Governor makes pitch for New Mexico to be granted early state status in 2028 presidential primary - Dan Boyd, Albuquerque Journal
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham lent her political muscle Thursday to New Mexico Democrats’ long shot bid to land coveted early state status for the 2028 presidential election cycle.
The outgoing governor, who is term-limited and will step down at the end of this year, joined top state Democratic officials in Washington, D.C., to make the pitch for New Mexico to be moved up on the election calendar.
“We think we have a lot of blueprints for democracy in New Mexico,” said Lujan Grisham during a presentation to members of the Democratic National Committee’s Rules and Bylaws Committee.
Specifically, the governor touted the state’s diverse electorate and female-majority Legislature — it’s one of only two states with that distinction — along with Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver’s resistance to the Trump administration’s request for identifying information in the state’s voter rolls.
While Democratic candidates could benefit from a favorable political environment in this year’s midterm election, Lujan Grisham said Democrats can’t take that for granted two years from now.
“We can create our own tailwinds over and over again” if the national Democratic Party takes note of New Mexico’s approach, the governor said.
New Mexico Democrats applied in January to be among four or five states in the early window for 2028, citing the state’s diverse electorate and relatively inexpensive media market.
But the state could face long odds since the DNC has announced that only one or two states from each geographical region will be selected. Nevada already has an early primary codified in its laws and is also among the 12 states that applied this year for early state status.
A timeline for a decision has not been announced, but members of the DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee have expressed a goal of announcing the final list of states by the end of this summer.
Proponents of moving New Mexico’s presidential primary earlier in the calendar year say such action could increase the state’s political visibility by prompting more candidate visits. It could also lead to more campaign ads and political spending in New Mexico.
While President Donald Trump held an October 2024 campaign rally in Albuquerque, Democratic presidential candidates have visited New Mexico only on occasion in recent election years.
Lujan Grisham was one of several Democrats to speak during the state’s Thursday presentation to the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee, along with state Democratic Party Chairwoman Sara Attleson and other party officers. The governor traveled to Washington, D.C., specifically to participate in the event. Her travel expenses were paid for by the Democratic Party of New Mexico, a spokesman said.
As part of the state’s presentation, DPNM Executive Director Sean Ward pointed out New Mexico’s population includes large numbers of Native American voters and Hispanic men — groups that Trump made inroads in during his 2024 presidential campaign.
“The voters we’re losing nationally are in New Mexico,” Ward said.
He also cited broad support among this year’s crop of Democratic candidates and top legislative leaders, including House Speaker Javier Martínez of Albuquerque, for moving the state’s primary election up.
However, bills filed at the Roundhouse in recent years — by both Republicans and Democrats — to move up New Mexico's primary election have failed to win approval. And state GOP officials have expressed concern that adding another election to the state’s calendar could be costly and inefficient.
Per state law, New Mexico’s primary is currently held on the first Tuesday in June. That makes New Mexico one of the last states to hold its primary, and major party presidential nominations are sometimes clinched before state voters even cast their ballots.
That was the case in 2024, when Trump secured the GOP presidential nomination in May.
Former Gov. Bill Richardson also pushed for an earlier primary, and legislation was passed in 2003 allowing Democrats and Republicans to hold nominating contests before the June primary.
But New Mexico Democrats' presidential caucus in February 2008 was widely criticized for long waits at polling places and vote counting that took more than a week. Such an approach has not been used in the subsequent years.
Driver charged in I-40 crash that killed BCSO sergeant - Nakalya McClelland, Albuquerque Journal
A truck driver from Florida has been charged in a February crash that left a Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office sergeant dead on Interstate 40 east of Albuquerque.
Miguel Orlando Perez, 59, of Jacksonville, Florida, is charged with careless driving and failure to yield to an emergency vehicle in the death of Sgt. Michael Schlattman, 52.
Schlattman was conducting a traffic stop Feb. 23 on eastbound I-40 near Carnuel when Orlando Perez’s semi truck struck the rear of his patrol vehicle, pinning him beneath and killing him.
“Investigators determined the semi-truck was traveling approximately 64 mph at the time of the crash and that no brakes were applied before impact,” Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman said in a social media post. “The investigation also found no mechanical issues with either the semi-truck or Sgt. Schlattman’s patrol vehicle.”
Careless driving is a petty misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a $300 fine, according to court records. The second charge carries a $50 penalty.
Charging documents provided no additional details.
Orlando Perez is expected to appear virtually in court in June, though an official hearing date has not been set, according to Nancy Laflin, spokesperson for the District Attorney’s Office.
Mary Ann and James Schlattman, Michael Schlattman’s parents, said they were somewhat relieved charges had been filed.
“In a way yes, because obviously something did happen because his truck hit the car and killed our son,” Mary Ann Schlattman told the Journal.
“It’s a little premature to try and cast any decision or feelings or opinions on it, because that’s what the courts are for,” James Schlattman added. “My son is dead, and I think it’s important to get to the bottom of it.”
Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen said in a statement the department continues to mourn Schlattman’s death.
“While no legal outcome can ever replace the life we lost, we are grateful for the thorough investigation conducted in this case,” Allen said. “We remain focused on supporting Sgt. Schlattman’s family, our deputies and ensuring his legacy of service is never forgotten.”
On May 13, the Rio Rancho Police Department, which investigated the crash as an uninvolved agency, said investigators had developed probable cause to charge Orlando Perez.
An initial RRPD traffic report states factors that contributed to the collision included the semi driver’s failure to yield to police vehicles and “low visibility due to glare.”
Bregman said in a news release that the position of Schlattman’s patrol vehicle and driver inattention also contributed to the crash.
Schlattman was the first of two New Mexico officers to be killed in the line of duty this year.
On May 23, Taos County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Joseph Apodaca was killed after crashing into another deputy’s vehicle while authorities searched for a reckless driver.
NM Supreme Court orders disclosure of Albuquerque Public Schools records - Olivier Uttyebrouck, Albuquerque Journal
The New Mexico Supreme Court ruled Thursday that a report into the resignation of a former Albuquerque Public Schools superintendent must be disclosed, although some of the information it contains may remain confidential.
The opinion reverses a New Mexico Court of Appeals ruling that found that APS did not need to disclose an investigative report related to the abrupt resignation of former superintendent Winston Brooks in 2014.
The ruling stems from a lawsuit filed by the Albuquerque Journal and KOB-TV challenging APS’ handling of public records related to Brooks’ resignation, during which he received a $350,000 buyout and a settlement agreement.
“The Journal applauds today’s decision, as it reaffirms the basic principle that transparency in government is of the utmost importance,” said Jay Newton-Small, executive editor of the Albuquerque Journal.
“The Supreme Court properly rejected other court rulings that had limited public access to disciplinary records of public employees, and the court’s decision will have a positive impact on transparency well beyond the facts of this case,” Newton-Small said. “The Journal believes that we have fought a good fight in the name of transparency and freedom of the press that will hopefully yield dividends for all New Mexico press and New Mexicans.”
The Supreme Court directed a district court judge to review the 12-page document, called the Padilla Report, and potentially redact “matters of opinion” that potentially could be withheld from public inspection.
That Inspection of Public Records Act exception “does not preclude inspection of the purely factual, nonopinion portions” of the report, the court held in its unanimous opinion written by Justice Briana H. Zamora.
The high court found that the document can’t be withheld from public inspection on grounds of attorney-client privilege, even though it was prepared by an attorney under contract with APS.
Justices found that “because the purpose of the Padilla Report was not primarily to provide legal advice, the attorney-client privilege exception does not apply here,” Zamora wrote.
APS spokeswoman Johanna King said the court's ruling could complicate the district’s efforts to balance public transparency with employee confidentiality.
“APS believes today’s court decision may hurt employees and families by permitting the publication of unfounded or unfair allegations that have not been vetted or reviewed,” King said in a written statement.
The ruling also “could make it harder to timely and accurately respond to records requests,” King added.
APS intends to comply with the court's instructions and “looks forward to educating staff and families about what this decision means for them while also asking the Legislature to clarify and simplify the law,” King said.
Brooks’ resignation and settlement agreement prompted considerable media and public interest at the time, but APS offered little explanation for its decision to prematurely terminate Brooks’ contract.
A 2nd Judicial District Court judge in 2021 ordered APS to pay $214,000 in attorney fees in addition to an earlier $411,000 judgment against the district.
Judge Nancy Franchini ordered APS to pay the Albuquerque Journal $293,625 after finding the district violated the state Inspection of Public Records Act. KOB-TV, which made similar records requests, was awarded $118,000.
The Journal requested APS billing records with APS’ attorney, Agnes Padilla, APS board records pertaining to Brooks’ termination, and allegations of misconduct against Brooks and his wife.
KOB-TV requested communications between APS and Padilla, records regarding the attorney’s report, and communications between Brooks and an APS spokeswoman.
APS appealed the lower-court decision. The news organizations also appealed, seeking access to the Padilla Report.
The New Mexico Court of Appeals in 2024 upheld the district court's financial judgment against APS. The court also found that APS violated the state's Inspection of Public Records Act by withholding certain records, including attorney billing records and hotline complaints about Brooks.
But the Court of Appeals also ruled that APS was not required to provide the news organizations with Padilla's investigative report, finding that the report was protected under attorney-client privilege. The Supreme Court opinion reversed that finding.
Justices wrote that “the Padilla Report is predominantly investigative in nature, mostly factual in content, and contains very little advice of any kind, none of which could fairly be considered legal advice.”
READ THE RULING: Here are the court documents
Drought prompts federal agency to offer emergency loans to New Mexico farmers - Patrick Lohmann, Source New Mexico The United States Agriculture Department on Tuesday declared a drought disaster in all 33 New Mexico counties, making farmers and ranchers who suffered livestock or other losses eligible for low-interest emergency loans.
The USDA’s two disaster declarations cite the United States Drought Monitor, which on Thursday shows all of New Mexico in some stage of drought, with most of the state experiencing “extreme” or “severe” drought.
Because of the USDA’s declaration, farmers and ranchers are eligible for loans up to $500,000 covering a range of costs at lower-than-market interest rates. For example, producers can receive a federal Farm Service Agency loan for operating costs at 4.75% interest, according to a USDA fact sheet.
The loans can pay for production costs associated with a disaster, essential living expenses, farm reorganization costs or the refinancing of certain debts, according to the USDA.
The federal deadline to apply for the loans is Dec. 24, 2026. USDA officials directed farmers and ranchers interested in the loans to their local Farm Service Agency officers for more information.
Extremely low snowpack this winter exacerbated ongoing drought in New Mexico and across the West. Recently, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham declared a drought and wildfire emergency, which directed a state task force to help local governments as much as possible.
The governor’s declaration also coincided with the publicization of a new website — the Drought Information Portal — that contains an array of state and federal resources regarding the ongoing drought, weather conditions and fire risk.
A recent industry report found that New Mexico’s food and agriculture industries generated more than $50 billion in economic activity in 2025, including employing 146,000 people statewide who work in farm or food industries and earn $5.9 billion in wages.
Santa Fe County eyes year-long data center moratorium - Santa Fe New Mexican
Santa Fe County commissioners are weighing an ordinance that would impose a yearlong prohibition on data centers.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that the one-year ban would allow time for land-use regulations and environmental standards for such proposals to be prepared.
The proposed ordinance comes as local governments across the U.S. grapple with the data center boom amid concerns the developments use too much energy and water. In New Mexico, data center proposals have drawn major public outcry recently in Doña Ana and Socorro counties.
The proposed ordinance was introduced by commissioners Hank Hughes and Lisa Cacari Stone.
There are currently no data centers in Northern New Mexico. County Attorney Walker Boyd, who said no data centers have been proposed in the county, said a public hearing will be held on the proposed ordinance before commissioners vote on it.
County commissioners are expected to hold a public hearing and vote on the ordinance in late June.