The 2nd Judicial District Attorney’s primary race in Bernalillo County is now the battleground for the top two funded candidates in the entire state – incumbent Sam Bregman and his challenger, former U.S. Attorney Damon Martinez – both Democrats.
No Republican candidate is vying for the 2nd Judicial District Attorney seat – meaning, whoever wins the primary will win the entire race before the general election in November.
Appointed by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham in January 2023 to finish former District Attorney Raúl Torrez’s term, Bregman originally had no interest in reelection. But, in an interview with the Albuquerque Journal’s editorial board, Bregman said he fell in love with the position and ultimately changed his mind.
While the race has been heavily focused on tackling the fentanyl epidemic and eye-popping crime rates, the two have very different points of view on why crime has gotten to this point.
Damon Martinez, former U.S. Attorney for New Mexico, has signaled through campaign advertisements that he’ll take a more tough-on-crime approach, often accusing Bregman of giving “sweetheart” deals to fentanyl dealers. Martinez also wants to create a wire-tapping program to deal with organized crime.
Bregman has been more vocal about gun crime, particularly among children and young adults. Namely, Bregman flouts a “no tolerance” policy for firearms found on school property.
Both candidates have law degrees from the University of New Mexico and decades of experience under their belts.
Bregman boasts a large array of endorsements ranging from U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury, to Speaker of the House Javier Martinez and Senate President Pro-Tempore Mimi Stewart. The Pueblos of Isleta and Sandia have also endorsed Bregman.
On the other hand, it’s unclear who endorses Damon Martinez. His campaign social media accounts have very few, if any, followers or posts.
Right now, the Bernalillo County DA race is the most expensive in the state, with Bregman raising $438,000 in contributions. Martinez trails behind with $336,000 – though, over half of that he loaned himself, according to state campaign records.
Early voting in the 2024 primary ends Saturday, June 1. Election Day is Tuesday, June 4.
