Discussing possible gas tax increase, axing personal income tax with Rio Grande Foundation president

Paul Gessing has spent the past 20 years working to shape policy in New Mexico as president of the Rio Grande Foundation, an Albuquerque-based think tank focused on promoting “individual freedom, limited government and economic opportunity,” according to the organization’s website. In the latest e…

‘We’re not renaming New Mexico’: State historian pushes back on Trump’s ‘New America’ pitch

New Mexico was in the national spotlight earlier this week as President Donald Trump sent out multiple social media posts indicating a desire to rename New Mexico “New America.” The posts prompted backlash from New Mexico’s congressional delegation and others who didn’t appreciate the suggestion. …

'This was never a legit job’: Jacob Candelaria rips Rep. Romero's DA Office role, files complaints

Before resigning from the state Senate nearly four years ago, Jacob Candelaria changed his party affiliation from Democrat to decline to state. Being unencumbered by partisan loyalties “was liberating,” Candelaria said, and working as an attorney, he says he fights for the people of New Mexico inst…

Forward Party candidate Harry Montoya discusses run for Santa Fe County magistrate judge

Harry Montoya has been a Democrat and a Republican. The former Pojoaque School Board member and Santa Fe County Commissioner says he doesn’t feel like he fits into the mold of either party anymore and is now running as a member of the newly formed Forward Party in his campaign for Santa Fe County m…

Republican Ramona Goolsby shares her priorities in campaign for N.M. secretary of state

Ramona Goolsby has been a family nurse practitioner, an officer in the U.S. Army Reserves, a staff accountant for a CPA firm, a small business owner and manager of a ranch. She says she’s not a politician, but she hopes her varied experiences will appeal to voters as she campaigns to be New Mexico’…

From opioid settlement transparency to banking deserts, think tank CEO talks policy issues in N.M.

Patrick M. Brenner is founder, president and CEO of the Southwest Public Policy Institute, a New Mexico-based public policy think tank with a stated mission to deliver data-driven research, advance government transparency and safeguard consumer choice across the Southwest. In the latest episode of…

Former game warden Michael Perry touts decades of experience in campaign for state land commissioner

Michael Perry grew up in Roswell with an interesting aspiration for a child — he wanted to be a game warden. One of his grandfathers was a director with the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish and took Perry quail hunting all over the state. After studying wildlife science at New Mexico State U…

New Mexicans to decide if state legislators will receive salary; proponent says ‘now is the time’

New Mexico is the only state in the country with an unpaid Legislature, but that could change come November. Voters in the upcoming general election will consider a constitutional amendment that would pave the way for state lawmakers to receive a salary for the first time in New Mexico’s history. …

State Sen. Jay Block praises Hull, belittles Haaland in N.M. governor's race

In the same interview where he discussed his friendly interactions with current Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, Republican state Sen. Jay Block’s words regarding the Democratic candidate running to replace her weren’t quite as cordial. A strong backer of GOP candidate Gregg Hull, Block said “my dog w…

On Trinity Test anniversary, downwinders advocate Tina Cordova continues fight for New Mexicans

The world’s first detonation of a nuclear weapon took place on July 16, 1945, in the Jornada del Muerto desert southeast of Socorro, New Mexico. In the decades since the Trinity Test explosion, thousands of New Mexicans have been plagued by illness and cancers related to their over-exposure to radi…