This election marks 10 years of voting for me, and today, with early voting going strong in New Mexico (over three weeks left!), I’m issuing my endorsements (as well as criticisms and warnings— a message to my Democrat friends toward the bottom) of candidates:

Candidates in contested Republican Primaries in southwestern New Mexico (scroll down for statewide candidates):

Congressional Dist 2 — I ENDORSE: Monty Newman

I met all the candidates. Monty stands out as a conservative with the most diverse experience who will best represent our district and bring the needed skills to the table using his background as a community leader, successful businessman and former party head when Republicans stood united. It’s important to me that he’s not one of the party elite— he’s not relying on party insiders to carry him through or playing party politics games to win. He’s not the establishment pick and his win will be due to his own merits.

Monty is also pro-life, pro-gun, etc. and I was honored to attend his fundraiser with the one-and-only Senator Ted Cruz last month. I believe Monty will take his faith to Washington– it’s an important aspect of his character.

In visiting with Monty, I’ve seen things in his character I haven’t seen in many other candidates— he was open to my criticisms and seemed to pay attention to what I said, based on what I’ve seen from him and the campaign since December. I appreciate the fact Monty has a desire to listen and be a decisive leader in a time when we desperately need common sense and character in Washington.

Public Regulation Commission District 5 — I ENDORSE: Chris Mathys

I know Chris and I actually helped convince and recruit him to run. He’s unequivocally conservative (a Christian who is pro-life, pro gun, et al) and is the most qualified and experience candidate in the race (also, perhaps, the only legally qualified since he’s the only candidate to have a bachelor’s degree, and higher). He understand the PRC and isn’t throwing out buzzwords to attract support and going off on rants about popular policies that aren’t under the PRC’s jurisdiction, but sound cool. Unlike his opponents, Mathys is clean– Ben Hall had the Republican Secretary of State issue a ruling against him* in a prior election for paying himself an hourly wage to campaign, Joseph Aaron Bizzell donated heavily to Tom Udall.** Mathys has worked the circles, but isn’t a member of the establishment elite.

*Ben Hall lost re-election in 2014 partially due to an ethics investigation, that involved an accusation of misappropriation of campaign finance cash.

**According to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), Joseph Bizzell donated more than once to Sen. Tom Udall— the donations equaled more than $1,000.

VOTE– Even if They’re Unopposed

On the statewide Republican ticket, I endorse every Republican that’s unopposed— I’ve met them all (except one judge, and I got to know his brother on the campaign trail this past winter) and have had conversations or exchanged emails with every one— some, like Congressman Pearce, State Auditor Johnson, and Judge French, I’ve known from prior campaigns:

Mick Rich for U.S. Senate

Steve Pearce for Governor

Michelle Garcia Holmes for Lt. Governor

JoHanna Cox for Secretary of State

Michael Hendricks for Attorney General

Wayne Johnson for Auditor

Arthur Castillo for Treasurer

Pat Lyons for Land Commissioner

Stephen French for Court of Appeals (Position 1)

Hank Bohnhoff for Court of Appeals (Position 2)

Emil Kiehne for Court of Appeals (Position 3)

Daniel Gallegos for Court of Appeals (Position 4)

If you’re in Grant County you’re probably familiar with Rep. Rebecca Dow and Ray Tavizon for Sheriff, but a newcomer William Perkins (also downballot), is running for 6th Dist Court Judge. All are unopposed, but still need your support in the Republican primary. Michael Chavez is running for Public Education Commission and is a very nice person also. I worked on his wife’s campaign in 2016 when she ran for state Representative (Dist 32).

ATTN DEMOCRATS:

Beware of progressives running for Grant County Commission in the mining district— both of the below candidates are bent on destroying the traditional Grant County culture. In 2016 the progressives led by anti-mining candidate (now commissioner) Harry Browne (founder of GRIP, which has sued the state to hurt the mining industry) went on the record declaring the progressives want to take the county commission, and aim at implementing policies including raising the minimum wage to $15/hour and putting more restrictions on the mine. Grant County residents should remember the progressives spoke positively about situations that would close down the mine (this would leave Grant County a region of ghost towns).

Progressive candidates I urge you to oppose are:

District 1: Donald Jesse Franklin-Owens

District 2: Cindy Provencio

This is not to state I support any Democratic candidate in these races (I have qualified friends running on the Republican side I will support), it is to inform you there are dangerous progressives who oppose our way of life in nearly every way and it is your duty to defeat them for the economic and social benefit of Grant County.

NOW GO VOTE!!!

As active as I am in politics today, I wasn’t always so excited to be involved in politics (I hated politics most of my teens), and at 18 didn’t have a clue what it took to register to vote– for me it took the local Republican Party to guide me and register me to vote.

I also wasn’t eligible to vote in the 2008 primary (though I voted in the general), so the first primary election I enthusiastically went to the polls to vote for our Governor Susana Martinez and John Sanchez, but didn’t know who anybody was in the down-ballot races.

For instance, when it came to New Mexico Land Commissioner in 2010, I voted for Matt Rush over primary opponent Bob Cornelius because I preferred Matt’s name (yeah, ridiculous— and hilarious if you’ve read my stories on Bob!).

Today, I do my research on candidates before throwing my support into their campaigns– I encourage you to do so also, and if you have questions or if I can help, please let me know.