House District 18

Marianna Anaya is running in the Democratic Primary for House District 18. Anaya currently owns her own small business, Anaya Consulting. Previously she worked as Deputy Director of ProgressNow NM, Organizing and Communications for the Albuquerque Teachers Federation, Field Representative for Congresswoman Michelle Lujan Grisham, and Research Assistant for Texas Center for Education Policy. Her volunteer experience includes the Emerge New Mexico Board of Directors, Judicial Nominating Commission, NM Supreme Court, President Pro Temp Stewart Appointee, Judicial Nominating Commission, Bernalillo Co. Metro Court, House Speaker Egolf Appointee, NM Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network, Board of Directors & Nationally Certified Curriculum Trainer, and NM Latino Education Task Force, Board of Directors (2014-2016). 

Anaya’s lived experience with generational poverty and work in community organizing drive her passion to run for House District 18. Anaya was instrumental in passing critical legislation including the repeal of the abortion ban in New Mexico, protections for abortion and gender affirming care, expansion of the Human Rights Act, and was a lobbyist on paid family medical leave. Her priorities include economic stability through policies such as Guaranteed Basic Income along with access to affordable quality healthcare by investing in local clinics and doctors, and Federally Qualified Health Clinics. Additional priorities include free public education, increasing educator pay to improve retention, and developing a ladder for pay increases that reflects experience levels. 

We recommend Marianna Anaya for House District 18 due to her track record of working on policies specifically to increase protections for the LGBTQ+ community, reproductive healthcare, and workers’ rights.

Dr. Anjali Taneja is running in the Democratic Primary for House District 18. Taneja is currently the Executive Director of Casa de Salud, Clinical Assistant Professor for the Department of Family and Community Medicine at UNM, a Member of the Board of Trustees for UNM Hospital and the Founder of Cure This. She is Board Certified in both Family Medicine and Addiction Medicine. Her volunteer experience includes appointments to the Board of Trustees for UNM Hospital, the New Mexico Insurance Nominating Committee, the New Mexico Primary Care Council, and the Addiction Treatment Advisory Board. 

Taneja’s 20 years of experience as a community doctor for the people most impacted by healthcare gaps is what drives her passion to run for House District 18. Taneja has proven experience in helping to pass critical policies such as expansion of healthcare access, reduction of premiums for small businesses, patient consumer financial protections around medical debt and hospital bills, the Healthcare Affordability Fund and expanded support and treatments for those experiencing addiction. Her policy priorities focus heavily on reimagining healthcare from a transactional sector to one that is community based. Policy highlights include affordable healthcare access, particularly for underserved communities like LGBTQ+, immigrant, and incarcerated individuals, as well as increasing treatment for addiction services. As part of her expanded vision of healthcare, Taneja would also prioritize environmental protections and investing in mental health services, affordable housing, education, and restorative justice programs.

While we recommend Mariana Anaya for House District 18, Anjali Taneja is also a viable candidate based on her experience with working toward affordable and accessible healthcare for underserved communities, including experience in addiction services, and working for medical equity for incarcerated individuals.