, but not every accusation belongs on a “most corrupt” list. This ranking is based on the hardest public record available: convictions, guilty pleas, no-contest pleas, prison sentences, dollar amounts, office held, and betrayal of public trust. And yes, because this is New

Hull and HaalandThe sleepy '26 gubernatorial race is about to be jolted awake. Whether it returns to a coma-like condition may be dependent on the severity of the jolt. At the end of the month--August 30 to be precise--the ABQ Journal will release their first poll of the contest featuring

Corrupt ex-Democrat House leader Sheryl Williams Stapleton convicted on all federal counts Former New Mexico House Majority Leader Sheryl Williams Stapleton, once one of the most powerful Democrats in the state Legislature, was convicted Friday on all federal counts in a sprawling corruption case tied to millions of dollars meant

The Babylon Bee is taking New Mexico to court over a state law that requires warning labels on certain AI-generated political content, arguing the mandate threatens political satire by forcing comedians to explain the joke before readers can laugh. The Christian satire site filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against New

U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján, a Democrat from New Mexico, told hospital administrators at Presbyterian Rust Medical Center that Republican-backed federal Medicaid cuts won’t just hurt New Mexicans enrolled in the program — they’ll raise care and insurance costs for everyone else, too. Presbyterian Delivery System President Chad Aduddell told

Republican members of the New Mexico House’s Epstein-related special subcommittee are blasting the panel’s process after they say a reference to Democrat gubernatorial candidate Deb Haaland’s 2014 flight aboard an Epstein-connected aircraft was removed from the interim report without their knowledge or approval. Reps. Andrea Reeb, R-Clovis, and Bill Hall,

New Mexico Democrats are swapping candidates in a key State House race in Albuquerque’s Northeast Heights where they have their target set on unseating one of the few Republicans representing a House or Senate district in Albuquerque. This story was originally published at New Mexico Political Report, a nonprofit news

By Kevin Hendricks and Julian Paras, The Paper. — U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury, a Democrat from New Mexico, toured Roadrunner Food Bank on Aug. 10, warning that federal cuts have stripped food assistance from more than 21,000 New Mexicans, about half of them children, since October. Stansbury said the drop

We could discuss endlessly why a state with the well-deserved nickname the "Land of Enchantment" has undergone one of the greatest periods of population stagnation in its over 400 year history. Instead let's focus on one aspect of that stagnation impacting our politics. That would be how folks here are

By a one vote margin, 50-49, the United States Senate voted early Saturday morning to approve President Donald Trump’s nomination of Todd Blanche, his former personal attorney and acting attorney general, to be the permanent Attorney General of the United States. Todd’s nomination was opposed by every Democrat and two

UPDATE: The ABQ City Council Monday evening said the panel has "dismissed" the proposed increase in the gross receipts tax. Affordability is the buzzword for the '26 campaign but that falls on deaf ears among some members of the ABQ City Council. Two councilors in particular, Council President Klarissa Peña,

If they're going to move the New Mexico presidential primary to February 15, 2008 instead of holding it late in the nominating cycle in June, how about a favorite son candidate (or is it favorite daughter now)? As the fourth state to go up to bat under a Democratic National

Sen. PopeThe race for lieutenant governor is revealing a much more aggressive left wing in the state Democratic party with important implications for economic policy should Deb Haaland become the next governor. The race for the number two spot features two leading hopefuls--term-limited State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard and

Gregg HullThe Gregg Hull ship has sprung another dangerous leak with DC pundits bailing out amid a developing financial crisis for the Republican gubernatorial nominee. The Cook Political Report has rerated his race with Democratic nominee Deb Haaland, taking it from "Likely Democratic" to "Solid Democratic." That is only going

Hull & HaalandThere will be no early start for Gregg Hull. The '26 GOP gubernatorial nominee is stuck in neutral following the first month of the campaign, lacking the financial muscle to engage Democrat Deb Haaland whose well-oiled money machine has already churned out over $13 million with more to

Haaland & Garcia RichardThere's little doubt that outgoing State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard is highly likely to become the Democratic party's lieutenant governor nominee after securing the endorsement of gubernatorial nominee Deb Haaland but things could still get messy. (Haaland video here.)Notably, the state Democratic party will not conduct

With Primary '26 in the books, we're taking a blogging break so posts will be occasional. To be notified via email whenever we add a post, subscribe to the blog by using the link on the right or at this link. Thanks for your continued interest. Now a final look

Deb Haaland blew the doors off Tuesday night, crafting a 72 to 28 percent landslide over rival Sam Bregman and securing the 2026 Democratic gubernatorial nomination. She now enters the general election campaign as the odds-on favorite against freshly-minted Republican nominee and former Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull. All statewide

Our live, continuous Election Night coverage begins at 6:30 PM with complete results and in-depth analysis on KANW 89.1 FM and the live stream on KANW.COM. We look forward to having you with us as we continue this New Mexico public radio tradition.The executive editor of the ABQ Journal is

(Moore, ABQ Journal)Catch the stream of our KANW Election Eve Special today at 5 PM right here. There are the election results, and then there are the expectations that come with them. In the case of Deb Haaland, the outcome is widely expected to be a cause for celebration. However,

Amy BarelaChaos again engulfed the New Mexico Republican Party Wednesday as the GOP chair was removed from office by a state district court order. The ruling was a grim reminder to the party faithful of the steep climb ahead if they hope to rebuild a state GOP that has become

Katharine ClarkHard-hitting trial lawyer attacks on Dem Secretary of State candidate and Santa Fe County Clerk Katharine Clark have been vociferous enough to generate reader questions as well as pushing out a theory behind those hits spearheaded by ABQ state Sen Katy Duhigg and her brother David Duhigg, both prominent

Missi CurrierWhile prominent players in the state's prosperous oil and gas business involve themselves in the Republican gubernatorial primary, the leader of their top industry group is throwing in the towel, declaring that a Republican cannot win in November and that the focus should switch to defeating progressive Deb Haaland

Journal editor & BregmanDeb Haaland's cancellation of a town hall appearance sponsored by the Albuquerque Journal prompted an emotional and harsh reaction from the newspaper's executive editor, who decried Haaland's refusal to answer questions as "terrifying" and warned that "we are going to be investigating her."The paper also ripped into

AG TorrezDemocratic Attorney General Raul Torrez has an easy path to re-election. He faces no primary opponent and no general election threat from Republican injury attorney Sam Kane of Las Cruces.That easy path isn't stopping Torrez, who served as BernCo District Attorney before becoming AG in 2023, from aggressively fund-raising.

Michael Perry (NYT)He's got them worried. That would be Republican state land commission candidate Michael Perry, the retired game warden of Roswell who has been flagged as perhaps the only statewide GOP candidate who may have a shot at upsetting a Democratic rival in November. The worry is spreading fast

Deb Haaland has made history by already raising a staggering $11 million for her gubernatorial bid. The contrast of that achievement with her lack of personal wealth is startling but may finally be changing. Haaland has authored a memoir tiled A Voice Like Mine that will be released following the

Independent voters are making a bit of history this election. We say a "bit" because even though this is the first time they are allowed to vote in the major party primaries, their expected impact and the attention being paid to them by the campaigns is negligible. That's because 10

Hull, Turner & RodriguezSometimes it seems no one really wants the Republican gubernatorial nomination. The campaign has been meek, underfunded and led by political unknowns laboring under the shadow of likely Democratic nominee Deb Haaland whose fund-raising machine could quickly consign the Republican nominee to the showers.The latest money reports

What a little money in the bank will do. Just ask Deb Haaland. In the latest campaign finance report covering April 7 through May 4 Haaland reported raising $869,000 and bringing her total for the campaign to just shy of $12 million. That's only about $1.5 million less than MLG

Hull, Turner and RodriguezGregg Hull is claiming that he now has the momentum in the chase for the GOP gubernatorial nomination and there are plenty of reasons to believe him.Hull scored an easy win (57 percent) at the March GOP preprimary convention, has led his two opponents convincingly in two

`Let’s catch up on more of that very early polling of the statewide races from the ABQ Journal and look for clues for the election outcome as well as future state policy. Most obviously, the race for the Democratic lieutenant governor nomination has essentially become non-competitive. Featuring outgoing Secretary of

Talk about a picture telling a thousand words. But what are the words to describe our fun-loving Governor fully embracing her diminutive stature and showing off a custom made jockey uniform at this past weekend's Kentucky Derby?We haven't had a caption contest in ages but this cries out for one

It's getting personal. For months Sam Bregman and Deb Haaland have approached each other gingerly, delivering soft jabs but with the gloves snugly over their fists. Now the gloves are coming off as Bregman grows increasingly frustrated with the course of the campaign and front-runner Haaland's multi-million dollar machine goes

Hull, Turner and RodriguezThe establishment candidate is establishing himself. So it goes in the muddled race for the '26 GOP gubernatorial nomination as former Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull takes 30 percent of the vote in the ABQ Journal poll with Doug Turner at 21 percent and Duke Rodriguez at

Rep. Gail ArmstrongPolitical and academic circles were abuzz with speculation in February that billionaire businesswoman Meg Whitman was interested in becoming the next president of the University of New Mexico. We broke the story of her apparent interest on our February 4 blog but it was left unconfirmed. Now it