In the November 3rd general election, NM Wild Action Fund-endorsed candidates won at every level of government, from the governor’s office to county commissions. New Mexicans made it clear that electing leaders who are committed to protecting our land, water and wildlife is top of mind at the ballot box.
Deb Haaland will become the first Native American woman elected governor in the nation’s history. She and her running mate, Stephanie Garcia Richard, won 57% to 43%. In her victory speech, she spoke about clean water and protecting New Mexico’s lands. Our endorsed candidates for Attorney General, Raúl Torrez, and Land Commissioner, Juan Sanchez, each won more than 60% of the vote. Sanchez will now oversee 9 million acres of state trust land.
All 16 of our endorsed House candidates on the ballot won. In June, they beat corporate-backed opponents in five competitive primaries. In November, they held five swing seats and flipped four more. Democratic challengers Rickie Gonzales (HD 7), Dave Mooney (HD 38), Raul Turrieta (HD 39) and Chriselle Martinez (HD 57) each unseated a Republican incumbent. The result is a Democratic supermajority for Speaker Javier Martinez going into the 2027 session.
County commissions decide how land and water get utilized close to home. This year our endorsed candidates flipped the Sandoval County Commission, a goal NM Wild Action Fund has worked toward for years. In Socorro County, Cari Powell won and will serve as a conservation champion on the commission. Endorsed candidates also won in Bernalillo, Taos and Grant counties.
With conservation champions now in county, state and statewide offices, New Mexico is positioned for lasting public lands protections.
Thank you to every volunteer, donor, and voter who made this possible. Now, let’s get to work!
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