Hundreds of Democratic delegates gathered in a spacious convention hall in Mescalero on Saturday to hear pitches from party candidates seeking their spot on the June primary ballot.
State law requires major political parties to host pre-primary conventions each spring during election years. The Republican Party of New Mexico held its convention Friday in Ruidoso.
During the conventions, candidates seeking statewide and federal offices need to convince at least 20% of party delegates to vote for them to secure spots on the ballot. Those who don’t meet that threshold have to collect additional voter signatures — totaling 4% of the primary turnout in the previous election — to get on the ballot.
On Saturday, about 1,100 New Mexico Democratic delegates listened online or in-person as 19 candidates for offices ranging from United States senator to state auditor gave impassioned speeches about their visions for the offices they seek.
Results of the delegates’ votes are expected Monday afternoon. In addition to qualifying for the Democratic primary race, the number of votes candidates receive from delegates dictates the order in which their name appears on the ballot. Some studies suggest being named first can lead to a small increase in votes.
Most of the speeches at the Inn of the Mountain Gods on the Mescalero Apache Reservation railed against President Donald Trump and celebrated Democrats’ stronghold in the state as a buffer against his agenda. Democrats hold all statewide elected offices, including governor, and they have a majority in both chambers of the Legislature.
“New Mexico and our Democrats are leading the country at a time when everything feels dark and hopeless and uncertain,” said U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), whose speech kicked off the convention.
All three Democratic members of Congress from New Mexico — Stansbury, Teresa Leger Fernàndez and Gabe Vasquez — are running for re-election with no primary opponent. New Mexico’s attorney general, treasurer and state auditor are also uncontested in the June 2 primary.
Five primary races are contested, including the race for governor between Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman and former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. Their much-awaited speeches came at the end of the convention Saturday evening.
Bregman spoke first, surrounded by supporters, some in cowboy hats, and said his experience as a prosecutor will enable him to fight back against Trump and make communities safer. He also criticized Haaland by name for refusing to appear in debates with him.
“If you’re running to lead this state, you should be willing to stand on a stage and answer tough questions and defend your record,” he said, prompting his supporters in the crowd to chant “Debate! Debate!”
Haaland, standing in the wings of the convention hall with staff and supporters, shook her head at his critique, and she and staff appeared to scribble new material onto her printed remarks before she joined her supporters, clad in yellow campaign T-shirts, on stage.
In her speech, which began after a performance from a Ruidoso high school drumline, Haaland touted her executive experience as the first Indigenous cabinet secretary and her recently announced proposals for public safety and affordability. She also shot back at Bregman at the very end of her speech, noting that she has agreed to a debate May 2, hosted by Albuquerque nonprofit Dukes Up and airing on PBS.
“To my opponent, I’ll see you on the debate stage,” she said, ending her speech to a roar of cheers from her supporters.
