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ProgressNow New Mexico Votes Progressive Voters Guide
Welcome to the New Mexico Progressive Voters Guide! The Progressive Voters Guide compiles the information that allows you to make informed decisions about the races on your ballot, based on your values. Please share this guide with your friends and family!
State Senator, District 9
Depending on where you live, you may have one of the below State Senate races on your ballot.
Senate District 9 is an open seat this year as Senator Brenda McKenna is not running for re-election. Cindy Nava and Heather Balas are running for this seat. We recommend Cindy Nava for Senate District 9.
Cindy Nava is running in the Democratic Primary for Senate District 9. This is an open seat that will be vacated by incumbent Brenda McKenna at the end of this year. Nava recently left her appointment by the White House as Senior Policy Advisor to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in order to run for this seat. Prior to that Nava was Executive Director of Transform Education NM, managed/owned her own consulting firm, NAVA Strategies, and was the Political Director for Ben Ray Lujan’s U.S. Senate Campaign. Her volunteer and leadership experience includes serving on the board for Youth Development Inc. (YID), and she is also a founding Board Member of the American Mexican Association (AMA-USA).
Nava’s personal experience of being undocumented, becoming a Dreamer (DACA recipient), and receiving her U.S. citizenship drives her passion to run for Senate District 9. Her priorities include improving education from early childhood through secondary education by increasing pay for educators and creating facilities that support learning, increasing investments in affordable housing and first-time home buyer programs as well as low interest loans, and making healthcare more affordable by reducing premium rates through New Mexico’s health exchange as well as focusing on recruitment and retention of high quality health care providers to New Mexico.
We recommend Cindy Nava for Senate District 9 based on her policy work, lived experience, and priority areas.
Cindy Nava is running in the Democratic Primary for Senate District 9. This is an open seat that will be vacated by incumbent Brenda McKenna at the end of this year. Nava recently left her appointment by the White House as Senior Policy Advisor to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in order to run for this seat. Prior to that Nava was Executive Director of Transform Education NM, managed/owned her own consulting firm, NAVA Strategies, and was the Political Director for Ben Ray Lujan’s U.S. Senate Campaign. Her volunteer and leadership experience includes serving on the board for Youth Development Inc. (YID), and she is also a founding Board Member of the American Mexican Association (AMA-USA).
Nava’s personal experience of being undocumented, becoming a Dreamer (DACA recipient), and receiving her U.S. citizenship drives her passion to run for Senate District 9. Her priorities include improving education from early childhood through secondary education by increasing pay for educators and creating facilities that support learning, increasing investments in affordable housing and first-time home buyer programs as well as low interest loans, and making healthcare more affordable by reducing premium rates through New Mexico’s health exchange as well as focusing on recruitment and retention of high quality health care providers to New Mexico.
We recommend Cindy Nava for Senate District 9 based on her policy work, lived experience, and priority areas.
Cindy Nava is running in the Democratic Primary for Senate District 9. This is an open seat that will be vacated by incumbent Brenda McKenna at the end of this year. Nava recently left her appointment by the White House as Senior Policy Advisor to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in order to run for this seat. Prior to that Nava was Executive Director of Transform Education NM, managed/owned her own consulting firm, NAVA Strategies, and was the Political Director for Ben Ray Lujan’s U.S. Senate Campaign. Her volunteer and leadership experience includes serving on the board for Youth Development Inc. (YID), and she is also a founding Board Member of the American Mexican Association (AMA-USA).
Nava’s personal experience of being undocumented, becoming a Dreamer (DACA recipient), and receiving her U.S. citizenship drives her passion to run for Senate District 9. Her priorities include improving education from early childhood through secondary education by increasing pay for educators and creating facilities that support learning, increasing investments in affordable housing and first-time home buyer programs as well as low interest loans, and making healthcare more affordable by reducing premium rates through New Mexico’s health exchange as well as focusing on recruitment and retention of high quality health care providers to New Mexico.
We recommend Cindy Nava for Senate District 9 based on her policy work, lived experience, and priority areas.
Heather Balas is running against Cindy Nava in the Democratic Primary for Senate District 9. Balas is currently Vice President of Programs for Elections Reformers Network, a research group that works on bipartisan policy to ensure the institutions running elections are not partisan. Previously, she worked as a Senior Consultant for Issue One, a Policy Officer for Thornburg Foundation, and was President and Executive Director of New Mexico First. Balas’ leadership and volunteer experience includes serving on the Corrales Planning & Zoning Commission, New Mexico First board of directors, Santa Fe Data Platform advisory board, and the Albuquerque Civic Chorus board of directors.
Balas’ experience growing up working on her parents peanut farm in Portales and her bipartisan policy work for the past 30 years drives her interest in running for Senate District 9. She has worked on policy in New Mexico for two decades with a focus on bipartisan policy. Her stated priority areas are environmental protections through diversification that includes small businesses and larger economic base industries including renewables and protections for our democracy by increasing polling locations on Tribal Lands and increasing poll observation efforts. Additionally she states education, better jobs and pay, and access to comprehensive healthcare, though policies specific to these areas could not be found.
While we recommend Cindy Nava for Senate District 9, Heather Balas is also a viable candidate based on her strong policy work and focus on sustainable economic development, renewable energy, and the environment.
Heather Balas is running against Cindy Nava in the Democratic Primary for Senate District 9. Balas is currently Vice President of Programs for Elections Reformers Network, a research group that works on bipartisan policy to ensure the institutions running elections are not partisan. Previously, she worked as a Senior Consultant for Issue One, a Policy Officer for Thornburg Foundation, and was President and Executive Director of New Mexico First. Balas’ leadership and volunteer experience includes serving on the Corrales Planning & Zoning Commission, New Mexico First board of directors, Santa Fe Data Platform advisory board, and the Albuquerque Civic Chorus board of directors.
Balas’ experience growing up working on her parents peanut farm in Portales and her bipartisan policy work for the past 30 years drives her interest in running for Senate District 9. She has worked on policy in New Mexico for two decades with a focus on bipartisan policy. Her stated priority areas are environmental protections through diversification that includes small businesses and larger economic base industries including renewables and protections for our democracy by increasing polling locations on Tribal Lands and increasing poll observation efforts. Additionally she states education, better jobs and pay, and access to comprehensive healthcare, though policies specific to these areas could not be found.
While we recommend Cindy Nava for Senate District 9, Heather Balas is also a viable candidate based on her strong policy work and focus on sustainable economic development, renewable energy, and the environment.
Endorsed By: Conservation Voters New Mexico
,
Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate
,
United Health Profressional of New Mexico, "Kathleen Cates, State Representative", "Joseph Cervantes, State Senator", "Natalie Figueroa, State Representative", "Jerry Ortiz y Pino, State Senator", "Bill Tallman, State Senator"
Heather Balas is running against Cindy Nava in the Democratic Primary for Senate District 9. Balas is currently Vice President of Programs for Elections Reformers Network, a research group that works on bipartisan policy to ensure the institutions running elections are not partisan. Previously, she worked as a Senior Consultant for Issue One, a Policy Officer for Thornburg Foundation, and was President and Executive Director of New Mexico First. Balas’ leadership and volunteer experience includes serving on the Corrales Planning & Zoning Commission, New Mexico First board of directors, Santa Fe Data Platform advisory board, and the Albuquerque Civic Chorus board of directors.
Balas’ experience growing up working on her parents peanut farm in Portales and her bipartisan policy work for the past 30 years drives her interest in running for Senate District 9. She has worked on policy in New Mexico for two decades with a focus on bipartisan policy. Her stated priority areas are environmental protections through diversification that includes small businesses and larger economic base industries including renewables and protections for our democracy by increasing polling locations on Tribal Lands and increasing poll observation efforts. Additionally she states education, better jobs and pay, and access to comprehensive healthcare, though policies specific to these areas could not be found.
While we recommend Cindy Nava for Senate District 9, Heather Balas is also a viable candidate based on her strong policy work and focus on sustainable economic development, renewable energy, and the environment.
Endorsed By: Conservation Voters New Mexico
,
Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate
,
United Health Profressional of New Mexico, "Kathleen Cates, State Representative", "Joseph Cervantes, State Senator", "Natalie Figueroa, State Representative", "Jerry Ortiz y Pino, State Senator", "Bill Tallman, State Senator"
Representative, District 41
Depending on where you live, you may have one of the below State House races on your ballot.
Susan Herrera is running for re-election in the Democratic Primary for House District 41. Herrera has served in the seat since 2019. She is currently the Chair of the Rural Development, Land Grants and Cultural Affairs Committee (previously serving as Vice Chair), and before that was Vice Chair of the Agriculture & Water Resources Committee as well as a commitment member of the Taxation & Revenue and Appropriations and Finance Committees.
Herrera was the founding executive director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory Foundation (LANLF) and led the organization for seventeen years. Prior to that, she also worked as director of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, as a legislative staffer in Washington D.C. and in roles at the University of New Mexico and non-profit organizations like Siete del Norte and Child-Rite. She also founded the Northern New Mexico Community College Foundation and served as President of the New Mexico Association of Grantmakers.
Herrera is passionate about the topics of land and water use, rural economic development, and education, and her experience leading Los Alamos National Laboratory Foundation and Northern New Mexico Community College Foundation, in particular, are a key driver for her in serving House District 41. As a legislator, Herrera’s key priority areas include clean energy, healthcare, and education. In the last two legislative sessions, she voted for investments in early childhood programs, increased teacher pay, and funding technical and trade school programs in Northern New Mexico. Herrera also advanced legislation to protect financially vulnerable people from predatory lending, sponsoring HB128 which was signed into law this year and caps the annual percentage rate (APR) for loans under $10,000 at 36% (previously it was up to 175%).
Her voting record also includes support for the Paid Family Leave Act, Voting Rights Act and Native American Voting Rights Act (HB4, 2023), and Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Health Care Act (SB13 and HB7, 2023). She supports legislation that would protect workers rights, abolish rent control and expand investments in affordable housing, and increase reproductive health services in rural communities, along with expanded voting rights and access.
We highly recommend Susan Herrera for House District 41 based on her voting record, values, and support for working and middle class New Mexicans.
Susan Herrera is running for re-election in the Democratic Primary for House District 41. Herrera has served in the seat since 2019. She is currently the Chair of the Rural Development, Land Grants and Cultural Affairs Committee (previously serving as Vice Chair), and before that was Vice Chair of the Agriculture & Water Resources Committee as well as a commitment member of the Taxation & Revenue and Appropriations and Finance Committees.
Herrera was the founding executive director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory Foundation (LANLF) and led the organization for seventeen years. Prior to that, she also worked as director of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, as a legislative staffer in Washington D.C. and in roles at the University of New Mexico and non-profit organizations like Siete del Norte and Child-Rite. She also founded the Northern New Mexico Community College Foundation and served as President of the New Mexico Association of Grantmakers.
Herrera is passionate about the topics of land and water use, rural economic development, and education, and her experience leading Los Alamos National Laboratory Foundation and Northern New Mexico Community College Foundation, in particular, are a key driver for her in serving House District 41. As a legislator, Herrera’s key priority areas include clean energy, healthcare, and education. In the last two legislative sessions, she voted for investments in early childhood programs, increased teacher pay, and funding technical and trade school programs in Northern New Mexico. Herrera also advanced legislation to protect financially vulnerable people from predatory lending, sponsoring HB128 which was signed into law this year and caps the annual percentage rate (APR) for loans under $10,000 at 36% (previously it was up to 175%).
Her voting record also includes support for the Paid Family Leave Act, Voting Rights Act and Native American Voting Rights Act (HB4, 2023), and Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Health Care Act (SB13 and HB7, 2023). She supports legislation that would protect workers rights, abolish rent control and expand investments in affordable housing, and increase reproductive health services in rural communities, along with expanded voting rights and access.
We highly recommend Susan Herrera for House District 41 based on her voting record, values, and support for working and middle class New Mexicans.
Susan Herrera is running for re-election in the Democratic Primary for House District 41. Herrera has served in the seat since 2019. She is currently the Chair of the Rural Development, Land Grants and Cultural Affairs Committee (previously serving as Vice Chair), and before that was Vice Chair of the Agriculture & Water Resources Committee as well as a commitment member of the Taxation & Revenue and Appropriations and Finance Committees.
Herrera was the founding executive director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory Foundation (LANLF) and led the organization for seventeen years. Prior to that, she also worked as director of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, as a legislative staffer in Washington D.C. and in roles at the University of New Mexico and non-profit organizations like Siete del Norte and Child-Rite. She also founded the Northern New Mexico Community College Foundation and served as President of the New Mexico Association of Grantmakers.
Herrera is passionate about the topics of land and water use, rural economic development, and education, and her experience leading Los Alamos National Laboratory Foundation and Northern New Mexico Community College Foundation, in particular, are a key driver for her in serving House District 41. As a legislator, Herrera’s key priority areas include clean energy, healthcare, and education. In the last two legislative sessions, she voted for investments in early childhood programs, increased teacher pay, and funding technical and trade school programs in Northern New Mexico. Herrera also advanced legislation to protect financially vulnerable people from predatory lending, sponsoring HB128 which was signed into law this year and caps the annual percentage rate (APR) for loans under $10,000 at 36% (previously it was up to 175%).
Her voting record also includes support for the Paid Family Leave Act, Voting Rights Act and Native American Voting Rights Act (HB4, 2023), and Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Health Care Act (SB13 and HB7, 2023). She supports legislation that would protect workers rights, abolish rent control and expand investments in affordable housing, and increase reproductive health services in rural communities, along with expanded voting rights and access.
We highly recommend Susan Herrera for House District 41 based on her voting record, values, and support for working and middle class New Mexicans.
Other Candidates
Margaret Campos is running against Susan Herrera in the Democratic Primary for House District 41. She did not return our questionnaire so all information provided is from public sources.
Campos currently manages/owns her own business, MC Campos Consulting, and is also the Assistant Economic Development Director for Rio Arriba County. She also serves as Executive Director for the Northern Rio Grande National Heritage Area. Prior professional experience includes working for NM Department of Health, Los Alamos National Labs, managing her own farm, and founding Comida de Campos, a farm-to-table cooking school.
Campos’ drive to run for office derives from her time spent with her grandparents growing up who instilled the values of honesty, integrity, and hard work in her. Her priorities include protecting the environment through policies that prioritize sustainability, investing in education and increasing after school programs and college readiness, and policies that protect seniors and veterans such as increased funding for community centers and better healthcare resources. Lastly, Campos’ supports policies that would increase affordable housing and increase addiction treatment centers to address the drug epidemic.
Based on minimal information about the specific policies she would implement as well as the strength of her opponent, we do not recommend Margaret Campos for House District 41.
Margaret Campos is running against Susan Herrera in the Democratic Primary for House District 41. She did not return our questionnaire so all information provided is from public sources.
Campos currently manages/owns her own business, MC Campos Consulting, and is also the Assistant Economic Development Director for Rio Arriba County. She also serves as Executive Director for the Northern Rio Grande National Heritage Area. Prior professional experience includes working for NM Department of Health, Los Alamos National Labs, managing her own farm, and founding Comida de Campos, a farm-to-table cooking school.
Campos’ drive to run for office derives from her time spent with her grandparents growing up who instilled the values of honesty, integrity, and hard work in her. Her priorities include protecting the environment through policies that prioritize sustainability, investing in education and increasing after school programs and college readiness, and policies that protect seniors and veterans such as increased funding for community centers and better healthcare resources. Lastly, Campos’ supports policies that would increase affordable housing and increase addiction treatment centers to address the drug epidemic.
Based on minimal information about the specific policies she would implement as well as the strength of her opponent, we do not recommend Margaret Campos for House District 41.
Senate District 9 is an open seat this year as Senator Brenda McKenna is not running for re-election. Cindy Nava and Heather Balas are running for this seat. We recommend Cindy Nava for Senate District 9.