“Here at CVNM, each election is an opportunity to move forward in addressing New Mexico’s legacy pollution issues and to support clean air, water and land in all of our communities.

In order to pass strong laws that protect New Mexicans from drinking contaminated water or breathing polluted air, we need to work to elect candidates that will make this work a priority. I am proud to present this year’s primary election endorsements and ask you to stand with me in supporting them.

New Mexico House of Representatives
House District 5: Rep. Doreen W. Johnson
House District 25: Christine Trujillo
House District 35: Angelica Rubio
House District 48: Paul Campos

New Mexico Senate:
Senate District 17: Sen. Mimi Stewart
Senate District 22: Sen. Benny Shendo
Senate District 36: Rep. Jeff Steinborn
Senate District 39: Liz Stefanics

New Mexico Public Regulation Commission
PRC District 1: Cynthia Hall

Though CVNM has not traditionally engaged in races on the county level, the 2016 Grant County Commission elections present a unique opportunity for CVNM to begin developing best practices and build a base of experience that will guide our county level electoral program in the future. Several of New Mexico’s most contentious environmental debates are playing out in and impacting Grant County – debates our members like you care deeply about. We are excited to support pro-conservation leaders at the county level who will represent their constituents’ conservation values.

Grant County Commission
District 3: Alicia Edwards
District 4: Marilyn Alcorn
District 5: Harry Browne

Note: CVNM and CVNMAF do not endorse in uncontested races. These endorsements are for the primary election only. General election endorsements will be announced after the primary elections. Visit our website at www.CVNMActionFund.org to read our full endorsement policy and to read more about each candidate.

At CVNM, we consider it our duty to help identify which candidate in each race represents the clear conservation choice. In some races, there are multiple candidates that would be strong conservation choices, but no single clear conservation choice. Historically, CVNM has simply not endorsed in those races. This year, we’ll be utilizing a new designation: Conservation Qualified.

Conservation Qualified candidates are those who have submitted strong questionnaires and have demonstrated knowledge of, and commitment to, your conservation values. Our analysis shows that the following races have multiple candidates that are conservation qualified:

House District 21: Rep. Idalia Lechuga-Tena (Conservation Qualified)
Debbie Sarinana (Conservation Qualified)

House District 38: Mary Hotvedt (Conservation Qualified)
Karen Whitlock (Conservation Qualified)

Absentee vote-by-mail and early in-person voting continues until Saturday, June 4th for the June 7th primary election. Don’t forget to take CVNM with you to the polls to help elect these pro-conservation candidates!”