Senate District 35

Martin Heinrich is running for re-election to the US Senate. He has held the position since 2013, and serves as chairman of the Joint Economic Committee, chairman of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, and previously as chairman of the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies subcommittee. 

Previously, Heinrich represented New Mexico's 1st Congressional District from 2009-13 and also served as an Albuquerque City Councilor, and Council President, from 2004-08. He has also run his own public affairs firm, led a nonprofit focused on educating young people on the environment and science, served on the executive committee of the Sierra Club's Rio Grande Chapter, and was appointed by NM Governor Bill Richardson to be the state's Natural Resources Trustee. 

Heinrich’s priorities include land conservation and protecting agriculture, ranching, and food systems, investing in infrastructure via rebuilding roads/bridges, expanding access to clean drinking water, and increasing high-speed internet access, protecting civil liberties and individual freedoms, expanding education, healthcare, and wellness programs, and leading efforts to grow jobs and the economy via renewable and clean energy.

His track record includes championing reproductive rights and healthcare – he advanced legislation protecting access to in vitro fertilization (IVF), contraception, and abortion, and co-sponsored Medicare-For-All legislation in 2017. He is a strong supporter of civil rights and was an original cosponsor of 2009 legislation to repeal the ban on gay marriage. Heinrich has advocated for and passed common sense gun safety laws, expanded health care access for veterans in both urban and rural areas, and led efforts to expand and invest in mental/behavioral services including specifically addressing the opioid/fentanyl public health crisis. 

Heinrich is also well known for his work supporting clean/renewable energy jobs and protecting the environment and public lands. He co-sponsored the Green New Deal in 2019, which would establish net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, and led efforts to establish Columbine-Hondo Wilderness in the Carson National Forest, the creation of the Rio Grande Del Norte and Organ Mountains Desert-Peaks National Monuments, creating the Sabinoso Wilderness, expanded public access to the Valles Caldera National Preserve, Passed the Great American Outdoors Act to address billions of dollars of deferred maintenance on public lands, and designating White Sands as a National Park.

Martin Heinrich is being challenged by Nella Domenici. Domenici is the daughter of former US Senator Pete Domenici, who served from 1973 to 2009. Previously, she worked as CFO for Bridgewater Associates, the world’s largest hedge fund, and has also worked for Citadel and Credit Suisse. Domenici’s stated priorities include increasing oil and gas extraction while reducing regulations, spending more on border security and law enforcement, and lowering taxes. Additionally, on the topic of reproductive health, while she has labeled herself as moderate via TV ads, Domenici has donated close to $20K to extreme anti-abortion candidates, including Yvette Herrell and Mark Ronchetti in New Mexico, Adam Laxalt in Nevada, and her former Bridgewater CEO Dave McCormick in Pennsylvania. 

We highly recommend Martin Heinrich for US Senate based on his clear and consistent record of protecting civil and individual rights, investing in infrastructure, spurring sustainable economic growth and renewable/clean energy jobs, and championing public lands and the environment, which are essential to New Mexico’s heritage, traditions, and economy. 
 

Gabe Vasquez is running for re-election to New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District. He has held the position since 2022, and serves on the House Armed Services Committee and House Agriculture Committee. 

Prior to serving in Congress, Vasquez was a member of Las Cruces City Council from 2017-21. Previously, he worked as Deputy Director of the Western Conservation Foundation, Deputy Director of New Mexico's chapter of the Wilderness Society, Director of Community Relations for the New Mexico Wildlife Federation, and was also executive director of the Las Cruces Hispano Chamber of Commerce and a Field Representative for Senator Martin Heinrich’s office. He is a graduate of New Mexico State University. 

Vasquez’ priorities include strengthening economic development by investing in renewable energy and promoting sustainable agriculture, protecting natural resources, improving healthcare by strengthening the Affordable Care Act, expanding Medicaid, and increasing funding for community health centers, and supporting veterans via mental health support and job training programs. 

His track record includes leading efforts to designate the Organ Mountains Desert Peaks National Monument, sponsoring legislation to return water rights and management to the Pueblo of Zuni, investing in smart technology to detect fentanyl at ports of entry, and providing a pathway to citizenship for essential workers and agricultural workforces. 

We recommend Gabe Vasquez for US Congressional District 2 based on his focus of creating good-paying jobs, protecting our land and water, improving healthcare, and supporting our veterans. 
 

Linda Alvarez is running against Republican incumbent Jenifer Jones in the General Election for House District 32. Alvarez is a community advocate in Hatch, and previously worked as an executive assistant to the Commissioner for the Social Security Administration, and as a bilingual claims representative assisting retirees and survivors with their benefits. She was also instrumental in founding the state’s Mi Via Program, which creates pathways for New Mexicans with developmental disabilities to live independently. Alvarez is a graduate of Hatch Valley High School and the College of Santa Fe.

Her priorities include increased funding for schools and support for teachers, increased access to higher education and vocational training, incentives, support, and regulatory relief for small businesses, and enhanced law enforcement resources, community policing, and crime prevention programs. She has also pledged to support congressional term limits.

Jenifer Jones is running for re-election against Linda Alvarez for House District 32. During her time in the legislature, Jones has consistently voted against supporting New Mexican families including voting against Paid Family Medical Leave, requiring insurance companies to provide reimbursement for mental health services, protections for abortion and gender affirming care, raising the minimum wage to $15/hr, establishing clean energy fuel standards, expanding broadband access, establishing a waiting period for firearm purchases, and prohibiting firearms at state drop boxes and polling locations. Jones has also actively spread disinformation on healthcare access for LGBTQ+ individuals and would likely advocate for restrictions on gender affirming care, a decision that should be between an individual, their family, and their doctor.

We lean toward recommending Linda Alvarez for House District 32 based on her experience and stated priorities.

Gabby Begay is running in the General Election for House District 39, which is currently held by Republican incumbent ​​Luis Terrazas. Begay is an experienced public school teacher who is passionate about improving the state’s educational system. She is an Emerge graduate and currently serves on the NM Commission on the Status of Women as well as serving as President of the Cobre Consolidated School District Board of Education. Begay was chosen by her cohort peers as the 2024 NM Teach Plus Fellow of the Year, and is a past member of the union AFSCME and current member of the National Education Association. She is a lifelong resident of the district and also volunteers as a Little League coach.

Begay’s motivation to run for House District 39 comes from her experience as an educator and her upbringing in a working class family with a decades-long record of service in public education and the military. Her top priorities include investing in quality public education, modernizing classrooms and supporting students and teachers, increasing healthcare access and lowering drug and healthcare premium prices, and spurring better paying jobs in clean energy, film, and tourism alongside supporting small business owners in expanding, training, and hiring.

Other focus areas include improving access to healthcare in rural NM by supporting the 20/80 contribution formula and incentivizing health practitioners located in underserved areas. She also cares deeply about working to create a criminal justice system that is rehabilitative, addressing climate change by supporting a one mile setback for new development of oil, and fighting to protect access to abortion.

Begay is running against Republican incumbent Luis Terrazas. While there is limited information available publicly on Terrazas’ platform in this election, his track record includes voting against worker protections like paid sick leave and paid family medical lead, renewable energy, protecting abortion and healthcare access, and against prohibiting intimidation of elections officials and limiting guns at polling places. He also voted against requiring disclaimers on political advertising that uses AI-generated content, prohibiting intimidation against election officials, establishing clean energy standards, establishing a waiting period for firearm purchases, prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex sexual orientation, or gender identity, and against the Voting Rights Act.

We highly recommend Gabby Begay for House District 39 based on her track record working in education, passion for increasing access to healthcare, and dedication to community involvement.