A New Mexico judge has removed Republican state Rep. Rebecca Dow, the House Republicans’ caucus chair, from the June primary ballot following a legal challenge filed by her former Democrat opponent—an outcome critics say highlights growing concerns about partisan tactics being used to reshape the state’s political landscape.
The ruling stems from a complaint brought by Democrat former state Rep. Tara Jaramillo, whom Dow defeated in a closely watched 2024 race. Jaramillo was involved with an alleged predatory loan scheme, as the Piñon Post previously exclusively reported, that voters apparently did not appreciate.
Jaramillo argued that Dow’s candidate paperwork did not meet technical requirements under state law, including the submission of screenshots of nominating petitions instead of official forms and a truncated listing of the office sought.
“I thought, ‘Well, everybody knows what she’s running for,’” Jaramillo told Source New Mexico. “When I looked deeper into it, I noticed she submitted screenshots rather than the petitions themselves.”
In an amended order, Third Judicial District Judge Manuel Arrieta agreed with the failed Democrat’s challenge, ruling that Dow’s nominating petitions failed to comply with statutory requirements. According to the Santa Fe New Mexican, the court determined the submissions did not “enable or allow a voter to review and challenge the nominating petitions,” leading to their disqualification.
While the decision centers on technical filing issues, Dow and her supporters say the broader implications go far beyond paperwork.
“Recently, a district court decision removed my name from the ballot,” Dow said in a public statement. “I want you to hear directly from me: this was not about whether I earned your support.”
Dow emphasized that her campaign gathered the required signatures and followed the process in good faith, arguing the dispute is rooted in a technicality being weaponized to remove a sitting lawmaker from the ballot.
“We gathered the required signatures. We followed the process to qualify. Instead, this decision came down to a dispute over paperwork — a technical issue that has now resulted in our district having no candidate on the ballot,” she said. “That should concern every one of us.”
Dow is now appealing the decision to the New Mexico Supreme Court, calling the ruling “unprecedented” and warning that it undermines voters’ ability to choose their representatives.
“I have always believed that elections should be decided by the people, not by technicalities,” Dow added. “Our system is strongest when it protects access, encourages participation, and respects the will of the voters.”
The timing and context of the challenge have raised additional questions, particularly given Jaramillo’s direct political history with Dow and the broader stakes in the Legislature. Democrats are currently just one seat away from a supermajority in the New Mexico House, a threshold that would give them expanded power over legislation, veto overrides, and policy direction.
Critics argue that removing a Republican incumbent over what they describe as minor or technical discrepancies risks becoming a precedent that could be selectively applied, effectively narrowing the field of candidates through legal maneuvering rather than voter choice.
At the same time, the case highlights the strict requirements candidates must meet under New Mexico election law. As reported by the Albuquerque Journal, while the judge acknowledged Dow’s declaration of candidacy was only “technically flawed,” the issues with the nominating petitions were deemed significant enough to warrant disqualification.
Dow had been unopposed in the Republican primary and was expected to advance to the general election with relative ease. If her appeal fails, state law may prevent her from running as a write-in candidate, potentially leaving Republican voters in House District 38 without representation on the ballot, unless Dow decides to create her own party and appear on the ballot that way.
As the case moves to the state Supreme Court, the outcome could have far-reaching consequences—not only for Dow’s political future, but for how election laws are interpreted and enforced in a state where control of the Legislature remains closely contested.
Wow, another democrat rigging a NM election, imagine that? Republicans have no representation in this state and the one ruling party (democrats) make sure they ruin everything. Can Texas please invade NM and take it over? We might get a chance at a fair laws. I suggest we wall off Santa Fe, Albuquerque , and Los Cruces as city states. That will protect the rest of us from thier corruption.
I think this might be a good idea. At least it made me laugh. For whatever reason no outside force ever makes mention of the corrupt government in this state. We had the most obvious case of gerrymandering anyplace in this country, but it never got a mention. We really are the missing state!
And Dow was gerrymandered out of her district. She had to move in order to run again. They are messing with her because she is a power house of a nuisance in their corrupt ways. She should run for a federal office or governor.
that’s an idea!
If all the plaintiffs are registered democrats, Dow should move to dismiss for lack of standing, as it’s a Republican primary. The Motion can be made at any time and she should file amended petitions.
You gave them an inroad to get you booted.
They took it.
Not surprising at all given the vote democrat or dead policy of the State.
Now your facing legal challenges that take more time and money.
A minor simplistic error… that basically ends a career of a conservative moderate Republican because the Vote Democrat or Dead policy that controls the entire Court system that you must appeal to, will rule against you over this minor error, out of nothing but distasteful spite for pro life politicians like you.
Good luck fighting a rigged judiciary, a rigged executive and a rigged legislative branches of State gooberment who are the Vote Democrat or Dead crowd.
I love the grassroots common sense that Dow believes in….you go girl and kick butt beating this slime ball of an opponent…the demon-crats must be defeated and send them back to their constituents who are just as bad…
We have lost all integrity as a State because of these woke loser.
I’ll be praying for you Ms Dow..
The complaint that got Dow removed came from the person, a Democrat, she beat in the last election. Once again the dem’s are attempting to rig elections
Here we go again!!!
Sounds like “guilty as charged”; no excuse for not following specific and detailed filing requirements. As much as it hurts to see the happen and potentially cause the NM legislature to fall further into the Democratic Party abyss, bottom line is the blame lies with Rebecca Dow and her team. How hard is it to follow instructions….
We all know the democrat party is bat sh&t crazy in this state. horrible policies, wasteful spending, do nothing on crime. yet they run circles around the pathetic repubs who now cannot even file the proper paperwork to run for office !! Ben Ray – NO REPUB OPPONENT on the ballot. now this. the repubs cannot manage to run a single ad on radio or tv calling out the dems for policy failures during the last NM legislative session. they dont get any press from the media, which is free. Only John Block and this website form provide any source of education to teach the public. Im sorry Ms. Dow. NO PITY. and to the repub party – you dont even have an election committee to ensure you follow NM law ? I give up on these people. im tired of excuses, of do nothing , of complete incompetence. vote with your feet and move out of state, its the only hope in NM. Land of Enchantment my rear end. land of crazy more like it.
No one checks and balances the judicial branch. The executive and legislative branches are good about checking and balancing each other. But no one checks and balances the judicial. It is a rogue branch of government, that needs to be to be checked and balanced.
If every GOP voter would just vote not to retain judges on every judge unless verified that that judge is a good conservative, we could at least force contested elections in districts where conservatives have a fighting chance, but the GOP never pushes “do not retain” votes. Hence we have an all democrat bench on the state supreme court and one rino on the court of appeals. That’s it one rino; the rest are Ds.
No one checks and balances the judicial branch. The executive and legislative branches are good about checking and balancing each other. But no one checks and balances the judicial. It is a rogue branch of government, that needs to be to be checked and balanced.
She better try to get this in federal court somehow, or find the rare lawyer that can win with D justices, not the typical R patsie firms, because the all Demoncrat supreme court would love to crush her like a bug.
Might be easier to file as an independent candidate. Still have time
Pay attention NM. What you are witnessing is a classic case of voter suppression by the democrats who wail and moan when someone mentions voter ID but when they do it well ok. No harm no foul. Just wait till this fall when fatty Maggie is your next Lt. governor and is in charge of the legislature. An abortion clinic on every intersection. She will be your next Lt. governor because she is going to count her own votes. Not once did it come up in this legislature for her to step down or recuse herself from counting her own votes. Just more democrat voter suppression.
The Santa Fe Ring is getting swampier.
The Demoncrats are smelling blood in the water. Just wait till they eliminate the last R, they’ll start cannibalizing themselves like they do in the universities.
No one takes documents serious here, from teachers to politicians. Just text an image. It’s only a document to get on a state election.
THE ONLY WAY DEMOCRATS WIN IS BY CHEATING I’M WRITING HER NAME ON THE BALLOT
Senator McCarthy, wish you were here to say, told you so! The Red Scare is real. NM Democrats have gone full communists! State and Federal courts are corrupt as hell and full of deep state commies. Have you ever seen Senator Kennedy grilling some of the loony candidates for judgeships the DemonRats nominate? Know thine enemy!
Good afternnon. My name is James Culberson. I’ve been an avid reader of the Pinon Post for a long time. All of a sudden gmail has started putting your publication in my “SPAM” folder. Please continue to send your publication to culb5964@gmail.com. I will type my name and OTHER email address in the required boxes below.
Thank you.