With longtime House Representative Anthony Allison retiring, three Democratic candidates are battling for House District 4 seat. Navajo community organizer Joseph Hernandez is running against two members of the local school board Christina Aspaas and Cheryl George. Whoever wins on June 4th will face off against Republican candidate Lincoln Mark in November.
With redistricting, District 4 in Northwest New Mexico now includes places south of Farmington like Burnham and Bisti.
Hernandez, a member of the Navajo Nation, was born and raised in Shiprock and works as a community organizer. His top priorities include finding renewable energy solutions, providing accessible health care, and affordable housing.
He’s been endorsed by Dreams in Action NM, Climate Cabinet, Conservation Voters of New Mexico, Equality New Mexico, NM Native Vote, Working Families Party, and the Sierra Club.
Christina Aspaas of Fruitland is the board president of the Central Consolidated School District. She worked for 30 years in Bisti Fuels and is a union member.
In a podcast, she said she’s focused on finding a balance when it comes to energy transitions. With the San Juan generating station closing in her community, Aspaas said she wants to find jobs for those that were laid off. This has created a ripple effect in the area with the school district, with declining enrollment that could also lead to more layoffs.
Aspaas said she wants the state to stop mandating unfunded programs in schools. That includes the recent rule by the Public Education Department requiring schools have 180 instructional days.
Cheryl George of Shiprock is the third candidate who is a board member of the Central Consolidated School District. But she apparently has no campaign sites or social media campaign sites.
Hernandez has the most in fundraising with $16,800. His biggest donors include House representative Anthony Allison and the Committee on Individual Responsibility, which is a political action committee made up of lawyers. George raised only $600, which was donated by the San Juan County Democratic Party. Aspaas has not raised any funding and said she is choosing to not be funded because she does not want to be obligated to any third parties.
Support for this coverage comes from the Thornburg Foundation.
