By Jennie Lusk
While New Mexico Democratic legislative leaders, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, and the all-Democratic executive officers elected to the attorney general, auditor, treasurer and land commissioner posts have forged a progressive path, New Mexico Democrats who weathered the 2016 elections remember all too well what a thin line separates our successful democracy from the potential for oligarchy.
Unfortunately, two Trump-loving GOP candidates are on the New Mexico statewide ballot in November, and could affect the course of both state and national policy: Mark Ronchetti, GOP candidate for governor and Yvette Herrell, who is seeking a second term in the U.S.Congress. They’re both anti-choice, anti-immigrant, climate change deniers and too close for comfort with insurrectionists that seem to have taken over the GOP.
The Democratic Party of Bernalillo County (DPBC) is organizing foot soldiers on the progressive path right now to canvass countywide, seeking our neighbors’ viewpoints, concerns, and priorities through our grass roots process. Volunteer canvassers can be identified with big DPBC buttons emblazoned with “True Progress/Real Promise—DEMOCRAT” and are being organized by precinct.
We’re also organizing for the free South Valley family extravaganza, the September Fest from 3:00 to 6:00 pm, Sunday, September 18, which will bring Democratic candidates, ward and precinct leaders, and progressive organizations to the people along with fabulous live music, kids’ events, and a car show. We’ll need approximately 50 volunteers for that single event. We can use your help! To volunteer contact: volunteers@bernalillodems.org
We need to keep in mind how truly awful things could get if we sit back and let the GOP take over in New Mexico. The GOP candidate for governor just used Florida governor Ron DeSantis—promoter of anti-gay, anti-choice legislation so bad that even Disney studios may move out of his state—to rally his base in southeastern New Mexico. Like DiSantis, the New Mexico GOP candidate wants to ban abortion. He’s on record opposing New Mexico’s Opportunity Scholarship, which provides tuition-free education to New Mexico students pursuing higher education. He has endorsed right-to-work laws and he has attacked Governor Lujan Grisham’s expansion of affordable childcare.
The incumbent in New Mexico’s Congressional District 2 (CD2) that now includes parts of Albuquerque’s West Side and South Valley is a known quantity—a pitifully stubborn and ignorant one. She is rabidly anti-choice, anti-immigrant, anti-woman, anti-voter, and anti-LGBTQ. In contrast, Gabe Vasquez, the Democratic candidate for CD2, is pro-choice and pro-environment. He endorses and respects the rights of indigenous persons, the LGBTQ community, and veterans, and is on record protecting the right to vote.
There’s no question who the good guys are–they’re Democrats. There’s no question how important November’s election is. There’s no question where or how you can help; we can find a spot for you if you can find time. We look forward to working with all Democrats who want to keep moving ahead to a progressive future.