John Block

Petition started demanding MLG veto gerrymandered U.S. House map

1 Comment / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

Following the passage of the Democrats’ heavily gerrymandered U.S. House map that would scramble the state in a frenzy of chaos in the attempt to skew the board in Democrats’ favor, it looks to be backfiring. The new map passed by the Legislature weakens the Third District to a D+5 seat and the First District to a D+11 seat in the attempt at taking out Republican Congresswoman Yvette Herrell from the Second District. 

They achieved this by pushing the South Valley of Albuquerque outside of Albuquerque and putting it into the Second District while simultaneously removing Roswell, Lovington, and Northern Hobbs from the district, creating snake-like shapes that have been given low marks regarding compactness and splitting counties — the current map splitting 9 of New Mexico’s 33 counties. 

The unfair process, which has been rushed through with little to no public comment due to last-minute meetings and closed-door scheming, has resulted in New Mexicans fed up with the process that appears to have been planned from the get-go to ram through these partisan maps.

Kentren Yeh has started a petition to demand Lujan Grisham veto the bill, that would push a partisan agenda.

“Like I’ve said before, I’m against Gerrymandering. Since I never got to speak to the State Senate Committee, because of a Senator’s refusal to hear the public, I therefore make this petition. This is huge, because it’ll affect us in the next decade! Even an article recorded that both Republicans and Democrats do not like this map. I urge Governor Lujan Grisham to veto SB – 1,” he wrote. 

The petition reads: 

Recently, the New Mexico State Legislature has slammed a very partisan map that strongly separates communities of interest. Without a full and entire public input and yet unfortunately, it was passed unprecedently. In an obvious gerrymandered map, it would increase the difficulties of our Representatives (and future Representatives) to stay in touch with their constituents, due to the blatant mix of Urban and Rural communities. Every community of constituents deserve to have a Representative that can hear them out at the most flexible way possible. It isn’t realistic to have a Representative from Santa Fe (in CD3) to fully understand the needs of the citizens from Roswell. A rural district, deserves to have a rural voice, just as an urban district deserves to have an urban voice. It isn’t fair to both of the Congresswomen from CD2 and CD3 – that in a such drastic change, they can’t serve their constituents to the best of their ability. As the bill heads to Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s desk, we must get her attention to veto this bill!

Sign the petition here. 


The Legislature still has yet to vote to finalize the state Senate, state House, and Public Education Commission maps, although they are expected to be passed and sent to the Governor early this week. They, too, are heavily gerrymandered to favor Democrats. For example, the Princeton Gerrymandering Project gave the state House map an “F” rating regarding compactness, which includes 24 county splits out of New Mexico’s 33 counties — telling signs of partisan gerrymandering. It also received a“C” grade regarding competitiveness.

Dems send gerrymandered U.S. House map to MLG’s desk

3 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

On Saturday, New Mexico House Democrats rammed through an updated U.S. House map proposal, on a vote of 44-24. 

The new map skews all three districts to favor Democrats, albeit only slightly in the Third and Second Districts. District 3 represented by Democrat Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez is weakened from a D+14 to a D+5, District 2 represented by Republican Rep. Yvette Herrell is flipped from an R+14 to a D+4, and District 1 represented by Democrat Rep. Melanie Stansbury is weakened from a D+18 to a D+11.

Democrats achieved this partisan advantage by extreme gerrymandering, including chopping up communities of interest to meet its partisan agenda. The Third District snakes all the way from the northwest corner of the state down to the southeast corner of the state, including northern Hobbs, Roswell, and Lovington with places like Española and Santa Fe. 

The Second District includes Albuquerque’s South Valley and many of its Republican-leaning areas have been segregated out of the district. The First District snakes down to Roswell while eating up Lincoln and Torrance Counties. 

Although the Democrats may, however, have shot themselves in the foot with the passage of this partisan map, especially with 2022 expected to be a Republican blowout year and their now more vulnerable incumbent Democrats having to fend off Republican opponents who very well could flip the Third District and hold onto the Second District.

“It looks to me like the Senate plan purposefully makes the current competitive districts uncompetitive,” said Rep. Greg Nibert, R-Roswell, during a roughly three-hour floor debate on the bill Saturday. “That is not by happenstance; that is by design, and it is politically motivated.”


Screenshot of the new map passed via FiveThirtyEight.

The governor is expected to sign the partisan map, although it may end up in the courts.

Legislators advance Dem gerrymandered congressional, state House maps

Leave a Comment / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

On Friday, the New Mexico Senate passed a revised map from what was originally proposed by state Sen. Joseph Cervantes (D-Doña Ana). The originally proposed map by Cervantes made two D+4 districts in the Third and Second Districts, while one D+11 performing district in the First District. The plan looped the First District with parts of Santa Fe County while it extended all the way down from Albuquerque to Lincoln County.

It put the Third District in a snake-like figure, which went all the way from northeast New Mexico, including Taos and Santa Fe, to Lovington and Hobbs. The Second District would include Albuquerque’s South Valley and parts of Valencia County it once had would be plunged into the First District.

However, the Senate voted on an update from Cervants’ original map he presented, which kept Santa Fe County intact in the Third District and swung it one more point Democrat, leaving it at D+5. The Second District would remain a D+4 district and the First would be a D+11. The First District, in this new map, would snake all the way over to Roswell and include Fort Sumner.

Despite backlash from Republican and independent members, the Democrats rammed it through on a vote of 25-14, with Sen. Jacob Candelaria (DTS) voting with all Republicans against it. 

Candelaria dubbed the map “inherently racist.” “I don’t use those words lightly, but when you are drawing the line in this map, I’ll tell you exactly how it’s drawn: It’s drawn along the wealthy homes along the bosque — million-dollar estates, $500,000 homes. That’s who this map says gets to be part of the Albuquerque ‘community of interest.’ But poor, working-class Hispanic folks in the southeast part of Albuquerque and the South Valley are no longer part,” Candelaria said, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican. 

The vote came after a tumultuous Senate Judiciary Committee hearing where most New Mexicans in attendance were against the newly proposed map and virtual attendees via Zoom were not allowed to speak until public backlash forced the committee to allow virtual testimomy. Even Rep. Teresa Leger de Fernandez’s (D-NM-03) brother, Martín Leger, testified against the bill.

In the House, Speaker Brian Egolf and Democrats rammed through the heavily gerrymandered state House redistricting map based on a George Soros-funded group’s proposal, the Center for Civic Policy (CCP). It passed by 43-23. 

The CCP map would create extreme-looking shapes that are traits of heavy partisan gerrymandering. 

“We can’t always get what we want,” Rep. Dayan Hochman-Vigil (D-Albuquerque) said. “Sometimes we have hard races in front of us, but we shouldn’t be looking at maps in a protectionistic manner.”

Now, the House’s state House map moves to the Senate, while the Senate’s heavily gerrymandered congressional map moves to the House for consideration.

Also on Saturday, all Republicans excluding Rep. Stefani Lord (R-Sandia Park) helped Democrats pass their $1.06 billion spending spree with federal funds, further assisting the leftist agenda in New Mexico.

See the partisan analysis of the congressional maps via FiveThirtyEight here.

After public fury, NM Senate panel finally lets virtual attendees testify on redistricting bill

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The public still is not allowed in the Roundhouse this legislative session after Democrats demanded mandatory jabs, masks, and a ban on all firearms in the public-owned building. 

On Thursday afternoon, the New Mexico Senate Judiciary Committee met, which was chaired by vice-chair state Sen. Bill O’Neill (D-Bernalillo) to discuss congressional redistricting plans. O’Neill presided over the meeting since Judiciary chairman Joseph Cervantes (D-Doña Ana) was presenting the congressional district map bill, for which he was a sponsor.

After the in-person testimony of a handful of individuals ended, O’Neill demanded the body go back to discuss the bill despite many Zoom attendees, who were promised a seat at the table, wanting to be recognized. O’Neill being challenged by another member claimed, “We’re pressed for time,” adding, “We don’t have the capacity.”

The ban on virtual testimony lit a match in the comment section of the Zoom meeting, with citizens writing angry comments.

One person wrote, “Wow, how messed up!

Another citizen commented, “I’m not understanding why there is not enough time to hear remote public comments?”

“[T]his is messed up!!! and unfair!!!” one individual proclaimed. 

“Shame on the Senate for ignoring public input,” another commenter wrote. “A perfect example of bad leadership. Good leaders listen and do not impose self-interests by squashing public comment.” 

Finally, O’Neill reluctantly permitted public comment right before the final vote on the bill, blaming technology for not being able to permit it before. 

Surprisingly, all of the public commenters who testified via Zoom were in opposition to the proposed congressional map, including the brother of Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM-03), Martín. In the proposed map, Leger Fernandez’s district is poised to be drawn to be much more Republican. The district which is currently a D+14 district would be redrawn to a mere D+4 partisan advantage, with the addition of conservative southern New Mexico communities, including Lovington, northern Hobbs, and all of Portales, according to FiveThirtyEight’s analysis. Leger Fernandez only won the D+14 district by 16.8 points. 

The move came as Democrats, in the attempt at getting another Democrat representative by skewing the current Second District, which is an R+8, to a D+4, may be actually harming their own Democrat representative from the Third District.

“What the S.B. 1 bill does it is really destroys that community of interest,” Martín Leger told the committee, referring to acequia communities. “Many of you have very, very large districts and you understand how hard it is to represent those various areas of your district. The S.B. 1 would make it really [difficult]. I mean, from going from Gallup all the way to Roswell… is not a good way to have a representative represent their constituents. The acequia to the oil patch are not communities of interest.” 

“If there’s nobody in the public in favor of it, why is it still being pushed?” asked Leger. 

Michael Sperberg-McQueen of Rio Arriba County said, “I was very happy when we created a Citizen Redistricting Committee,” Ne noted, “I don’t suppose redistricting is ever nonpartisan, but states seem to have better results when they have independent bodies drawing maps and not people who are necessarily assailed by the exigencies of political self-preservation.”

“If you find that you cannot keep your fingers off of it … there needs to be a detailed explanation of why the CRC maps were not good enough,” concluded Sperberg-McQueen. 

Despite all the opposition to the proposed map, it passed the Senate committee on a vote of 6-3, now making its way to the Senate floor.

Other redistricting bills: The House will discuss H.B. 8, redrawing state House districts, on the floor Friday, according to the floor calendar. 
Senate Bill 2, revising maps for state Senate districts, is awaiting action from one committee after it passed another on Thursday. “It would establish 27 Democratic-leaning districts, similar to the total now. Democrats have held 26 or 27 seats in recent years,” the Albuquerque Journal reports.

Extremely gerrymandered congressional map proposal moves forward

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An extreme proposal, S.B. 1, by Democrats to selectively gerrymander New Mexico’s congressional map while hiding under the guise of “representation” for Native American communities, is moving forward after it passed the Senate Rules Committee on a party-line vote of 7-4.

What the map does: The map completely changes the layout of New Mexico’s congressional map, robbing Albuquerque of the South Valley by plunging it into the Second Congressional District. The First District then eats up chunks of Valencia County, all of Torrance and Lincoln Counties, as well as bits of Otero County. The First District then extends in a snake-like shape all the way north to the outskirts of Santa Fe.

The Third District is even more strange-looking, by eating up northern Hobbs, all of Lovington, Roswell, and much of Artesia, while it extends up to Santa Fe, Taos, and the northeast corner of the state. 

Why it matters: According to FiveThirtyEight’s analysis of the map, it would turn all of New Mexico’s districts to Democrat hands, with the First District a D+12, the Second a D+4, and the Third a D+4. This could rob representation from New Mexicans in rural areas by diluting their voice.

FiveThirtyEight analysis of the new map.

What you can do: The Senate Judiciary Committee is holding a hearing on the newly redrawn congressional district map at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 9. It is unclear if public comment will be taken, but the meeting information can be found here: 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88289763031 to join the Webinar, or via telephone 1-669-900-9128 – Meeting ID: 882 8976 3031

Also happening today: The Senate Rules Committee will be meeting on Thursday, December 9 at 2:00 p.m. to discuss redrawing of state Senate maps, which are also heavily Democrat gerrymandered. The details to that meeting are below:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88408775084 to join the Webinar, or via telephone 1-346-248-7799 Meeting ID: 884 0877 5084 

ALERT: NM House Committee holding last-minute hearing on legislative maps TODAY at 3pm

3 Comments / Action Alert, New Mexico, News / By

After ramming through H.B. 8, a far-left New Mexico state House map, in the New Mexico House Government and Indian Affairs Committee on Wednesday, the Democrats in the House have announced that they will hold a last-minute hearing on the maps at 3:00 p.m, just a little over an hour after the news was broken on the House floor.

Testimony is urgently requested against these maps, which are a rendition of the far-left dark money George Soros-funded group, Center for Civic Policy’s maps.

Background on the maps, as we previously reported:

The Center for Civic Policy (CCP), a dark money group funded heavily by out-of-state billionaire financier George Soros, who destabilized the British Pound at the Bank of England, and millionaire Rob McKay, whose foundation had its non-profit status revoked in 2018, is trying to partisanly gerrymander the map to favor one side. 

The CCP’s state legislative map (Concept G) does much of the same, achieving an extreme partisan gerrymander while also erasing rural representation. It would chop communities like Clovis into thirds while not taking into account the needs of energy-producing, farming, ranching, and other communities that are the backbone of the state’s economy. The map also takes into account at least 8 Native American-majority districts to ensure fair representation. The CCP’s map does not have this many Tribal districts.

Read More About the Map Here.
See The Map Here
WATCH ‘Judiciary’ Webcast at 3:00 p.m.

Members of the public are urgently requested to call into the meeting to voice opposition, although it is unclear if the Democrat-led commission will even allow public comment. The committee announcement on the bill can be found here.

The Zoom details are below:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83307954358

Or One tap mobile: +13462487799
Or Telephone Dial: +1 346 248 7799
Webinar ID: 841 0738 5314

EMAIL JUDICIARY MEMBERS BY CLICKING ON THEIR NAMES BELOW:

TitleNameDistrictPartyRole
RepresentativeGail Chasey18DChair
RepresentativeMicaela Lara Cadena33DVice Chair
RepresentativeEliseo Lee Alcon6DMember
RepresentativeZachary J. Cook56RMember
RepresentativeBrian Egolf47DMember
RepresentativeDaymon Ely23DMember
RepresentativeGeorgene Louis26DMember
RepresentativeMatthew McQueen50DMember
RepresentativeGreg Nibert59RMember
RepresentativeWilliam “Bill” R. Rehm31RMember
RepresentativeJames G. Townsend54RMember

Talking points:

Use the far-left Democrats’ words against them. This is what we previously reported regarding New Mexico Citizens Redistricting Committee members’ comments on redrawing maps. Members Curtis and Rhatigan broke their word. Will NM House members?

Board Member Curtis said, “It seems like a radical change to any of the districts — since we’re not an elected body — … the public would have to say ‘we want a radical change.’” Member Curtis said, “there would have to be overwhelming support for a radical change from the current districts” and “We are imposing something on people if we’re doing radical change without the public jumping up and saying ‘this is what we want.’” 

Board Member Rhatigan added, “…unless there’s overwhelming public consensus to change the general composition of our three congressional districts, I’m inclined to draw districts that we have one [representative] in Albuquerque and we have one northern district and a southern district.”

This map has clear gerrymandering, with strange, snake-like districts that are shameless partisan redrawing for political gain:

NM Dems advance extreme partisan gerrymandered legislative, U.S. House maps

2 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

It is only the third day of the special legislative session focused on redistricting and Democrat legislators have already rammed through nearly all their favorite state House and congressional maps through their first committees.

On the House side, the Government and Indian Affairs Committee advanced the far-left H.B. 8, which is a model of the Center for Civic Policy dark money George Soros-funded group’s map. The proposal passed on a party-line vote of 6-3 after Republicans fumed at the partisan nature of the map, which deviated more than 10% from district to district, a clear violation of best practices in implementing the Voting Rights Act.

Rep. Daymon Ely (D-Corrales) claimed of the CCP-created map, that “House Bill 8 is a composite of the tribal interest as we heard about them yesterday. The consensus that was reached between the all pueblo council.” The partisan map now moves forward to be considered in the House Judiciary Committee before a final floor vote. That committee is expected for Thursday morning.

This is what the House Democrats’ state House map looks like:

In the Senate, the Rules Committee rammed through another leftist map, S.B. 1, that would plunge the South Valley of Albuquerque into the Second District to weaken the Republican voting share of the conservative district represented by GOP Congresswoman Yvette Herrell. The map would not take into consideration communities of interest, including forcing northern Hobbs into a district with northern New Mexico. Heavy partisan gerrymandering is detected on the map. 

It passed the Senate Rules Committee on a party-line vote of 7-4.

This is what the Senate Democrats’ congressional map looks like:

The House is expected to reconvene on the floor at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, while it is unclear when the Senate will meet again.

The Piñon Post has been working throughout the redistricting process, from the very first committee hearing on the independent redistricting bill, throughout the committee process, to now to advocate for fair maps in New Mexico. Once committee information gets published for tomorrow’s committee hearings, the Piñon Post will update this information on our website in the fight for a redistricting process that values all New Mexicans.

Conservatives take over ABQ City Council with Dist. 9 win for Renee Grout

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On Tuesday, Albuquerque held runoff elections in Districts 7 and 9. Conservative candidate Renee Grout officially won District 9, defeating leftist Robert Grilley while far-left Democrat Tammy Fiebelkorn won in District 7, defeating conservative Lori Robertson, with all precincts reporting. 

Fiebelkorn garnered 62% of the vote over Robertson’s 38% while Grout came out with 52% of the vote over Grilley’s 48%. 

The flipping of District 9 makes it official that conservatives have flipped Albuquerque’s City Council — a referendum on socialist Democrat Mayor Tim Keller, who recently won reelection due to two candidates splitting the moderate and right-leaning votes among them on the November 2 election.

With the electoral win of conservatives Tim Lewis over leftist Cynthia Borrego in District 5 and Louie Sanchez’s win over leftist Lan Sena, the council will now be a 5-4 conservative majority. Although Sanchez is a registered Democrat, he is a conservative.

On Facebook following the news of Grout’s win, she wrote, “Thank you District 9 for your support. I am humbled by this opportunity to represent you and move Albuquerque forward. I’m so excited about what the future holds for our beautiful city.”

New Mexicans cheered Grout’s win while applauding Robertson for running a spirited race.

One commentator wrote on Twitter,

“CONGRATS TO RENEE GROUT for winning ABQ City Council, District 9. Can’t wait to see what’s next for Lori Robertson. She fought off voters for 5Dems and did a hell of a good job! A huge thanks to ALL of the volunteers!”

Michaela Chavez, a former Bernalillo County Republican Party official wrote on Facebook,“Lori… Robertson you ran an amazing campaign. It was my honor to help you in the capacity that I did. I learned a lot by being on the flip side and not the candidate. I thank you for running and putting yourself out there for all of Albuquerque. Renee Grout congratulations on your win. We have gained tonight.”

Bipartisan legislators introduce bill to limit governor’s emergency powers

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Although the second 2021 Special Session of the Legislature is preliminary regarding redrawing congressional, legislative, and Public Education Commission districts, other topics are being brought before the body, including one proposal, H.B. 10, aimed at limiting the Governor’s emergency powers. 

“A declaration of a state of emergency issued pursuant to the All Hazard Emergency Management Act shall cease to be in effect after ninety days unless the governor calls the legislature into special session to address the circumstances of the state of emergency,” reads the bill sponsored by Reps. Greg Nibert (R-Roswell) and Daymon Ely (D-Corrales). 

“The special session called pursuant to Subsection A of this section shall convene no later than the ninetieth day after the initial declaration of the state of emergency,” the bill adds. 

If the Legislature does not act to restrict the Governor’s powers, then they will automatically be ended 60 days following its extension.

The bill would implement a specific framework a state of emergency must abide by, including information regarding the following:

(1) the nature of the public health emergency;

(2) the political subdivisions or geographic areas affected by the public health emergency;

(3) the conditions that caused the public health emergency;

(4) the expected duration of the public health emergency, if less than thirty days;

(5) the public health officials needed to assist in the coordination of a public health emergency response; and

(6) any other provisions necessary to implement the executive order.

Although co-sponsors other than Ely and Nibert are not mentioned, state Rep. Stefani Lord (R-Sandia Park), said, “I just signed onto HB 10.” She wrote, “In simple terms, the Governor would no longer be all-powerful and instead be required to ask for permission from the legislation to extend the mandates.”

The proposal comes after Gov. Lujan Grisham, a far-left Democrat and alleged sexual predator, has extended the public health emergency for nearly two years, leading to devastation in New Mexico, including the shuddering of 40% of small businesses in the state.

MLG is so toxic, she caused a far-left legislator to leave the Democrat Party

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On Monday, the second 2021 Special Session commenced in Santa Fe, with the public being required to wear masks, have jabs, and leave their guns at home in an increasingly hostile environment begun by Democrats at the Legislature.

The special session, meant for redistricting congressional, legislative, and Public Education Commission districts, began with a bang. Following weeks of hostility from Democrat leaders, such as Senate Pro-Tem Mimi Stewart (D-Bernalillo), far-left state Sen. Jacob Candelaria (D-Bernalillo) finally had it with the Democrats’ bullying. He announced he was leaving the Democrat Party over its partisanship and toxicity.

Candelaria said, “I don’t think anyone can look at … the unconstitutional acts of this governor and not conclude that this partisan virus is starting to affect who we are as a country,” referring to Michelle Lujan Grisham

He mentioned how the Democrats’ special session was merely a way to ram through as much partisanship as possible by gerrymandering maps to benefit Democrats. 

“I don’t think that the decisions we make should be based on partisan ambitions, and it broke my heart to see already that the Senate maps deliberately dilute and gerrymander the west side of Albuquerque to preserve perceived partisan advantage for some members of the Democratic Party,” he said, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican. “You would strip representation from people that I represent, many of whom are Hispanic, simply because it benefits you at the ballot box.”

Candelaria said he’s “done playing this game” and has submitted forms to change his party registration to “Decline to State.”

Will Reinert of the Republican Governors Association said, “Senator Candelaria saw the same thing New Mexicans are beginning to recognize — that Michelle Lujan Grisham always thinks she is above the law,” He added, “Senator Candelaria’s wise decision is just the beginning of what is going to be a long campaign season for Governor Lujan Grisham as voters begin to examine her failed record.”

The toxic Governor, who many believe is a lame-duck one with her reelection around the corner, has done nothing to benefit her image, including dining on $200 per pound Wagyu beef steaks on the taxpayers’ dime, allegedly grabbing multiple men’s crotches which led to a $150,000 settlement to one accuser, paying her own daughter over $8,000 in campaign funds for hair and makeup, locking down the state which caused over 40% of small businesses to close their doors and her radical far-left policies that have plunged New Mexico into further decline. 

Now, with Lujan Grisham forcing members of her own party to jump ship, she might not think she’s as comfortable in her reelection chances amid the turmoil.

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