Politics

NM race to get national spotlight at GOP midterm convention

11 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

Republican congressional candidate Greg Cunningham is set to appear on the national stage this week as the GOP puts New Mexico’s closely watched 2nd Congressional District contest in the spotlight at its first-ever midterm convention in Dallas.

Cunningham, the Republican nominee challenging Democratic U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez, is among a relatively small group of House candidates scheduled to speak at the Sept. 9-10 event, according to a preliminary speaker list first reported by Axios.

President Donald Trump is scheduled to address the convention, while Vice President JD Vance will also deliver a keynote. The broader lineup includes House Speaker Mike Johnson, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Donald Trump Jr., former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and other Republican officials and candidates. The convention is intended in large part to boost Republican turnout ahead of November’s elections.

For New Mexico, however, Cunningham’s inclusion stands out.

According to the announced roster, he is the only New Mexico congressional candidate currently listed among the speakers. New Mexico Political Report similarly noted that Cunningham is, so far, the only New Mexico candidate or elected official on the announced agenda.

Cunningham, a retired Albuquerque police detective and Marine veteran, won the Republican nomination for the 2nd District in June and is challenging Vasquez in November.

On social media Sunday, Cunningham confirmed that he plans to attend the Dallas gathering.

“I’m going to be highlighting the State of New Mexico for the rest of the country,” Cunningham said, according to New Mexico Political Report.

Addressing Vasquez directly in a video, Cunningham said he intends to use the national platform to focus on “what you and your party have done to our state.”

The appearance comes just weeks after Johnson traveled to Albuquerque to campaign with Cunningham, another sign that national Republicans are putting attention on the southern New Mexico-based congressional contest.

Trump, Vance and major GOP figures headline

The Dallas convention will feature Trump prominently across the two-day event, with organizers framing it as a way to keep Trump-aligned voters engaged even though the president himself is not on the ballot.

Axios reported that roughly 100 Republican lawmakers and candidates are expected to participate either as speakers or attendees.

Among the congressional candidates scheduled to appear are Republicans running in competitive races in Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, New York, Ohio and Texas.

Cunningham’s placement alongside that group suggests national Republicans are treating NM-02 as one of the contests worth showcasing during the convention.

The event will also include Senate candidates such as Michigan Republican Mike Rogers and North Carolina Republican Michael Whatley, along with sitting lawmakers including New York Rep. Mike Lawler and Pennsylvania Reps. Rob Bresnahan and Ryan Mackenzie, according to Axios.

Vasquez attacks Cunningham over Trump alignment

Vasquez’s campaign has responded by trying to make Cunningham’s participation a liability.

According to New Mexico Political Report, Vasquez criticized Cunningham over the weekend for appearing at a Trump-centered event shortly after Trump posted a meme depicting New Mexico as “New America.”

Trump shared an altered map in which “Mexico” was crossed out and replaced with “America,” prompting responses from several Democratic members of New Mexico’s congressional delegation.

Vasquez wrote separately that Trump did not have the right to “erase New Mexico” and argued that Cunningham’s appearance at the Dallas convention demonstrated his alignment with the president.

That dispute now gives both campaigns a preview of the message they may take into the final weeks of the race: Cunningham is embracing the opportunity to appear alongside national Republican leaders, while Vasquez is seeking to connect Cunningham as closely as possible to Trump and his agenda.

National attention turns to NM-02

The convention comes as Republicans focus heavily on turnout and congressional control.

Axios reported that organizers are particularly concerned about whether voters who turned out for Trump in 2024 will return to the polls in a midterm election when his name is not on the ballot.

That makes candidates such as Cunningham important to the event’s broader strategy: tie competitive congressional races to national Republican messaging while giving candidates a chance to introduce themselves to activists and donors around the country.

For Cunningham, the Dallas appearance provides perhaps his largest national platform yet.

Rather than simply attending, he is on the announced speaker roster alongside some of the highest-profile figures in Republican politics.

And with Cunningham preparing to use the convention to make his case about New Mexico while Vasquez attacks him for standing with Trump, the already high-profile NM-02 race is poised to receive even more national attention this week.

NM race to get national spotlight at GOP midterm convention Read More »

Trump jokes about new name for NM — and libs take the bait

30 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

President Donald Trump spent Sunday doing what he has repeatedly proven capable of doing: posting an outrageous meme, sitting back, and watching Democrats rush to respond.

This time, New Mexico’s entire Democratic political establishment practically lined up to take the bait.

Trump shared an altered map of New Mexico on Truth Social in which the word “Mexico” was crossed out and replaced with “America,” turning the state into “New America.” The official White House X account subsequently amplified the image, where it quickly racked up millions of views.

Trump later leaned even further into the joke.

“Many people suggested changing the name of New Mexico, one of the great vote cheating states of all time, to NEW AMERICA,” Trump wrote. “So much more prestigious and beautiful for the people of that potentially incredible State. Wow, I Love It!!!”

There is no executive order renaming New Mexico, and Trump cannot simply rename a state on his own. The post followed an online satirical claim that he had already done so, which was false. But rather than shrugging off the obvious provocation, New Mexico Democrats responded as though the state’s 47th star might vanish from the flag overnight.

Democrats take the bait

U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich posted:

“Three things I will always call by their actual names…

The Gulf of Mexico

Lake Ontario

New Mexico”

U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández similarly fired back, writing, “Nope. We are older and prouder than your newest distraction.”

Second Congressional District Democrat Rep. Gabe Vasquez devoted an even longer response to the meme.

“You don’t get to erase New Mexico,” Vasquez wrote. “Not our name. Not our history. Not our culture. The President may want to call us ‘New America,’ but we know who we are.”

Vasquez then attempted to turn Trump’s trolling into an attack on his Republican congressional opponent, Greg Cunningham.

Sen. Ben Ray Luján went further, responding to the president with a personal insult.

“It’s New Mexico, always has been and always will be,” Luján wrote. “Just like how you’ll always be a sinvergüenza and corrupt.”

Rep. Melanie Stansbury also erupted over the post.

“Oh hell no!” she wrote. “Our state’s name carries generations of history, culture, and family—and it belongs to us. We’re New Mexicans. Period.”

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham joined in, insisting New Mexico’s name “isn’t up for debate” and accusing Trump of using the post as a distraction.

All of that over a meme.

Trump has been on a renaming streak

The joke did not come completely out of nowhere.

Trump famously ordered the federal government shortly after returning to office to use “Gulf of America” in place of the Gulf of Mexico.

Then, on Aug. 27, Trump signed another executive order directing the Interior Department and federal Board on Geographic Names to rename Lake Ontario “Lake America” for official U.S. federal purposes.

The order directed the government’s Geographic Names Information System to adopt “Lake America” and instructed federal agencies to use the new designation in maps and other government communications.

Apple and Google subsequently began showing “Lake America” to users in the United States, although Canada and international users continue to see Lake Ontario.

So when Trump posted a map changing “New Mexico” to “New America,” the setup was obvious.

Unlike bodies of water under federal geographic-naming authority, however, Trump does not possess unilateral authority to change a state’s name. Such a move would require considerably more than a Truth Social post and almost certainly action involving New Mexico itself and Congress.

That distinction did not stop the meltdown.

One meme, an entire delegation responding

The reaction illustrates a political formula Trump has used for years: throw something deliberately provocative onto social media and force opponents to decide whether to ignore it or give it vastly more attention.

New Mexico Democrats chose option two.

Within hours, both U.S. senators, multiple members of Congress, and the governor were publicly assuring residents that, yes, New Mexico was still New Mexico.

Meanwhile, the official White House account amplified the original image to an audience of millions.

Whether Trump was actually testing another naming campaign or simply trolling a heavily Democratic state, the result was the same: one altered map consumed the attention of New Mexico’s top Democrats for much of the day.

And if the goal was to get a reaction, it worked spectacularly.

Trump jokes about new name for NM — and libs take the bait Read More »

Romero scandal explodes as taxpayer-funded Epstein PR firm quits

11 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

The controversy surrounding Democrat state Rep. Andrea Romero is widening after a taxpayer-funded public relations firm hired to assist New Mexico’s Jeffrey Epstein “truth commission” became entangled in Romero’s personal political crisis — and then abruptly parted ways with the commission.

Romero, who chairs the Survivors Truth Commission examining Epstein’s activities in New Mexico, was already under fire after resigning from a part-time job at the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Attorney General Raúl Torrez determined that an ongoing paid position with a prosecutor’s office was unlawful for a sitting legislator, rejecting Romero’s contention that his office had previously given her permission to hold both jobs.

Now Republican lawmakers say Romero compounded the problem by involving Dini von Mueffling Communications, the Manhattan public relations firm taxpayers were paying to handle communications for the Epstein commission.

The firm’s contract with the Legislative Council Service began Aug. 11 and carried a maximum value of $60,000, according to Source NM. Its role was to manage media inquiries and communications connected to the commission’s work.

Instead, the firm issued a statement on Romero’s behalf concerning her resignation from the district attorney’s office — a matter involving Romero personally rather than the commission’s investigation.

That prompted Senate Minority Leader Bill Sharer, R-Farmington, to call for Romero to resign both as commission chair and from the New Mexico House.

“The evidence suggests she used taxpayer dollars appropriated for a truth commission investigating one of the most notorious predators in modern history to instead pay a contractor to clean up her own political mess,” Sharer said, according to Source NM. “That is not what that money was for, and it is exactly the kind of self-dealing New Mexico’s Governmental Conduct Act was written to stop.”

Sharer said he has also asked the State Ethics Commission to investigate.

PR firm exits after lawmakers ask questions

Republican commission members Reps. Andrea Reeb of Clovis and William Hall of Aztec said the situation became even more troubling when they sought additional information from the PR firm about its communications with Romero.

According to KOB and the Santa Fe New Mexican, rather than provide the requested details — including emails between the firm and Romero — Dini von Mueffling Communications resigned from its role with the commission.

“We are deeply concerned with Representative Romero’s misuse of the Epstein Truth Commission’s PR firm – Dini von Mueffling Consulting – for a personal employment issue,” Reeb and Hall said in a joint statement reported by KRQE and KOB.

They added that the firm’s decision to leave rather than provide additional information was especially troubling.

“The credibility of this committee is of the utmost importance, and unfortunately, recent events have jeopardized that credibility,” they said.

The Santa Fe New Mexican reported the firm’s responsibilities included “composing and editing press and media releases and responding to public inquiries” for the Epstein commission.

Romero says it was a mistake

Romero has acknowledged that the commission’s communications contractor became involved in her personal statement, but she insists it happened accidentally.

In an email obtained by KRQE, Romero told fellow commissioners she had separately worked with the House Democratic communications team on her resignation statement while also contacting the commission’s PR firm to prepare language intended to protect the commission’s integrity.

She said that amid a “flurry of emails and drafts,” she mistakenly approved the PR firm’s version.

“For this, I’m deeply sorry,” Romero wrote. “I want to be clear with you all: this was an individual error on my part and I take full responsibility for that mistake.”

In a subsequent public statement, Romero again apologized, saying she had been out of the country grieving the death of a loved one, making communications more difficult.

“This was unintentional and I sincerely apologize for the confusion created,” she said, according to Source NM and KRQE.

Romero also announced that the PR firm and commission were “parting ways.”

Republicans say explanation raises more questions

Reeb and Hall pushed back after Romero emphasized that commission statements normally require approval from all members.

According to the Santa Fe New Mexican, the Republicans stressed that they had not approved the statement involving Romero’s employment dispute and only learned about it after it appeared publicly.

“Her latest statement appears to be an attempt to rewrite the record after the fact and avoid responsibility for her own actions,” they said. “That only raises further concerns about her judgment and the credibility of this Commission.”

A House Democratic spokesperson said Romero was not claiming that the other commissioners had approved the statement.

Torrez-Romero feud still simmering

The controversy stems from Romero’s earlier resignation from the Santa Fe prosecutor’s office.

After Torrez clarified that state law bars sitting lawmakers from holding ongoing paid positions with district attorney offices, Romero initially accused the attorney general of disrupting the Truth Commission’s work.

Torrez’s office fired back forcefully.

“We appreciate her frustration at losing her part-time job at the District Attorney’s Office, but we reject any insinuation that our recently released guidance on that issue was motivated by anything other than the law,” his office said, according to KOB.

Torrez’s office then added a particularly pointed jab, saying it hoped Romero’s “newfound commitment to victims’ rights” would be evident in the coming legislative session, “not just on social media.”

Romero has since softened her position, saying Thursday, “I acknowledge and support the AG’s decision and encourage any other lawmakers in the same position to follow this guidance.”

Calls for Romero to step down intensify

Republicans are now arguing that the PR controversy, layered on top of the district attorney employment dispute, has damaged Romero’s ability to credibly lead the Epstein commission.

“Essentially, she created another set of victims, and in this case, the victims are the taxpayers of New Mexico,” Sen. Steve Lanier, R-Aztec, told KOB.

Republicans have also renewed questions about the commission’s interim report and the absence of gubernatorial candidate Deb Haaland’s name, with Lanier alleging Romero removed it without other commissioners’ knowledge. Those allegations have previously been reported by KOB and remain part of the broader dispute over the commission’s handling of politically sensitive material.

For Romero, what began as a controversy over an allegedly unlawful government job has now spread into questions about taxpayer-funded communications, the resignation of the commission’s outside PR firm, multiple ethics complaints, and calls for her to leave both the commission and the Legislature.

Romero says she wants to move forward.

Republicans say the controversy is nowhere near over.

Romero scandal explodes as taxpayer-funded Epstein PR firm quits Read More »

Too late: NM Supreme Court boots Dem replacement candidates

11 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

New Mexico Democrats have lost their effort to place replacement candidates on the November ballot in two state House districts after the New Mexico Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the party missed a clear statutory deadline.

The divided decision, with Justice Michael Vigil dissenting, leaves Republican candidates unopposed in House Districts 4 and 23 after the original Democratic nominees withdrew too late for the party to legally replace them, according to the Albuquerque Journal.

Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver had asked the state’s highest court to resolve competing interpretations of New Mexico’s ballot-vacancy law after litigation erupted in both districts.

Republicans celebrated the ruling.

“If they won’t follow basic rules, how can New Mexico voters have any confidence in them to turn our state around on serious, complex issues?” New Mexico Republican Party interim Chairman Mike Nelson said.

At the center of the dispute was Section 1-8-8 of state law, which governs vacancies occurring after a primary election.

The statute allows political parties to fill a general-election ballot vacancy when that vacancy occurs “ninety or more days before the general election.”

Another provision in the same section says an appointment to fill such a vacancy must be submitted at least 70 days before Election Day.

Democrats argued the 70-day language allowed them to submit replacement candidates even though the original nominees had not withdrawn before the 90-day threshold.

The Supreme Court rejected that interpretation Thursday, ruling the provisions must be read together rather than treating the 70-day filing deadline as an independent opportunity to create a replacement vacancy.

Hernandez withdrawal came after hotel scandal

In House District 4, Democrat Rep. Joseph Hernandez of Shiprock had been seeking reelection to a second term before abruptly ending his campaign last week.

His withdrawal followed reports tying him to a late-night disturbance at a Chicago hotel. Police reports and witness accounts alleged Hernandez had been “running around naked” and banging on hotel-room doors.

After Hernandez exited the race, San Juan County Democrats selected former state Rep. Anthony Allison as their replacement nominee.

But San Juan County Clerk Alyssa Kuhn determined Hernandez had withdrawn after the statutory deadline and declined to accept Allison as a valid replacement.

Democrats sued.

Thursday’s Supreme Court decision sided with the interpretation that Hernandez’s withdrawal came too late to trigger the party’s replacement authority.

Republican Heather Ellison of Kirtland will consequently have no Democratic opponent in the District 4 general election.

Same problem for Democrats in House District 23

A nearly identical battle unfolded in House District 23.

Democrat Elise Falanga Taylor withdrew from the race against incumbent Republican House Whip Alan Martinez of Rio Rancho after the 90-day deadline had passed.

Sandoval County Democrats then selected Matthew Herman to replace her.

Sandoval County Clerk Anne Brady-Romero initially refused to put Herman on the ballot, concluding state law did not permit the replacement because Taylor had withdrawn too late.

A district court temporarily ordered Herman onto the ballot while the legal issue was considered. But the judge subsequently ruled that Brady-Romero’s original reading of the law had been correct.

The Supreme Court affirmed that conclusion Thursday.

The high court also directed a district judge handling the parallel San Juan County case to enter a ruling consistent with its interpretation.

90 days means 90 days

Both Democratic withdrawals occurred after the 90-day cutoff but before the separate 70-day filing deadline, creating the legal fight over which provision controlled.

The Supreme Court’s answer was that both matter.

In other words, the 70-day deadline establishes when a properly selected replacement must be filed; it does not erase the requirement that the underlying vacancy itself occur at least 90 days before the election.

The outcome leaves Democrats without candidates in two House races they had initially planned to contest.

It is not expected to dramatically alter control of the New Mexico House, where Democrats currently hold a 42-26 advantage, with two seats vacant following early departures by incumbents.

But it gives Republicans two uncontested races as the party attempts to cut into Democrats’ large majority.

All 70 House seats are on the ballot this year, although fewer than half feature contested general-election races.

For Democrats, the ruling also closes the door on weeks of litigation seeking to salvage the two candidacies.

The candidates withdrew after the statutory window had closed. Democrats attempted to fill the resulting vacancies anyway.

And on Thursday, the New Mexico Supreme Court said the law did not allow it.

Too late: NM Supreme Court boots Dem replacement candidates Read More »

AG Torrez torches state Rep. Andrea Romero after ‘unlawful’ prosecutor job

7 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

Democrat state Rep. Andrea Romero’s short-lived stint working for the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office ended with her resignation — but the political fireworks only intensified after New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez publicly torched the Santa Fe lawmaker following her criticism of his office.

Romero resigned from the six-figure-paying part-time prosecutor’s office job after the New Mexico Department of Justice issued guidance concluding that, with narrow exceptions, it is “unlawful” for a sitting legislator to simultaneously work as an employee of a district attorney’s office, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican.

Romero attempted to defend the arrangement, saying she accepted the position only “after receiving prior guidance from the AG’s office that it was permissible.”

But she has reportedly declined to release the correspondence showing precisely what advice she received.

Torrez’s office, meanwhile, said any supposed confusion stemmed from a much narrower 2024 opinion concerning legislators serving as special assistant district attorneys on specific cases — not taking broader employment inside a prosecutor’s office.

Torrez wrote that “any district attorney’s office currently employing a sitting legislator in a capacity other than a special assistant district attorney appointment properly confined to a specific case or matter … should treat that arrangement as unlawful and correct it without delay.”

Romero’s exact job at the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office has itself been murky.

According to the New Mexican, there was no written job description, while government records variously referred to her as an “assistant district attorney,” “assistant trial attorney,” and “document review attorney.”

The controversy had already prompted ethics complaints and demands for an investigation.

House Republican Whip Alan Martinez of Rio Rancho called on Torrez to determine whether Romero’s May 23 hiring violated state laws prohibiting sitting legislators from receiving certain state compensation — violations Martinez said could potentially carry felony consequences.

“This is not a technical ethics question that can be brushed aside,” Martinez said. “State law appears clear, and the Attorney General’s own office has previously stated that a legislator cannot serve as an assistant district attorney.”

Martinez also asked Torrez to investigate First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies’ role in authorizing Romero’s employment.

“No legislator is above the law,” Martinez said.

The DA’s office responded that it was “disappointed” with the attorney general’s conclusion but would comply.

Then Romero apparently took aim at Torrez.

According to a subsequent report, Romero criticized the attorney general’s decision and suggested the controversy could affect work involving New Mexico’s Survivors Truth Commission, which she chairs.

Torrez’s office responded with a statement that was anything but diplomatic.

“Rather than moonlighting as a part-time prosecutor, Attorney General Torrez has spent the better part of twenty-years working as a real prosecutor and standing up for victims’ rights,” his office said.

The statement then turned directly to Romero’s legislative record.

“That’s why he advocated to protect survivors of sexual assault from the abusive pre-trial witness interviews that traumatize hundreds of survivors each year — a bill that Representative Andrea Romero voted against.”

Torrez’s office did not stop there.

“We appreciate her frustration at losing her part-time job at the District Attorney’s Office, but we reject any insinuation that our recently released guidance on that issue was motivated by anything other than the law.”

And in perhaps the sharpest line of the entire exchange, the attorney general’s office added:

“We remain committed to supporting Epstein survivors through our ongoing criminal investigation and hope that Representative Romero’s newfound commitment to victims’ rights will be on full display in the upcoming legislative session, not just on social media.”

That statement transformed what had begun as a legal and ethics controversy into a remarkably public Democrat-on-Democrat feud.

Romero maintains she relied on previous guidance before taking the job. Torrez’s office says that guidance did not authorize the kind of ongoing employment arrangement she ultimately accepted.

And instead of quietly allowing Romero to blame the attorney general’s office for the fallout, Torrez effectively told the Santa Fe Democrat that the law was the law — while publicly reminding voters that her record on victims’ issues may not match the rhetoric she is now using.

For Romero, losing the part-time prosecutor job may turn out to be only the beginning of the political headache.

AG Torrez torches state Rep. Andrea Romero after ‘unlawful’ prosecutor job Read More »

Will judge follow the law? Dem ballot case puts political ties in spotlight

8 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

The judge overseeing Democrats’ attempt to force a replacement candidate onto the ballot in New Mexico House District 23 has extensive ties to the state’s Democratic political establishment — including a marriage to one of New Mexico’s most prolific progressive fundraisers and strategists.

That history is drawing fresh scrutiny as Thirteenth Judicial District Judge James A. Noel prepares to hear arguments over whether Democrat Matthew Herman can legally replace Elise Falanga Taylor on the Nov. 3 ballot.

The underlying law appears straightforward.

Section 1-8-8(A) NMSA 1978 states: “If after a primary election, but ninety or more days before the general election, a vacancy occurs” the political party may fill that vacancy through its central committee. Subsection D separately gives parties until 70 days before the election to file an appointment for a vacancy that qualifies under Subsection A.

The distinction matters. Lawmakers specifically changed the vacancy threshold from 70 days to 90 days in 2023, while preserving the separate 70-day filing deadline.

For the Nov. 3 election, the 90-day mark was Aug. 5.

Falanga Taylor did not announce her departure until Aug. 16, after alleging Republicans had used “vile tactics” involving information about an abusive former partner. Republican incumbent Rep. Alan Martinez, the House minority whip, denied that he or anyone connected to his campaign had anything to do with the alleged attacks, and Falanga Taylor’s campaign did not identify who supposedly circulated them when questioned by local media.

Sandoval County Democrats subsequently selected Herman on Aug. 23.

Sandoval County Clerk Anne Brady-Romero initially concluded that was too late under the 90-day statute.

Then Noel intervened.

He ordered Brady-Romero to place Herman on the ballot or appear Sept. 2 and explain why she had not done so. The clerk ultimately complied Friday but maintained that her original interpretation was correct and announced Sandoval County would still argue that “no replacement candidate could be submitted because of statutory deadlines.”

Now the political background of the judge handling that dispute is receiving attention.

Noel was appointed to the bench in 2020 by Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and subsequently ran for the position as a Democrat. Before becoming a judge, Noel served as a cabinet secretary under Democrat Gov. Bill Richardson and as executive director of the New Mexico Judicial Standards Commission.

More significantly, Noel is married to Amanda Cooper, a longtime Democrat political strategist with deep ties to New Mexico’s progressive political infrastructure. Contemporary reporting has repeatedly identified Cooper as Noel’s wife.

Cooper is also the stepdaughter of former Democrat U.S. Sen. Tom Udall.

Her political résumé stretches back decades.

Richardson’s own presidential campaign identified Cooper as his reelection campaign manager and fundraising director, crediting her with overseeing $14 million raised for his gubernatorial reelection and helping raise another $28 million during Richardson’s chairmanship of the Democratic Governors Association. She later became a senior figure in Richardson’s presidential campaign.

Cooper also managed Udall’s successful 2008 U.S. Senate campaign.

Perhaps more relevant to current New Mexico politics, longtime political blogger Joe Monahan identified Cooper in 2024 as one of the figures heading Better Future for New Mexico, a major progressive independent-expenditure PAC, alongside consultant Nick Voges and Jim Gollin. A strategy letter published by Monahan was signed by all three and outlined efforts to defeat centrist and conservative Democrats while advancing priorities including abortion rights, climate policy, paid family and medical leave, and other progressive causes.

The PAC remains a financial powerhouse.

Its April and May 2026 campaign-finance filings disclosed three major contributions totaling $525,000: $250,000 from the North Fund reported in its April filing, followed by $175,000 from Grove Action Fund and $100,000 from Green Advocacy Project in its May report.

The May filing shows Better Future then sending tens of thousands of dollars for “voter contact” to organizations including Planned Parenthood Votes New Mexico, NM Working Families Party PAC, CVNM Verde Voters Fund, and Native American Advocacy Fund. An earlier filing shows another $20,000 going to ProgressNow New Mexico Votes.

The PAC has also repeatedly paid Dream Train Consulting, while Voges publicly identifies Dream Train as his consulting firm.

Cooper and Voges have additionally appeared together as sponsors of Emerge New Mexico, an organization devoted to recruiting and training Democrat pro-abortion, far-left women and “nonbinary” candidates.

According to information provided to Piñon Post, former Democrat state Rep. Daymon Ely, a trial attorney who previously represented House District 23, is also meddling in Democrats’ legal push surrounding the replacement candidate, in typical fashion. He recently attacked state Rep. Rebecca Dow (R-Truth or Consequences), unsuccessfully attempting to boot her from the ballot. Public reporting has separately identified attorney Kate Ferlic as representing Herman in the case.

There is another historical wrinkle.

In 2008, Noel was tapped to become New Mexico’s elections director while Cooper was managing her stepfather Tom Udall’s U.S. Senate campaign. Republicans raised conflict-of-interest concerns over having a candidate’s son-in-law overseeing state elections. Noel ultimately withdrew from the election job and remained with the Judicial Standards Commission.

That history makes the current case especially noteworthy.

New Mexico’s Judicial Ethics Handbook states that a judge must disqualify himself or herself when the judge’s impartiality “might reasonably be questioned.” But New Mexico case law also makes clear that mere political disagreement or fear of an unfavorable ruling does not itself establish judicial bias; there must be a reasonable factual basis for questioning impartiality.

There is no evidence Cooper is a party to the HD23 lawsuit, that she has a direct financial interest in Herman’s candidacy, or that Noel has acted improperly because of his wife’s politics.

But the optics are unavoidable.

A Democrat-appointed judge, married to a longtime progressive fundraising operative connected to one of New Mexico’s most powerful left-leaning PAC networks, is now deciding whether Democrats can keep contesting a Republican-held House seat despite a statute that expressly says a post-primary vacancy must occur 90 or more days before the election.

Falanga Taylor’s vacancy did not.

The Democrats created the vacancy. Their candidate waited until after the 90-day threshold to quit. The Legislature deliberately changed that threshold from 70 days to 90 days only three years ago.

So the question heading into Wednesday’s hearing is simple: Will the court enforce the statute as the Legislature wrote it, or find a way around a deadline Democrats plainly missed?

With control of legislative seats hanging in the balance — and Noel’s own family history deeply intertwined with Democratic politics — New Mexicans will be watching closely.

Will judge follow the law? Dem ballot case puts political ties in spotlight Read More »

How much fried chicken did NM legislator buy with campaign cash? See the list

15 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

The bizarre Chicago hotel incident that helped end Democrat state Rep. Joseph Hernandez’s reelection campaign grabbed the headlines.

But Hernandez’s own campaign-finance reports, as we exclusively reported last week, reveal another spectacle: more than $101,000 in reported spending, including cash withdrawals, gift cards, hotels, big-box stores — and at least $590.04 spent at fried-chicken chains alone.

A Piñon Post review of Hernandez’s filings found $101,703.30 in reported expenditures across the campaign reports examined. The records do not, on their own, prove that any particular expense was illegal or personally benefited Hernandez. Many transactions were described as fundraising, meetings, travel, lodging, meals, supplies, or other campaign expenses.

Still, some entries are difficult to ignore.

1. At least $590.04 at fried-chicken joints

Seun OG, Pexels

Yes, fried chicken gets its own category.

Hernandez’s campaign reported six separate KFC expenditures totaling $422.22.

Those included $82.16 at KFC in Farmington labeled “meetings and appearances,” $91.94 categorized as fundraising, a $50.26 travel-and-meals charge, a $58.03 meetings charge, and two KFC Shiprock transactions on June 2, 2026, for $67.90 and $71.93.

Then there was Church’s Chicken: $67.04 in Farmington, another $37.09 in Farmington, and $28.97 at a Church’s Chicken in Denton, Texas — another $133.10.

Finally, the campaign spent $34.72 at Raising Cane’s Chicken in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Grand total at those obvious fried-chicken chains: $590.04.

And that does not even count other wing or general restaurants in the ledger.

2. $6,608.02 in massive bank entries with “No Category”

Two of the most unusual expenditures did not involve a restaurant or retailer at all.

On June 5, 2024, the campaign reported $2,500 to DDA Citizens Bank, described as “In clearing Check 101.”

Twelve days later came another $4,108.02 entry described as “Direct Deposit Account Citizen Bank.”

The campaign-purpose category for both?

“00-No Category Applies.”

Together, they totaled $6,608.02.

3. $1,200 “Cash Out” to Hernandez himself

Also on June 5, the campaign listed Joseph Hernandez as the payee for a $1,200 “Cash Out.”

The purpose was listed as a fundraising-event expenditure.

Two days later, the campaign reported another $540 “Cash Out” to Hernandez, this time for candidate travel, lodging, and meals.

And the cash-style transactions did not stop in 2024.

4. Another $1,200 over-the-counter transaction

On June 8, 2026, another $1,200 went to Hernandez in an entry described as “DDK Over the Counter.”

It was categorized as candidate travel, lodging, and meals.

Other reports contain additional ATM, debit-withdrawal and over-the-counter transactions to Hernandez, including a $164 ATM withdrawal on June 2, 2026 and later $103 and $120 entries.

5. $1,724.40 in Speedway gift cards — in one day

One of the most eye-popping spending bursts happened June 5, 2024.

The campaign made four Speedway purchases:

  • $405
  • $444.75
  • $624.75
  • $249.90

The campaign itself said the transactions were for gift cards used to compensate campaign workers or volunteers.

Total in one day: $1,724.40.

6. Nearly $2,400 at Sam’s Club in one day

On June 3, 2024, Hernandez’s campaign reported three separate Sam’s Club expenditures:

$998.41, $154.93 and $1,237.43.

Total: $2,390.77.

All were reported as fundraising expenses.

And just two days earlier, another $1,237.43 Sam’s Club charge had already hit the campaign account.

7. Nearly $1,500 at Home Depot in a single day

Aug. 20, 2024 brought another spending spree.

Hernandez’s campaign reported Home Depot charges of:

$142.81, $312.31 and $1,020.81.

That is $1,475.93 in one day, all described as campaign building materials and supplies. The filing clearly lists all three transactions together.

Then, one week later, another $1,127.17 Home Depot expenditure appeared under “campaign paraphernalia/misc.”

8. Two identical $442.47 hotel charges — same day, same hotel

On May 21, 2026, the campaign reported two identical $442.47 charges at Comfort Suites in Albuquerque.

Combined: $884.94.

Both were categorized as candidate travel, lodging, and meals.

The filing does not explain whether the identical charges represented separate rooms, separate stays, or something else.

9. Hilton, La Fonda and Inn of the Mountain Gods

The campaign’s lodging trail extended well beyond Comfort Suites.

Among the larger reported charges:

$687.67 at Hilton Santa Fe.

$462.44 at La Fonda on the Plaza.

$409.47 at Inn of the Mountain Gods.

The La Fonda charge was particularly notable because Hernandez categorized it as “meetings and appearances,” rather than simply travel or lodging.

10. $800 in Porters Restaurant charges on consecutive days

Porters Restaurant, Courtesy, Facebook

Hernandez’s reports are packed with restaurant spending.

At Porters Restaurant in Farmington, the campaign reported a $400 fundraising charge on June 3, 2024 — followed by another $400 charge the next day.

Other Porters charges included $158.64 and $68.26.

That was just one restaurant.

The campaign also spent at Nataani Nez Restaurant, The Coffee Ship, Los Hermanitos, Little Caesars, Taco Bell, McDonald’s, Red Lobster, Domino’s, Sonic, Denny’s, Wendy’s, Burger King, Wingstop and numerous others.

11. $1,088 for “campaign paraphernalia/misc.”

On Sept. 24, 2024, the campaign reported $1,088 at Denetso Ink in Shiprock.

Instead of describing the expenditure as printing or campaign literature, the reported purpose was the broad category:

“Campaign paraphernalia/misc.” The company appears to be be tied to “Black Streak Apparel.”

12. The bizarre $9,074 “placeholder”

Perhaps the strangest entry in the entire packet is technically a contribution rather than an expenditure.

Hernandez listed $9,074.35 from himself with the following explanation:

“Placeholder to bring balance above negative until audit can rectify negative reported balance.”

The same amended reporting period also contains multiple “Unknown Contributor” cash entries that were later marked deleted, including amounts of $1,470.80, $2,833.38, $1,311.60 and $250.

Because they were deleted, those amounts should not be treated as valid current contributions.

But their appearance — alongside a $9,074 “placeholder” designed to correct a negative reported balance — makes the filing history even more unusual.

13. Some 2024 reports weren’t filed until 2026

Then there is the timing.

The packet includes a Fourth Primary Report due July 5, 2024 that was electronically filed March 10, 2026.

A First General Report due Sept. 9, 2024 similarly shows a March 9, 2026 filing date.

That means some disclosures covering 2024 campaign activity did not appear in their filed form until nearly two years later, or were fixed years later after failing to be in compliance.

A $101K trail after a scandal-plagued exit

Hernandez has since abandoned his reelection campaign following reports of the Chicago hotel incident involving allegations of public nudity and banging on guests’ doors.

But withdrawing from the race does not erase the campaign-finance trail.

At least $590.04 at fried-chicken chains. $6,608.02 in enormous bank entries carrying “No Category.” A $1,200 cash-out to Hernandez. Another $1,200 over-the-counter transaction. $1,724.40 in Speedway gift cards in a single day. Thousands at Sam’s Club and Home Depot. Hundreds at hotels and restaurants. And a $9,074 “placeholder” inserted to fix a negative balance.

The spending, at a glance

The individual transactions pile up quickly. To show just how frequently Hernandez’s campaign account was used at restaurants, grocery and retail stores, and hotels, Piñon Post broke out some of the most notable reported spending by vendor.

Food and restaurants: Hernandez’s filings show repeated spending at Nataani Nez Restaurant, Porters Restaurant, The Coffee Ship, Los Hermanitos, Little Caesars, KFC, and many others. That is on top of the other fast-food and restaurant charges scattered throughout the reports.

Groceries and retail: The campaign also repeatedly spent money at stores including Bashas’, Walmart, Smith’s, Dollar General, Shamrock Foods/Southwest Cash & Carry, and Costco — often under categories such as fundraising, meetings, campaign supplies, or travel and meals.

Hotels and lodging: Hernandez’s reports additionally show hundreds of dollars at a time going to properties including Comfort Suites, Hilton Santa Fe, Staybridge Suites, La Fonda on the Plaza, Inn of the Mountain Gods, and TownePlace Suites.

Taken together with the cash withdrawals, gift-card purchases, big-box spending, and unusual banking entries detailed above, the filings paint a sprawling picture of how Hernandez’s campaign account was used.

None of those entries standing alone proves wrongdoing.

But taken together, Hernandez’s own filings provide an extraordinary look at how more than $101,000 in reported campaign expenditures moved through his political account — and leave plenty of questions for the former candidate to answer.

Scandal-plagued Dem quits race after streaking, campaign cash bombshells

How much fried chicken did NM legislator buy with campaign cash? See the list Read More »

Ballot bailout? NM Dems sue to replace candidates after deadline

15 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

New Mexico Democrats are asking state judges to rescue two state House races after their original nominees bailed out too late to satisfy a key deadline in state election law — with county clerks arguing the statute simply does not allow the party to substitute new candidates under the circumstances.

The fight centers on House Districts 4 and 23, where Democrat nominees Rep. Joseph Hernandez and Elise Falanga Taylor withdrew well after the date New Mexico law establishes for a post-primary ballot vacancy that a political party may fill.

Democrats nevertheless selected former Rep. Anthony Allison to replace Hernandez in District 4 and Matthew Herman to replace Falanga Taylor in District 23. Both were initially rejected by their respective county clerks, prompting lawsuits seeking court orders putting them on the Nov. 3 ballot.

The statutory language presents Democrats with an obvious hurdle.

Section 1-8-8(A) NMSA 1978 begins: “If after a primary election, but ninety or more days before the general election, a vacancy occurs, for any cause…” the political party may fill that vacancy through the appropriate central committee.

For the Nov. 3 election, the New Mexico Secretary of State’s own 2026 Candidate Guide identifies Aug. 5 as the 90-day deadline for a vacancy on the general-election ballot occurring after the primary. The guide separately identifies Aug. 25 — 70 days before the election — as the final date for filing an appointment to fill an already qualifying vacancy.

That distinction is at the heart of the dispute.

Subsection A determines when a vacancy is eligible to be filled: it must arise at least 90 days before the general election. Subsection D then gives the party until the 70th day before the election to formally make and file its replacement appointment.

The Legislature made that distinction even clearer in 2023. Lawmakers specifically amended Subsection A by changing the vacancy threshold from 70 days to 90 days, while separately retaining a 70-day deadline for the replacement appointment paperwork.

Neither Democrat vacancy arose by Aug. 5.

Falanga Taylor announced Aug. 16 that she was abandoning her challenge to House Minority Whip Alan Martinez (R-Rio Rancho). Hernandez withdrew on Aug. 25 — the absolute final day on which a candidate could withdraw and have his or her name removed from the ballot under Section 1-10-6.

Yet Democrats are arguing that the 70-day appointment deadline should allow their substitutes onto the ballot anyway.

Attorney Kate Ferlic, representing Allison and Herman, told KOAT, “if a candidate files prior to 70 days, that candidate should appear on the ballot.”

County clerks read the statute differently.

San Juan County Clerk Alyssa Kuhn disqualified Allison under Section 1-8-8(A) and has now asked a judge to dismiss his lawsuit. Sandoval County Clerk Anne Brady-Romero likewise concluded Herman could not lawfully replace Falanga Taylor because the underlying vacancy occurred after the statutory deadline.

The Sandoval County fight has already taken an unusual turn. Thirteenth Judicial District Judge James A. Noel ordered Brady-Romero to put Herman on the ballot pending further proceedings. The clerk complied but said the county will defend its original determination at a Sept. 2 hearing, maintaining that “no replacement candidate could be submitted because of statutory deadlines,” according to the county statement reported by Source New Mexico.

The scramble began after two very different Democrat campaigns imploded.

Falanga Taylor quit her District 23 race while accusing Martinez’s campaign of exploiting a decades-old abusive relationship to connect her to crimes allegedly committed by a former partner, which, of course, is not true. Martinez flatly denied that he or anyone affiliated with his campaign was responsible. Reporting at the time noted Falanga Taylor’s campaign did not provide specifics establishing who was behind the alleged attacks when asked — further proof she just cooked up the story to exit from the race.

She explicitly said she wanted to step aside so another Democrat could take her place.

The situation in District 4 was even more explosive.

Hernandez withdrew after reports surfaced about a Chicago hotel incident in which witnesses and a police report described a man identified as Hernandez running naked through a hotel hallway and banging on guests’ doors. Hernandez later apologized and said he was addressing problems involving alcohol.

His withdrawal also came as the Piñon Post reported new questions surrounding his campaign-finance filings, including thousands of dollars in cash-style or self-directed transactions, extensive restaurant, hotel, and retail spending, and repeated filing issues.

Democrats then moved immediately to nominate Allison, a former District 4 representative, as Hernandez’s replacement.

The Democrat legal theory now effectively asks courts to treat the 70-day paperwork deadline as permitting replacements even though the vacancies themselves did not arise within the 90-day window expressly written into Subsection A.

Republicans and the county clerks say that reading would render the Legislature’s 90-day language meaningless.

The stakes are considerable. If the replacements ultimately remain disqualified, Republicans would be left without Democrat opponents in the two races. KOAT political analyst Brian Sanderoff acknowledged that Democrats are fighting because they want to preserve contests in both districts.

House Speaker Javier Martínez (D-Albuquerque) has publicly sided with his party’s effort, saying Democrats expect the courts to side with Democrats, despite the law being crystal clear they can’t place their candidates on the ballot past the required timeline.

But the controversy now puts judges in the position of interpreting two deadlines that the Legislature deliberately wrote differently — a 90-day threshold for the vacancy to occur and a 70-day deadline to file the replacement.

Democrats missed the first one in both races.

Now they are asking the courts to save their candidates anyway.

Ballot bailout? NM Dems sue to replace candidates after deadline Read More »

Speaker Johnson visits NM with major boost for Cunningham

21 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson made a high-profile stop in New Mexico Wednesday to rally support for Republican congressional nominee Greg Cunningham, highlighting one of the GOP’s biggest opportunities to expand its narrow House majority this November.

And Johnson arrived with a message from President Donald Trump himself.

The Louisiana Republican said he spoke with Trump by phone Wednesday morning before traveling to Albuquerque and told the president where he was headed.

“He loves the state of New Mexico,” Johnson said of Trump. “He loves the people. He loves this candidate.”

Johnson said Trump agreed Cunningham is “straight out of central casting,” adding, “He’s going to be perfect for this district,” according to the Santa Fe New Mexican.

Cunningham, a Marine Corps combat veteran, retired Albuquerque police detective, and small-business owner, is challenging two-term Democrat U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez in New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District.

The race has quickly emerged as one of Republicans’ most important pickup opportunities in the country.

Trump carried the district in 2024 even as Vasquez narrowly survived reelection, giving Republicans confidence that voters who backed Trump could also send Cunningham to Washington this year.

“That’s what makes this district, puts it in play,” Johnson said, according to KOB.

Johnson said Republicans see New Mexico’s 2nd District as one of a small number of seats that could ultimately determine control of the U.S. House.

The Cook Political Report currently rates the race “Lean Democratic,” but Johnson argued national handicappers are underestimating Cunningham and the enthusiasm Republicans are seeing on the ground.

Before the press conference, Johnson attended a fundraiser for Cunningham that he said drew approximately 375 people — the largest crowd he had seen during his August campaign tour across dozens of congressional districts.

“We just had the largest crowd of the entire month of August that I’ve seen anywhere in America,” Johnson said.

KOAT reported Johnson also described the amount raised at the event as “extraordinary,” although he did not disclose a total.

The gathering also included state Rep. Martin Zamora (R-Clovis), the Republican nominee challenging far-left Democrat U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández in New Mexico’s 3rd Congressional District.

Zamora’s appearance underscored Republicans’ broader effort to compete for congressional seats across New Mexico as the party works to protect and potentially grow its House majority.

After the fundraiser, Johnson joined Cunningham and law enforcement leaders for a press conference at Rio Bravo Brewing Co. in Albuquerque.

The speaker repeatedly emphasized Cunningham’s background in law enforcement and military service, contrasting it with Vasquez’s record in Washington.

“The incumbent in this district has had a shameful record,” Johnson said, according to KOB. “He voted against the tax cuts for hard working New Mexican families. He voted against border security measures over and over.”

Johnson also argued the Democrat Party is continuing to move further left, warning that Vasquez would ultimately fall in line with the party’s socialist wing if Democrats regain control of Congress.

“He will follow the DSA, the Democrat Socialists of America, takeover of the party,” Johnson said. “He won’t be able to stand up to the base.”

Johnson framed November’s election as a straightforward choice.

“The president won this district,” he said. “They are for common sense. They are not for crazy, and they’re going to get an opportunity in this election to vote for common sense.”

Cunningham, meanwhile, focused heavily on public safety and his 22 years serving as an Albuquerque police officer.

“I am not a politician that is telling police officers and detectives that I like them or I will listen to them,” Cunningham said. “I am one of them.”

“I have worked these streets. I’ve been in these alleys. I’ve gone through these doors,” he continued. “I know what these men and women need, and I am committed to getting that to them once we get elected to Congress.”

Cunningham was joined by law enforcement figures including Eddy County Sheriff Matt Hutchinson and members of the New Mexico Fraternal Order of Police.

Former New Mexico Fraternal Order of Police President Bob Martinez also took direct aim at Vasquez’s past record on policing.

“Congressman Vasquez talks a good line, but he basically was for defunding the police,” Martinez told the New Mexican, referring to Vasquez’s previous comments supporting the defund-the-police movement.

“He did not support the police,” Martinez added. “Now that it’s time to get reelected, he’s suddenly on board. But the fact of the matter is history speaks for itself.”

Vasquez responded by attacking Johnson and attempting to paint Cunningham as too closely aligned with Trump.

“My opponent since day one has said that he wants to be the representative of this district because he has Donald Trump’s approval,” Vasquez told KOAT. “Mike Johnson is here to validate that,” not mentioning that the President won the Second Congressional District.

A small group of left-wing protesters also gathered outside the event, staging a sad collection of assorted anti-Trump and anti-Johnson demonstrations while Cunningham and Johnson spoke inside.

Cunningham appeared completely unfazed.

“I’ve raised six children, have nine grandchildren, so I’m actually used to talking over stuff like this,” he joked.

The far bigger story Wednesday was happening inside: the Speaker of the House personally traveled to New Mexico, Trump sent his enthusiastic support, hundreds packed a Cunningham fundraiser, and national Republicans made unmistakably clear that they believe Vasquez’s seat is winnable.

Republicans are already preparing to spend millions in the Albuquerque and Las Cruces media markets as they target the district, while Cunningham has demonstrated growing fundraising strength.

With control of Congress potentially coming down to only a handful of races, New Mexico could find itself at the center of the national battle for the House.

Johnson believes Cunningham can deliver one of those decisive victories.

Cunningham sounded equally confident.

“I look forward to seeing you all in January,” he told supporters, “at the swearing-in ceremony.”

Speaker Johnson visits NM with major boost for Cunningham Read More »

‘I think it is BS’: NM Dems rage over Trump Supreme Court victory

9 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver’s office is sounding the alarm after the U.S. Supreme Court handed President Donald Trump a key victory in his push to tighten mail-in voting rules ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

In a statement posted online Tuesday, Toulouse Oliver’s office claimed the Supreme Court’s decision “creates unnecessary chaos and unsubstantiated doubt in our democratic process” just as voters begin making plans to participate in November’s elections.

The reaction followed Monday’s 6-3 Supreme Court order lifting a lower-court injunction that had blocked portions of Trump’s March 2026 executive order in 23 Democrat-led states and Washington, D.C. The unsigned emergency order split along ideological lines, with the Court’s three liberal justices dissenting.

The ruling is not the final word on the legality of Trump’s executive order. Instead, the Supreme Court concluded that the states challenging it had sued prematurely because the executive order itself had not yet caused them the concrete injuries they alleged.

That procedural distinction nevertheless amounted to a significant victory for Trump as election deadlines rapidly approach. Breitbart News noted that some states are preparing to begin sending ballots to voters in early September, giving the legal battle heightened urgency heading into the midterms.

Trump signed the executive order in March as part of what his administration has described as an effort to strengthen election integrity and prevent ineligible voters from participating in federal elections.

Among other provisions, the order directs the Department of Homeland Security, working with the Social Security Administration, to compile state-specific lists of confirmed U.S. citizens of voting age. It also directs the Justice Department to prioritize investigations and prosecutions, under applicable federal law, involving officials or others who distribute federal ballots to ineligible voters.

The order also instructed the U.S. Postal Service to begin rulemaking governing mail and absentee ballots. The administration’s proposal calls for official election-mail envelopes with unique barcodes and would require states to enroll mail-ballot recipients on state-specific participation lists before USPS transmits their ballots.

The Postal Service published its new requirements last week as the Supreme Court considered the administration’s request. The White House has defended the order as a straightforward election-security measure.

“President Trump is taking decisive action to prevent non-citizens from voting in Federal elections and to protect the security of mail-in and absentee ballots,” the White House said in its March fact sheet announcing the order.

The Supreme Court, however, made clear Monday that it was not yet blessing every eventual action the administration might take under the order.

“The Court’s disposition of this application does not mean that any measure taken by the Government to implement the Order will necessarily be lawful,” the Court wrote. “On that score, time will tell.”

But the majority concluded the states had not shown the executive order itself had caused the injuries necessary for the Massachusetts federal court to intervene at this stage.

Toulouse Oliver’s office seized on the Supreme Court’s warning about future implementation while blasting the result.

“In an unsigned, emergency order issued Monday, the justices agreed states had not yet been harmed by President Donald Trump’s March 2026 executive order and therefore the case was not successful in blocking the order,” the office wrote.

Then came the promise of another courtroom battle.

“The Secretary of State’s Office has been working closely with the New Mexico Department of Justice in preparation of such a ruling and will challenge the executive order anew,” the statement continued. “Secretary of State Toulouse Oliver will always fight on behalf of the rights of all of New Mexico’s voters and remains committed to ensuring that every eligible voter has the information and ability to participate in the election this year.”

Her office stressed that the Supreme Court decision does not presently change how New Mexicans may vote in November and encouraged voters to consult the Secretary of State’s website and NMVote.org for current information.

The office also emphasized that other portions of Trump’s plan remain blocked through separate litigation — an important caveat because Monday’s Supreme Court order addressed only the injunction before it.

Toulouse Oliver was hardly the only New Mexico Democrat furious over the decision.

U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández posted a video calling the ruling “a really bad decision” and accusing Trump of attempting to interfere with mail-in voting.

“The Supreme Court did not make a final decision,” Leger Fernández said. “They did not decide that Trump has any legal authority to have a say in our federal elections. He does not. That is reserved to the states and to Congress.”

She then went considerably further.

“I think it is BS what the Supreme Court has done,” Leger Fernández declared.

“But let me tell you what we are going to do is we are going to continue to bring those legal cases and those battles,” she added.

Leger Fernández urged Americans to vote by mail, absentee ballot, early voting, or in person on Election Day.

“We are not going to let Trump suppress our vote,” she said. “We’re not going to let Trump make us despair and think that our vote doesn’t matter.”

Similar outrage erupted among Democrat officials elsewhere.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom vowed additional litigation and accused the Trump administration of advancing “Orwellian rules,” while New York Attorney General Letitia James described the Supreme Court action as a setback and likewise promised continued legal challenges.

The White House, meanwhile, celebrated the result. Spokeswoman Lauren Bis called Trump’s policies “commonsense measures that protect the security of mail-in ballots and ensure only Americans are electing American leaders.”

Even after Monday’s Supreme Court victory, however, the fight is not finished.

A separate injunction obtained in litigation involving voting-rights groups still blocks implementation of portions of the Postal Service rules, meaning Monday’s ruling does not automatically change mail-voting procedures nationwide. Reuters reported Tuesday that U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani criticized USPS over its rulemaking but declined to impose another block for the time being, while the separate injunction remains in force.

The new Postal Service rule includes requirements involving voter lists, ballot-envelope markings, and unique barcodes designed to allow election mail to be tracked. Those requirements are themselves now the subject of continuing litigation.

The Associated Press reported that the Supreme Court ruling may therefore produce no immediate change in the way Americans cast ballots this November, particularly with election deadlines approaching so quickly. What it unquestionably did was remove one major legal obstacle confronting Trump’s executive order and open another round in the broader court fight over presidential authority, state election administration, and mail voting.

For the Trump administration, Monday was a significant legal victory: the Supreme Court rejected the states’ attempt to keep the challenged provisions blocked on the theory presented to the courts so far.

For Toulouse Oliver and other Democrat officials, it triggered promises of yet more litigation.

New Mexico’s secretary of state says the ruling has created “unnecessary chaos.” Leger Fernández is calling what the Supreme Court did “BS.” Democrat officials in other states are rushing back to court.

And with ballots beginning to go out in parts of the country within weeks, the battle over Trump’s mail-voting and citizenship-verification order is nowhere near finished.

‘I think it is BS’: NM Dems rage over Trump Supreme Court victory Read More »

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