Senate District 8

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State Senator, District 8

State Senator

No Recommendation

Dr. Michael Lopez is running against incumbent Pete Campos in the Democratic Primary for Senate District 8. He did not return a candidate questionnaire so the information presented is gathered only through public sources. 

Lopez is a Las Vegas, New Mexico native and works as a physician/MD for the Alta Vista Regional Hospital where he has been in practice for more than 20 years. 

Lopez’ policy priorities include women’s reproductive rights, supporting local businesses to create more jobs, and allocating funding and resources for early childhood education. He also plans to focus on environmental issues by attracting clean industry and planning for future water use. On his website, Lopez outlines a number of additional areas of focus, but many of them lack specifics about what policies he would support to achieve them. 

Lopez’ stance on tougher penalties for those who commit a crime and his use of the word “citizen” when talking about increasing educational trade opportunities give us cause for concern. 

There is not enough public information for us to make a recommendation for or against Dr. Michael Lopez for Senate District 8.
 

Pete Campos is running for re-election for Senate District 8. He has served in the legislature since 1991. He did not return a candidate questionnaire so the information presented is gathered only through public sources. Campos was a high school counselor for Santa Rosa Consolidated schools and president of Luna County Community College for seven years. Currently, he serves on the Board of Trustees for Alta Vista Regional Hospital, and on the Board of Directors for Community First Bank of Las Vegas, NM. 

Campos’ record includes supporting bills that target environmental issues, equitable wages and working conditions, and advancing equity for New Mexican workers. He has also taken action in the higher education sector by sponsoring a bill that was signed this year to create a higher education trust fund which will fund scholarships for public post-secondary education institutions.

Campos is registered as a Democrat, however, he often votes with Republicans on key issues and also opts not to vote on critical policies. Some critical votes that Campos has voted NO on are: Repeal of State Law Criminalizing Abortion (SB10, 2021), protections for abortion and gender affirming healthcare (SB13 & HB7, 2023) Establishes a Waiting Period for Firearm Sales (HB129, 2024). He also opted to not vote on legislation that Prohibits Future Interest Rate Increases i.e. predatory loan caps (HB132, 2022), 

While Campos has voted for some good policies, given the critical policies he has voted against, we cannot recommend Pete Campos for Senate District 8.

No Recommendation - SD 8

Dr. Michael Lopez is running against incumbent Pete Campos in the Democratic Primary for Senate District 8. He did not return a candidate questionnaire so the information presented is gathered only through public sources. 

Lopez is a Las Vegas, New Mexico native and works as a physician/MD for the Alta Vista Regional Hospital where he has been in practice for more than 20 years. 

Lopez’ policy priorities include women’s reproductive rights, supporting local businesses to create more jobs, and allocating funding and resources for early childhood education. He also plans to focus on environmental issues by attracting clean industry and planning for future water use. On his website, Lopez outlines a number of additional areas of focus, but many of them lack specifics about what policies he would support to achieve them. 

Lopez’ stance on tougher penalties for those who commit a crime and his use of the word “citizen” when talking about increasing educational trade opportunities give us cause for concern. 

There is not enough public information for us to make a recommendation for or against Dr. Michael Lopez for Senate District 8.
 

Pete Campos is running for re-election for Senate District 8. He has served in the legislature since 1991. He did not return a candidate questionnaire so the information presented is gathered only through public sources. Campos was a high school counselor for Santa Rosa Consolidated schools and president of Luna County Community College for seven years. Currently, he serves on the Board of Trustees for Alta Vista Regional Hospital, and on the Board of Directors for Community First Bank of Las Vegas, NM. 

Campos’ record includes supporting bills that target environmental issues, equitable wages and working conditions, and advancing equity for New Mexican workers. He has also taken action in the higher education sector by sponsoring a bill that was signed this year to create a higher education trust fund which will fund scholarships for public post-secondary education institutions.

Campos is registered as a Democrat, however, he often votes with Republicans on key issues and also opts not to vote on critical policies. Some critical votes that Campos has voted NO on are: Repeal of State Law Criminalizing Abortion (SB10, 2021), protections for abortion and gender affirming healthcare (SB13 & HB7, 2023) Establishes a Waiting Period for Firearm Sales (HB129, 2024). He also opted to not vote on legislation that Prohibits Future Interest Rate Increases i.e. predatory loan caps (HB132, 2022), 

While Campos has voted for some good policies, given the critical policies he has voted against, we cannot recommend Pete Campos for Senate District 8.

State Senate District
8

Representative, District 70

Depending on where you live, you may have one of the below State House races on your ballot.

State Representative

  • Anita Gonzales photo
    Democrat

    Anita Gonzales

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  • Anita Gonzales is running against incumbent Ambrose Castellano in the Democratic Primary for House District 70. 

    Gonzales currently works as Deputy Director for New Mexico Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (NM MESA). Previously, she worked for NM Mesa as a Program Coordinator as well as the City of Las Vegas. Her volunteer experience includes serving as President for the San Miguel County Federation of Democratic Women, Vice Chair of the Sierra Club’s Rio Grande Chapter Executive Committee, President of Acequia de los Madres Vigiles, President of the Las Vegas Rotary Club, and on the boards of the NM Acequia Association and San Miguel County Family & Community Health Council. Gonzales was named a public Service Honoree by the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce and received the National Leadership in Expanding Diversity in Technology Award from the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE). 

    Gonzales is motivated to run for House District 70 because of her experience advocating for women and children, her passion for water and the role of acequias in Northern NM, and her desire to increase representation in science, tech, engineering and math fields. 

    Her priorities include education, access to healthcare, investing in rural and small town infrastructure, and protecting public lands and natural resources. Among the specific initiatives she is proposing are increasing teacher salaries, adding STEM curriculum and pathways, investing in early childhood programs, expanding funding for healthcare and social services including mental health and addiction treatment programs as well as increased telehealth options, expanding the state’s rural healthcare tax credit, affordable housing through rental assistance vouchers and tax credits, promoting local agriculture and food production, restoring land and forests and ensuring traditional and agricultural uses of water, and establishing and funding a grant program to expand rural broadband. 

    Additionally, Gonzales supports fair wages and safe working conditions, each person’s right to full control over their own reproductive healthcare decisions, full rights and protections for LGBTQ+ community members, and a just and humane immigration policy centered on community support, asylum processing, and humanitarian needs.

    We highly recommend Anita Gonzales for House District 70 based on her track record across education, conservation, and the environment, along with her experience in community outreach and engagement.

    Anita Gonzales

    Anita Gonzales is running against incumbent Ambrose Castellano in the Democratic Primary for House District 70. 

    Gonzales currently works as Deputy Director for New Mexico Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (NM MESA). Previously, she worked for NM Mesa as a Program Coordinator as well as the City of Las Vegas. Her volunteer experience includes serving as President for the San Miguel County Federation of Democratic Women, Vice Chair of the Sierra Club’s Rio Grande Chapter Executive Committee, President of Acequia de los Madres Vigiles, President of the Las Vegas Rotary Club, and on the boards of the NM Acequia Association and San Miguel County Family & Community Health Council. Gonzales was named a public Service Honoree by the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce and received the National Leadership in Expanding Diversity in Technology Award from the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE). 

    Gonzales is motivated to run for House District 70 because of her experience advocating for women and children, her passion for water and the role of acequias in Northern NM, and her desire to increase representation in science, tech, engineering and math fields. 

    Her priorities include education, access to healthcare, investing in rural and small town infrastructure, and protecting public lands and natural resources. Among the specific initiatives she is proposing are increasing teacher salaries, adding STEM curriculum and pathways, investing in early childhood programs, expanding funding for healthcare and social services including mental health and addiction treatment programs as well as increased telehealth options, expanding the state’s rural healthcare tax credit, affordable housing through rental assistance vouchers and tax credits, promoting local agriculture and food production, restoring land and forests and ensuring traditional and agricultural uses of water, and establishing and funding a grant program to expand rural broadband. 

    Additionally, Gonzales supports fair wages and safe working conditions, each person’s right to full control over their own reproductive healthcare decisions, full rights and protections for LGBTQ+ community members, and a just and humane immigration policy centered on community support, asylum processing, and humanitarian needs.

    We highly recommend Anita Gonzales for House District 70 based on her track record across education, conservation, and the environment, along with her experience in community outreach and engagement.

    House District
    70

    Anita Gonzales is running against incumbent Ambrose Castellano in the Democratic Primary for House District 70. 

    Gonzales currently works as Deputy Director for New Mexico Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (NM MESA). Previously, she worked for NM Mesa as a Program Coordinator as well as the City of Las Vegas. Her volunteer experience includes serving as President for the San Miguel County Federation of Democratic Women, Vice Chair of the Sierra Club’s Rio Grande Chapter Executive Committee, President of Acequia de los Madres Vigiles, President of the Las Vegas Rotary Club, and on the boards of the NM Acequia Association and San Miguel County Family & Community Health Council. Gonzales was named a public Service Honoree by the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce and received the National Leadership in Expanding Diversity in Technology Award from the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE). 

    Gonzales is motivated to run for House District 70 because of her experience advocating for women and children, her passion for water and the role of acequias in Northern NM, and her desire to increase representation in science, tech, engineering and math fields. 

    Her priorities include education, access to healthcare, investing in rural and small town infrastructure, and protecting public lands and natural resources. Among the specific initiatives she is proposing are increasing teacher salaries, adding STEM curriculum and pathways, investing in early childhood programs, expanding funding for healthcare and social services including mental health and addiction treatment programs as well as increased telehealth options, expanding the state’s rural healthcare tax credit, affordable housing through rental assistance vouchers and tax credits, promoting local agriculture and food production, restoring land and forests and ensuring traditional and agricultural uses of water, and establishing and funding a grant program to expand rural broadband. 

    Additionally, Gonzales supports fair wages and safe working conditions, each person’s right to full control over their own reproductive healthcare decisions, full rights and protections for LGBTQ+ community members, and a just and humane immigration policy centered on community support, asylum processing, and humanitarian needs.

    We highly recommend Anita Gonzales for House District 70 based on her track record across education, conservation, and the environment, along with her experience in community outreach and engagement.

    Anita Gonzales

    Anita Gonzales is running against incumbent Ambrose Castellano in the Democratic Primary for House District 70. 

    Gonzales currently works as Deputy Director for New Mexico Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (NM MESA). Previously, she worked for NM Mesa as a Program Coordinator as well as the City of Las Vegas. Her volunteer experience includes serving as President for the San Miguel County Federation of Democratic Women, Vice Chair of the Sierra Club’s Rio Grande Chapter Executive Committee, President of Acequia de los Madres Vigiles, President of the Las Vegas Rotary Club, and on the boards of the NM Acequia Association and San Miguel County Family & Community Health Council. Gonzales was named a public Service Honoree by the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce and received the National Leadership in Expanding Diversity in Technology Award from the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE). 

    Gonzales is motivated to run for House District 70 because of her experience advocating for women and children, her passion for water and the role of acequias in Northern NM, and her desire to increase representation in science, tech, engineering and math fields. 

    Her priorities include education, access to healthcare, investing in rural and small town infrastructure, and protecting public lands and natural resources. Among the specific initiatives she is proposing are increasing teacher salaries, adding STEM curriculum and pathways, investing in early childhood programs, expanding funding for healthcare and social services including mental health and addiction treatment programs as well as increased telehealth options, expanding the state’s rural healthcare tax credit, affordable housing through rental assistance vouchers and tax credits, promoting local agriculture and food production, restoring land and forests and ensuring traditional and agricultural uses of water, and establishing and funding a grant program to expand rural broadband. 

    Additionally, Gonzales supports fair wages and safe working conditions, each person’s right to full control over their own reproductive healthcare decisions, full rights and protections for LGBTQ+ community members, and a just and humane immigration policy centered on community support, asylum processing, and humanitarian needs.

    We highly recommend Anita Gonzales for House District 70 based on her track record across education, conservation, and the environment, along with her experience in community outreach and engagement.

    House District
    70
    • Endorsed By: Conservation Voters New Mexico, Dreams in Action, Equality New Mexico, NEA New Mexico, New Mexico Voices for Children Action Fund, NM Native Vote, OLÉ, Planned Parenthood Votes New Mexico, Sierra Club, Working Families Party New Mexico, "Michelle Lujan Grisham, Governor", "Miguel Garcia, State Representative", New Mexico Professional Fire Fighters Association, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 611, Emily's List

Other Candidates

Other Candidate - HD70

Ambrose Castellano is running for re-election in the Democratic Primary for House District 70. He has served in the seat since 2021. While Castellano is registered as a Democrat, he has voted against key legislation in recent sessions. In 2024 he voted against prohibiting firearms at polling locations (SB5), clean energy standards (HB41), and establishing waiting periods for gun purchases (HB129). In 2023 he voted against: establishing protection for abortion and gender affirming care (SB13), the New Mexico Voting Rights Act and Native American Voting Rights Act (HB4), and negligence in leaving a firearm accessible to minors (HB9). In 2022 Castellano voted against capping the amount of interest lenders can charge on payday loans (HB132) and Paid Sick Leave (HB20). Castellano also voted against the repeal of the abortion ban in 2021 (SB10). 

Additionally, as reported by the Santa Fe New Mexican, Castellano is currently facing an ethics complaint for spending campaign funds on personal purchases, such as meals in Santa Fe, mileage across New Mexico and Texas, and even including a trip to Hawaii. While the investigation is still taking place, a review of his candidate filing expenses submitted to the Secretary of State supports the complaint and raises additional questions. 

This is not the first time that Castellano has been faced with potential ethics violations. In 2003, while Castellano was on the Board of the West Las Vegas School District, federal inspectors determined that dozens of kids were enrolled in the Head Start program were ineligible as their families had incomes too high to qualify for the federally funded program. During the investigation, the federal inspectors report also contained several findings on allegations of nepotism involving an unnamed Board Member that a person with knowledge identified as Castellano. These findings included that the Board Member’s sibling was hired as a supervisor six months after the Board Members’s election; that his unqualified sister was given an interview for vacant Head Start positions; and that the Board Member identified as Castellano instructed a worker to make a slot available for the child of an assistant district attorney. Ultimately, the Head Start program was ordered to pay back $526,000 to the federal government for the 94 ineligible families.

Based on his record of voting against critical policies, the current ethics complaint, and findings of nepotism, we do not recommend Ambrose Castellano for re-election to House District 70. 
 

House District
70

Other Candidate - HD70

Ambrose Castellano is running for re-election in the Democratic Primary for House District 70. He has served in the seat since 2021. While Castellano is registered as a Democrat, he has voted against key legislation in recent sessions. In 2024 he voted against prohibiting firearms at polling locations (SB5), clean energy standards (HB41), and establishing waiting periods for gun purchases (HB129). In 2023 he voted against: establishing protection for abortion and gender affirming care (SB13), the New Mexico Voting Rights Act and Native American Voting Rights Act (HB4), and negligence in leaving a firearm accessible to minors (HB9). In 2022 Castellano voted against capping the amount of interest lenders can charge on payday loans (HB132) and Paid Sick Leave (HB20). Castellano also voted against the repeal of the abortion ban in 2021 (SB10). 

Additionally, as reported by the Santa Fe New Mexican, Castellano is currently facing an ethics complaint for spending campaign funds on personal purchases, such as meals in Santa Fe, mileage across New Mexico and Texas, and even including a trip to Hawaii. While the investigation is still taking place, a review of his candidate filing expenses submitted to the Secretary of State supports the complaint and raises additional questions. 

This is not the first time that Castellano has been faced with potential ethics violations. In 2003, while Castellano was on the Board of the West Las Vegas School District, federal inspectors determined that dozens of kids were enrolled in the Head Start program were ineligible as their families had incomes too high to qualify for the federally funded program. During the investigation, the federal inspectors report also contained several findings on allegations of nepotism involving an unnamed Board Member that a person with knowledge identified as Castellano. These findings included that the Board Member’s sibling was hired as a supervisor six months after the Board Members’s election; that his unqualified sister was given an interview for vacant Head Start positions; and that the Board Member identified as Castellano instructed a worker to make a slot available for the child of an assistant district attorney. Ultimately, the Head Start program was ordered to pay back $526,000 to the federal government for the 94 ineligible families.

Based on his record of voting against critical policies, the current ethics complaint, and findings of nepotism, we do not recommend Ambrose Castellano for re-election to House District 70. 
 

House District
70