New Mexico

New poll shows Ronchetti leading Lujan Grisham

On Monday, the renowned Trafalgar Group released its latest poll in New Mexico, showing Republican gubernatorial nominee Mark Ronchetti leading Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham by 1.1 percent, with a margin of error of 2.9 percent. 

Ronchetti led Lujan Grisham 46.6 percent to her 45.5 percent, while Libertarian Karen Bedonie garnered 3.9 percent, and four percent remained undecided. 

The poll, which oversampled Democrats (47.6 percent) versus Republicans (36.3 percent) and oversampled women (52 percent) versus men (48 percent), is a clear indicator that Ronchetti has made up the small gap shown in other previous polls, showing him trailing by only single digits.


The survey was conducted between October 19 and October 21 with 1077 respondents, a very generous sample size. 

Lujan Grisham has been taking a great amount of heat in recent weeks over her numerous scandals while in office, most notably the violent criminals she released from prison early and her $150,000 payoff to a former staffer over claims she groped his crotch.

Expanded early voting has already begun in New Mexico, with 83,433 ballots cast so far, as of Monday morning, according to the New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office.

FiveThirtyEight rates the Trafalgar Group as an A- pollster, making it one of the most accurate around.

New poll shows Ronchetti leading Lujan Grisham Read More »

‘The Nation’s Report Card’ shows abysmal NM education scores

According to The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), a congressionally mandated large-scale national assessment of education in America, New Mexico’s education scores are the lowest in the nation in multiple categories. The NAEP assessment is dubbed “The Nation’s Report Card.”

NAEP’s assessment shows from 2019 to 2022, the post-pandemic recovery for New Mexico’s already failing education system is not looking good. 

Fourth-grade mathematics scores for New Mexico children are ranked 50th out of all 50 states, being beaten only by the territory of Puerto Rico. Eighth-grade mathematics scores ranked 49th, being nearly tied with Washington D.C. and West Virginia while only beating Puerto Rico in that category.

In the category of reading, New Mexico fourth-graders ranked once again took the bottom spot, with no jurisdictions ranking higher in the category, but the District of Columbia, West Virginia, and Alaska coming close. New Mexico eighth-graders also scored the lowest in the nation, with the exception of Puerto Rico. Other states with similar low eighth-grade reading scores include Oklahoma, Alabama, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

Only 19 percent of New Mexico fourth-graders are proficient in math, while 13 percent of New Mexico eighth-graders are math proficient. 21 percent of the state’s fourth graders are proficient in reading, while 18 percent of New Mexico’s eighth graders are proficient in the same category. 

In both mathematics and reading, New Mexico’s children did not change in the rankings, while all other states and jurisdictions improved post-pandemic. 

Fourth-grade math scores are the lowest in 17 years, while eighth-graders scores are the lowest in 30 years. In reading, New Mexico fourth graders had the lowest scores in 13 years, while eighth graders in the same category had the lowest scores in 15 years.

During the current administration of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, her Department of Education has gone through three education secretaries in four years. During the pandemic, Lujan Grisham locked down the state, leaving New Mexico children without education for months and years. Thousands of students were “missing” from getting an education during the pandemic.

In 2021, New Mexico ranked as the state with the highest suicide rate in the United States, with the rate for children ages 4-15 increasing by 88%.

‘The Nation’s Report Card’ shows abysmal NM education scores Read More »

ABQ Journal endorses Ronchetti, snubbing MLG and her ‘sketchy’ record

On Sunday, The Albuquerque Journal, a left-leaning paper, refused to endorse Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham for re-election, instead endorsing Republican nominee Mark Ronchetti.

The news comes as a major snub to Lujan Grisham, who is the only top Democrat on the ticket not to earn the Journal’s endorsement. Democrats, including Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver, Second Congressional District candidate Gabe Vasquez, Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez of the Third District, and Rep. Melanie Stansbury of the First District, among others, all have the stamp of approval from the paper. The Journal has the largest circulation of any other print paper in the state.

The paper wrote in its editorial, “Violent crime is harming, traumatizing and quite literally killing too many New Mexicans. Property crime, paired with the national economic downturn and pandemic closures, continues to hurt residents and business owners financially. Not enough of the record billion-dollar revenues from oil and gas has been invested in lasting infrastructure that will improve lives for decades to come. And four years into her administration, our governor’s promised ‘education moonshot’ has yet to launch as our children, especially our minority and low-income children, fall further and further behind. We simply cannot afford four more years of the same.”

The paper chided Lujan Grisham for her failure on education, public safety, the Children, Youth & Families Department, emergency powers, the border, divisiveness, checks and balances, and more.

“Lujan Grisham has contributed to the toxicity of our politics by name-calling those who have disagreed with her policies. In four State of the State speeches, she has never mentioned the contributions of the oil and gas industry or acknowledged its 42,000 direct and 134,000 indirect workers in New Mexico,” wrote the editorial board.

The paper called Lujan Grisham’s education plans “sketchy” while blasting her for going through multiple education secretaries, which has led to uncertainty in the Public Education Department, not to mention lower educational scores for children. 

“Ronchetti is a meteorologist and television weatherman who, unlike Lujan Grisham, has not served on a county commission, in a state Cabinet post, in Congress or governed from the fourth floor of the state Capitol. But we have to look at what all her experience has actually delivered. First on too many of the bad lists. Last on too many of the good ones,” The Journal added. 

Lujan Grisham has gotten the support of far-left papers that have almost exclusively endorsed Democrats, such as the Santa Fe New Mexican and the Santa Fe Reporter.

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Bloomberg anti-gun PAC spending big to stop GOP BernCo sheriff candidate

It was recently reported that the far-left anti-gun group “Everytown for Gun Safety” is spending big bucks to stop Republican Paul Pacheco, a former state representative, from being elected Bernalillo County sheriff. The gun-grabbing group that is backed by billionaire Mike Bloomberg will spend $300,000 combined in New Mexico and Massachusetts to defeat Republicans in two sheriffs races. 

The rabid anti-Second Amendment group told NBC News that it is “leaving no stone unturned” to snatch guns from law-abiding gun owners. 

Everytown for Gun Safety Victory Fund’s John Feinblatt erroneously claimed the two GOP candidates they are targeting are “hell-bent on using the office to suit their own ‘guns everywhere’ agenda.”

But in the ad attacking Pacheco, it cites decade-old Facebook posts to claim he was “proud” of being endorsed by pro-Second Amendment groups. 

The ad also claims Pacheco is pushing to “flood our communities with weapons of war,” showing footage of revolvers and rifles. The ad also erroneously claimed that guns are “making our streets more dangerous,” despite statistics showing most guns used in crimes were obtained illegally, with even PolitiFact acknowledging this fact. 

Despite Pacheco serving as an Albuquerque Police Department officer for 27 years and previously working for the FBI, the anti-gun group claims instead of fighting for citizens, he stands with the “gun lobby.” 

Pacheco is endorsed by the Albuquerque Police Officers Association, the Fraternal Order of Police, former police chiefs, and the Albuquerque Journal.

Bloomberg anti-gun PAC spending big to stop GOP BernCo sheriff candidate Read More »

MLG will push to ‘codify’ abortion up to birth into NM law if re-elected

In 2021, far-left Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed a radical law stripping all protections from women, babies, and healthcare professionals, legalizing dangerous, unregulated abortion up to birth in New Mexico.

But now, Lujan Grisham is working to go even a step further — “codifying” abortion up to birth into state law. 

The Albuquerque NPR affiliate KUNM’s Nash Jones asked Lujan Grisham, “While you repealed a dormant ban last year, a right to an abortion has not been further codified in state law. Will you pursue that if you’re reelected?”

She replied, “Absolutely. And I’ve made clear that the reason abortion is safe and legal in New Mexico is because I’m the governor…. New Mexico will continue to be a place that supports women’s health in all aspects and be a beacon for women all across the country.”

The news comes as Kamala Harris is expected to visit New Mexico on Tuesday, October 25 to campaign for Lujan Grisham while also promoting abortion up to birth policies. 

Harris will “participate in a moderated conversation on protecting reproductive rights (abortion),” according to her office’s press announcement.

The former California senator officiated Lujan Grisham’s lavish wedding in Washington, D.C., earlier this year while much of the state was plagued with forest fires.

Lujan Grisham is a rabid proponent of unlimited abortions, even holding a rally in Las Cruces last Saturday, where she danced alongside other pro-abortion leaders to gleefully promote abortion. 

She has also pledged $10 million in state taxpayers’ money to open a new abortion mill in Las Cruces if she is re-elected.

MLG will push to ‘codify’ abortion up to birth into NM law if re-elected Read More »

MLG appears to admit attack ads about groping claims are true

On Thursday, it was reported by the Santa Fe New Mexican that Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s campaign attempted to yank attack ads from the air that outlined how she released violent criminals back on the street. 

“KOB must pull this ad from the air immediately given your own admission it is false,” attorney Courtney Weisman of the Washington, D.C.-based Elias Law Group demanded in a letter to KOB 4’s station owner, citing a fact-check from KOB that didn’t come up with much.

“I don’t usually get into the details of our review,” station manager Michelle Donaldson said. “I will say that we followed our process that we always do. We asked for the substantiation from the party that purchased the ad. We spent a great deal of time reviewing that, asked for follow-up materials … and made our decision.”

The ad featured claims that the governor twice released a criminal, Christopher Beltran, out on the street, resulting in the murder of his ex-girlfriend Dominique Gonzales of Roswell. 

KOB reporter Ryan Laughlin did a fact-check of the ad that appeared to confirm everything the ad said was true since, under Lujan Grisham’s administration, he was released twice. That resulted in the brutal death of Gonzales.

The ad, paid for by RGA New Mexico PAC, will stay on the airwaves. 

But Lujan Grisham’s protest against the ad is telling since she did not demand an ad run by the Mark Ronchetti campaign come down after it mentioned the governor’s $150,000 sexual assault payout to a former staffer who claims she groped his crotch. 

The Ronchetti campaign has since released an ad featuring her family saying, “The governor absolutely should be held accountable for [Beltran’s] early release and feel ashamed.”

MLG appears to admit attack ads about groping claims are true Read More »

Far-left lawmaker resigns, will likely be replaced by another far-leftist

After far-left state Sen. Jacob Candelaria of Albuquerque resigned abruptly on Wednesday, opportunistic Democrats already began chomping at the bit, looking to be appointed to fill the remaining two years of the leftist’s term. 

Candelaria has been well-known for his drama, including attacking police officers who responded to his 911 call claiming he was being threatened. He also is a radical Black Lives Matter supporter who offered to defend anti-police rioters during the George Floyd riots. Even Democrat Party leaders told Candelaria to “f**k off.”

According to The Santa Fe New Mexican’s Daniel Chacón, far-left state Rep. Moe Maestas (D-Bernalillo) is interested in and will apply for the position.

He wrote on Twitter that Maestas said, “It’s very important that someone with experience represent [Senate] District 26 come January.”

Maestas is a tax-and-spend liberal who has been a rubber stamp for Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s agenda. He has voted with Democrats on everything from tax hikes, abortion up to birth, anti-gun laws, and everything in between.

Maestas is married to left-wing lobbyist Vanessa Alarid who is the registered lobbyist for Bloomberg’s gun-grabbing group Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund and previously was the executive director for the Democrat Party of New Mexico, according to her LinkedIn profile

Maestas calls fellow New Mexicans who he disagrees with on Twitter “pendejos” and has made it clear he supports higher taxes on the hard-working people of New Mexico.

The leftist Democrat also attacked children who were being forcibly masked, saying to one constituent, “My kids don’t snivel.” 

Far-left lawmaker resigns, will likely be replaced by another far-leftist Read More »

MLG once again grabs national attention for promoting abortion up to birth

Over the weekend, far-left pro-abortion up-to-birth Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham held a rally with pro-abortion leaders from the unlimited abortion groups NARAL and Planned Parenthood. At the rally, she was joined by the pro-abortion national figures, as well as state legislators and city councilors who also share the governor’s stance on abortion up to birth.

There was a massive counter-protest of at least 250 people who encircled the park where the pro-abortion Democrats promoted their candidacy for the upcoming November 8 election.

While at the rally, the Democrats, including Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver, danced on stage and joyously supported killing children in the womb. Lujan Grisham, who recently had her knee operated on out-of-state, hopped along with the dancing liberals who gleefully rejoiced the thought of more pro-abortion leadership after the election.

The video went viral online, with the large pro-life news site Life News sharing the video. It has already garnered over 20,000 views on Twitter.

CPAC shared the video on Twitter, writing, “Democrats and New Mexico Governor dancing at an abortion rally. Murdering innocent babies should NOT be celebrated.”

The pro-life group Students for Life of America shared the clip also, writing, “New Mexico Gov. Grisham was seen dancing with the CEO of Planned Parenthood and President of NARAL at an abortion rally.”

New Mexicans who responded to the original clip did not hold back either, with one writing about the dancing, “Although I’m not a person of faith, I’m not ruling out demonic possession.”

Another wrote, “If only they could see themselves through the eyes of God.”

One person wrote, “Dead babies don’t dance. Fire MLG!” 

On November 8, Lujan Grisham faces Republican Mark Ronchetti, who is neck-and-neck with her in the polls. Third-party Libertarian candidate Karen Bedonie is also running.

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Libertarian candidate Bedonie: GOP’s Ronchetti ‘cannot win with me in the way’

On Sunday night, a video began circulating showing a Republican-turned-Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Karen Bedonie saying her Republican rival Mark Ronchetti “cannot win” with her in the race. Both are running to unseat Democrat first-term Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.

In the video shared on Twitter, Bedonie says, “The only comfort I find in this race is that man (Mark Ronchetti) cannot win with me in the way. That man cannot win this race. He will never be governor as long as I am alive and well and in this race. 

The snippet appears to be taken from a previous live stream Bedonie made, where she claimed around the 22:30 mark, “It’s amazing some of the phone calls that come in. Like, what does it take for a person to really hate somebody to call the campaign and to yell at our campaign team and telling them that Karen’s gonna split the vote? How crazy are you really thinking this is because it’s impossible to split a vote that was never his? Ronchetti is not a conservative, he’s not a New Mexican. The only comfort I find in this race is that man (Mark Ronchetti) cannot win with me in the way. That man cannot win this race. He will never be governor as long as I am alive and well and in this race”

She then added, “MLG — she is sweatin’ it because you know what? She’s gonna have to literally try and hope — and I don’t even know if that woman knows how to pray — that we don’t beat her, but I think we’re gonna beat her because we’re looking at 85% of Democrats that can’t stand her. We were in the belly of the beat of the Democrats. The People — not the party — the people. And they were excited. They took pictures with us. They talked to us. People say, ‘Oh, the Democrats and Libertarians are merging. No! It’s not about party.”  

The original full video from Bedonie can be viewed here.

Many New Mexicans responded with shock after watching Bedonie’s remarks. One person wrote, “Infuriating! Imagine being so bitter & making New Mexicans have to deal with MLG for another 4 yrs.” 

Another person chimed in, “Well at least she comes out and admits it. She’s full on admitting she’s trying to screw over New Mexicans. [Michelle Lujan Grisham] won’t even admit that.”

One commenter wrote, “I’ve been really nice. I literally haven’t said a thing. But this is f****d up and egotistical and you KNOW IT!!! you know it!!!! I feel disgust tbh.” 

Bedonie told the Piñon Post in an interview following the video being posted on Twitter, “In regards to this whole thing, I think the Republicans were looking for a doorway to attack me on because we are so clean. They took it out of context, and they chopped it up just like they did to Trump.” She added, “It’s out of context. I will stand by my words. Ronchetti can’t win. Ronchetti can’t save New Mexico without McClesky pulling the strings.”

“I can’t split something that was never his. He never had the vote.”

As of publication, Bedonie’s remarks in the video have reached around 5,000 views on Twitter. Others have shared it via Facebook and other social media platforms.

Bedonie released a 35-minute video explanation on Monday, saying what she meant was she believed Ronchetti was splitting the vote. Watch her full response here.

Libertarian candidate Bedonie: GOP’s Ronchetti ‘cannot win with me in the way’ Read More »

GOP candidate exposes Democrats’ blatant hypocrisy and lies

In a video published on Facebook Saturday, the Republican nominee for the Albuquerque-based New Mexico House District 29, Greg Cunningham, ripped the Democrats for their flagrant hypocrisy with a new attack mailer just sent out by his Democrat opponent, state Rep. Joy Garratt. 

Cunningham held in one hand an accurate mailer sent out by the Republican Party of New Mexico that the Democrats claimed was “racist” because it featured a photo of a young boy getting his hair cut by a grayed-out individual. It noted how Democrats voted against an amendment to a bill banning pedophiles from touching children, such as cutting their hair. Instead of defending their vote, they claimed the grayed-out portion of the image was “racist.”

The Republican candidate said in the video, “You are being told by the progressive left-wing Democrats that this mailer, which depicts a child getting his hair cut by a pedophile with creepy-looking hands which have been colored gray, is racist. You may have also received a mailer calling me all sorts of names with my skin similarly doctored. This is typical of the incompetent leaders that are currently in control of our state. When someone actually starts telling the truth about their record, they distract by throwing around the word ‘racist.’” 

He said, “It’s ‘racist’ when they’re trying to deflect from a record that has hurt our families, hurt our children, and hurt our communities. But it’s not ‘racist’ when they do it to a Hispanic Republican candidate for office? If this is racist, then this is racist,” pointing to the two mailers. 

“The truth is that the progressive left doesn’t think either of these mailers is racist. But one is a convenient story to tell. They tell it because they want voters, and they believe voters can be bullied into believing whatever they tell you to believe. As a Hispanic, I’ll tell you what offends me. I’m offended by bad leadership. I’m more offended by so-called leaders who refuse to take responsibility for their actions, their votes, and their record. I’m offended that they will not take responsibility for the fact that they have put my wife, my daughters, and my grandchildren at risk with out-of-control crime.” 

Cunningham continued, “I am outraged by the fact that if you question their record, they use the same tactic as children — fourth graders — they call you names. We are last in public safety. We are last in education. We are last in jobs. They can’t defend their record, so instead, they call us ‘racist’ for pointing out their records. Enough of their failed leadership.” 

Garratt is a far-left member of the state House, being one of the rubber stamps on Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s agenda, such as bills to strip away New Mexicans’ gun rights, institute abortion up-to-birth and infanticide, let criminals back on the streets, and exacerbate inflation with job-killing policies that harm businesses and working families. In one instance, when Garratt was asked to say a prayer in the House chamber, she refused to use the word “God” or “Heavenly Father,” instead opting to say, “Heavenly parent.”

Watch Cunningham’s video:

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