City of Columbus
Not in City of Columbus? Find your state's guide.
ProgressNow New Mexico Votes Progressive Voters Guide
Welcome to the New Mexico Progressive Voters Guide! The Progressive Voters Guide compiles the information that allows you to make informed decisions about the races on your ballot, based on your values. Please share this guide with your friends and family!
Federal
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.
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.
2nd Congressional District
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.
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.
Other Candidates
Gabe Vasquez is being challenged by Yvette Herrell. Herrell previously served in the 2nd Congressional District seat from 2021-23.
Previously, Herrell served in the NM State Legislature as House District 51 Representative from 2011-19. Her professional background includes working as a realtor and real estate broker for Future Real Estate in Alamogordo, NM.
Herrell’s priorities include increasing oil and gas extraction, cutting investments in renewable energy, increased spending on law enforcement and border patrol personnel, and “stopping woke politics.”
Her track record includes troubling positions and policy on abortion access, elections/democracy, and the environment. Herrell cosponsored 2021’s Life at Conception Act, which sought to redefine “human being” to include “all stages of life, including the moment of fertilization,” and made no exceptions for in vitro fertilization (IVF). During a 2020 candidate forum she also said “I wish we could have eliminated all abortion in the state.”
One of her first actions as a sitting congresswoman was to object to the certification of the 2020 presidential election results days before the January 6th insurrection, and she also received $2,900 in August 2022 from Deborah Maestas, former NM Republican Party chair and a fake elector who submitted a fraudulent electoral vote. During her tenure in congress, Herrell was also a top recipient of oil and gas contributions, denied any connection between fossil fuels and climate change, and voted against legislation to crack down on price gouging by the oil and gas industry during emergencies.
Based on Herrell’s past positions and track record, we do not recommend her for New Mexico’s US Congressional District 2.
Gabe Vasquez is being challenged by Yvette Herrell. Herrell previously served in the 2nd Congressional District seat from 2021-23.
Previously, Herrell served in the NM State Legislature as House District 51 Representative from 2011-19. Her professional background includes working as a realtor and real estate broker for Future Real Estate in Alamogordo, NM.
Herrell’s priorities include increasing oil and gas extraction, cutting investments in renewable energy, increased spending on law enforcement and border patrol personnel, and “stopping woke politics.”
Her track record includes troubling positions and policy on abortion access, elections/democracy, and the environment. Herrell cosponsored 2021’s Life at Conception Act, which sought to redefine “human being” to include “all stages of life, including the moment of fertilization,” and made no exceptions for in vitro fertilization (IVF). During a 2020 candidate forum she also said “I wish we could have eliminated all abortion in the state.”
One of her first actions as a sitting congresswoman was to object to the certification of the 2020 presidential election results days before the January 6th insurrection, and she also received $2,900 in August 2022 from Deborah Maestas, former NM Republican Party chair and a fake elector who submitted a fraudulent electoral vote. During her tenure in congress, Herrell was also a top recipient of oil and gas contributions, denied any connection between fossil fuels and climate change, and voted against legislation to crack down on price gouging by the oil and gas industry during emergencies.
Based on Herrell’s past positions and track record, we do not recommend her for New Mexico’s US Congressional District 2.
State Senator, District 28
Chris Ponce is running in the General Election for Senate District 28. Chris currently serves as a County Commissioner in Grants. He did not complete the candidate questionnaire, and has no campaign website and minimal activity on social media to indicate his policy priorities.
During Ponce’s time serving as County Commissioner, in 2021, he voted to approve a resolution in opposition to House Bill 4, the New Mexico Civil Rights Act, that eliminated qualified immunity for law enforcement officers. In 2019, Ponce spoke out against a resolution in Grant County that would require copper mines to comply with state water quality standards, on behalf of his employer, Freeport. Recently, in an article by the Santa Fe New Mexican, it was identified that a lawsuit was brought against the town in Silver City in 2005, naming Ponce specifically during his time as a police officer, and accusing him of malfeasance and criminal conduct.
Chris Ponce is being challenged by Republican Gabriel Ramos. Ramos is a business owner and insurance broker. He has served as the Grant County Clerk, a Grant County Commissioner, as well as on the Hurley Town Council and Cobre Consolidated Schools Board of Directors.
Ramos served in the New Mexico Senate for two years as a Democrat from 2019 to 2020. During his two years as a Senator, Ramos voted against the repeal of the 1969 abortion ban, requiring background checks for gun purchases, and banning coyote killing contests. He also opposed a bill that would have forced the largest polluter in Grant County to abide by rules protecting groundwater at both the county and state level. He lost his seat in 2020 to outgoing incumbent Siah Hemphill and has since changed parties.
Ramos also left his second term as Grant County Clerk early in 2002. In 2004, Ramos was removed from the Grant County Administration Building by police for “allegedly ‘disrupting’ election workers and ‘intimidating’ and ‘harassing,’ including sexually harassing, county employees.” Additionally, Ramos lost his license to sell securities in 2013 when he voluntarily gave it up to avoid a major fine resulting from the state investigating a deal he made after investors lost their money.
Given the information available on both candidates for Senate District 28, we are not able to make a recommendation in this race.
Chris Ponce is running in the General Election for Senate District 28. Chris currently serves as a County Commissioner in Grants. He did not complete the candidate questionnaire, and has no campaign website and minimal activity on social media to indicate his policy priorities.
During Ponce’s time serving as County Commissioner, in 2021, he voted to approve a resolution in opposition to House Bill 4, the New Mexico Civil Rights Act, that eliminated qualified immunity for law enforcement officers. In 2019, Ponce spoke out against a resolution in Grant County that would require copper mines to comply with state water quality standards, on behalf of his employer, Freeport. Recently, in an article by the Santa Fe New Mexican, it was identified that a lawsuit was brought against the town in Silver City in 2005, naming Ponce specifically during his time as a police officer, and accusing him of malfeasance and criminal conduct.
Chris Ponce is being challenged by Republican Gabriel Ramos. Ramos is a business owner and insurance broker. He has served as the Grant County Clerk, a Grant County Commissioner, as well as on the Hurley Town Council and Cobre Consolidated Schools Board of Directors.
Ramos served in the New Mexico Senate for two years as a Democrat from 2019 to 2020. During his two years as a Senator, Ramos voted against the repeal of the 1969 abortion ban, requiring background checks for gun purchases, and banning coyote killing contests. He also opposed a bill that would have forced the largest polluter in Grant County to abide by rules protecting groundwater at both the county and state level. He lost his seat in 2020 to outgoing incumbent Siah Hemphill and has since changed parties.
Ramos also left his second term as Grant County Clerk early in 2002. In 2004, Ramos was removed from the Grant County Administration Building by police for “allegedly ‘disrupting’ election workers and ‘intimidating’ and ‘harassing,’ including sexually harassing, county employees.” Additionally, Ramos lost his license to sell securities in 2013 when he voluntarily gave it up to avoid a major fine resulting from the state investigating a deal he made after investors lost their money.
Given the information available on both candidates for Senate District 28, we are not able to make a recommendation in this race.
Representative, District 32
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.
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.