By Matthew Reichbach, The New Mexico Telegram
The group Conservation Voters New Mexico announced its slate of endorsements for the 2014 general election on Tuesday.
The endorsements came in two statewide races and 21 legislative races. Every candidate endorsed is a Democrat.
“There is no doubt that New Mexican voters support protection of our air, land and water for future generations and we’re proud to endorse candidates who will represent the conservation values of our people,” CVNM Executive Director Demis Foster said in a release. “When it comes to protecting our Land of Enchantment, every vote counts – whether at the ballot box or in the Roundhouse.”
“We are honored to endorse New Mexicans who will protect our health, democracy and the civic process,” Foster continued.
The two statewide candidates the group endorsed are Gary King for governor and Maggie Toulouse Oliver for Secretary of State.
The candidates endorsed in legislative races come from those likely to win reelection like Bill McCamley in House District 33 to those locked in tight races like Catherine Begaye in House District 23 to those hoping to pull off an upset of a longtime legislator like Terry Fortenberry in House District 38. CVNM did not make endorsements in uncontested races.
The candidate that CVNM may be most associated with is Doreen Johnson in House District 5. There is no Republican candidate running, but incumbent Democrat Sandra Jeff is running a write-in campaign. This came after she was booted from the primary for not having enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot. CVNM bankrolled the suit that was brought by a resident of House District 5.
The group has its policies for endorsements listed on its website. The group says that “Open seats are a high priority for a rigorous endorsement process.”
They often represent the best opportunity for converting anti-conservation seats, and they are vital for protecting our pro-conservation representation where the departing incumbent was a champion or ally.
This year, there is a large number of open seats, although many are in noncompetitive districts.
Here is the full slate of legislative endorsements, as released by CVNM:
HD 5: Doreen Johnson (McKinley & San Juan)
HD 7: Teresa Smith de Cherif (Valencia)
HD 8: Frank Otero (Valencia)
HD 10: Andrés Romero (Bernalillo)
HD 14: Rep. Miguel Garcia (Bernalillo)
HD 15: Rep. Emily Kane (Bernalillo)
HD 20: Josh Anderson (Bernalillo)
HD 23: Catherine Begaye (Bernalillo & Sandoval)
HD 24: Rep. Elizabeth Thomson (Bernalillo)
HD 25: Rep. Christine Trujillo (Bernalillo)
HD 26: Rep. Georgene Louis (Bernalillo)
HD 30: Robert Coffey (Bernalillo)
HD 33: Rep. Bill McCamley (Dona Ana)
HD 35: Rep. Jeff Steinborn (Dona Ana)
HD 36: Rep. Phillip Archuleta (Dona Ana)
HD 37: Joanne Ferrary (Dona Ana)
HD 38: Terry Fortenberry (Grant, Hidalgo & Sierra)
HD 43: Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard (Los Alamos Rio Arriba, Sandoval & Santa Fe)
HD 50: Matthew McQueen (Bernalillo, Santa Fe, Torrance & Valencia)
HD 57: Donna Tillman (Sandoval)
HD 60: Linda Sanchez Allison (Sandoval)
