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Tuesday, October 14, 2025Keller Blasted In First TV Ads From Foes; Sanchez Asks: "Do You Believe A Failed Politician Or Your Own Eyes?" White Declares: "We Need Change Now"
Sanchez counters Keller's first pollyannish ad that pointed to his eight year record and that said he has accomplished a lot more than "the news media is telling you about." In the TV ad Councilor Sanchez, a retired APD officer, coms with a tough response, showing homeless people strewn across city sidewalks and saying this in-your-face evidence is enough to deny Keller a third term. The 30 second ad that our campaign sources report has about $30,000 behind it is airing on broadcast and cable: Narrator: Do you believe a failed politician? Keller: We've made real progress. Narrator: Or your own eyes? Tim Keller is lying, we can see it with our own eyes. And now he says “That’s why we need a little more time.” Eight years has been enough. We Deserve better. Louie Sanchez has a plan to clean up our city. Safe streets, more jobs, and a government that works. Vote for change. Vote Louie Sanchez for Mayor. The "lying eyes" reference the Sanchez ad makes is similar to what we wrote on our August 25 blog when we reviewed Keller's annual State of the City Address: "Who are you going to believe, me or your lying eyes?" ABQ Mayor Tim Keller did not cite that famous quote from a Marx brothers movie at his annual State of the City address Saturday but that was the essence of the buoyant half-hour summary he offered to Mr. and Mrs. Albuquerque before a considerable crowd at the ABQ BioPark. So how does the Sanchez ad play politically? He polled at just 6 percent in the late September Journal poll but was getting 11 percent of the Republican vote. It is reasonable to assume that whatever impact his small ad buy has it will be mainly with Republicans because of its unabashed anti-Keller rhetoric and focus on the homeless problem. Undecided GOP voters were at 36 percent in the poll. What the ad will not do is immediately vault Sanchez past leading Republican mayoral candidate Darren White who came in second and polled 16 percent in the Journal poll. However Sanchez is now more of a threat to White for second place. If he can put more financial muscle behind his well-produced, hard-hitting ad there is an outside chance he could displace the former sheriff. None of the candidates are competing with Keller financially who was the only one to qualify for over $750,000 in public campaign funding.
Meanwhile White is making his own play for more conservative votes by going after Keller for making ABQ a "Sanctuary City," a designation White says he would end if elected. His first TV ad, also hard-hitting and with much appeal for the anti-Keller crowd, hammers Keller for the 750 homicides that have taken place during his eight years at the helm as well as "tent cities" that White says he will take down on "day one." The ad says: Over 750 homicides, homeless tent cities everywhere. We need change now. Republican Darren White for Mayor. White tells the audience directly: Eight years of failure is enough. No more sanctuary for criminals and the tent encampments come down on day one. The crisp narration by White displays his experience in broadcasting. No word yet on how much White is spending on the ad but like Sanchez, as of September 8 he had campaign funds of less than $150,000. Polling shows 66 percent of Republicans are with White on the sanctuary issue while overall 51 percent of likely voters back Keller's decision not to have local law enforcement cooperate with ICE. For now the split in the Republican and conservative vote among Sanchez, White, Eddie Varela and Mayling Armijo is good math for Keller who was polling first at 29 percent and is expected to come out on top Election Night. But if any of his foes come with major league dollars in the final weeks things could get more interesting. How much Keller beats his second place competitor by would be key in setting expectations for the run off election that would take place between the top two finishers if no candidate reaches 50 percent. This is the Home of New Mexico Politics. Monday, October 13, 2025Holiday Rumor Mill Spins Over Who Will Be Next UNM President: MLG's Name Enters The Mix As She Eyes End Of Her Final Term; Far-Fetched Or Plausible? It comes from one of our longtime and politically connected sources who is starting to take more seriously speculation that MLG could possibly become the next president of the University of New Mexico. As we said, that's quite the jaw-dropper. Read on: For the second time and each time from a completely different source, I was told that the announced retirement of UNM President Garnett Stokes retirement is not voluntary and that Paul Blanchard, the Governor's hand-picked chair of the UNM Board of Regents, has been working hard to convince the other regents that Stokes should be replaced with Michelle Lujan Grisham. That would happen when the Governor's term expires next year. If true, I consider this very unwise for our state and our flagship university. MLG's management style is chaotic and intensely personalized--not a good fit for UNM. Keep your antennae out for any corroborating information about this, Joe, and if it seems to be accurate. Consider the optics: UNM run by MLG, Western NM run by Lt. Gov. Howie Morales and Northern NM College already run by former Attorney General Hector Balderas. Who needs academic administrative experience earned by laboring in the field for years when you can hop on the ex-politician escalator and ride to the top in style? Lt. Gov. Morales has long been mentioned a s a possible new WNMU president. An interim president is in place there after scandal deposed his predecessor. A search is underway for a permanent president and that could be Morales who is from Silver City where WNMU is based. The gig pays north of $400,000 in salary and benefits. UNM President Stokes has announced that after eight years as president she will retire in July 2026. MLG's final Guv term ends Dec. 31 of '26. MLG MOVIDA? MLG does not have a Ph.D which is usually the case for a college president but not mandatory and ignored in the past when it comes to tapping prominent political leaders for the job.
The pay for the UNM president job is nothing to sneeze at. Stokes is making $675,000 a year in salary plus perks that include a housing allowance, car, health insurance, travel and a retirement match. Maybe we buried the lead. With that kind of lucrative pay and leadership status up for grabs, it could be right up MLG's alley--but could it be too controversial for UNM to swallow? Interesting stuff from that Alligator. We'll certainly keep our antenna up for any developments. Okay, now back to your holiday. This is the Home of New Mexico Politics. E-mail your news and comments. (newsguy@yahoo.com) Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here. Thursday, October 09, 2025Time For Another Edition Of Reader Vox Populi; They Write Of Abortion, The Mayoral Race, The Homeless, The Anti-Litter Campaign And More Joe, your report on abortion used soft terminology and glossed over what New Mexico’s health laws really allow. State law permits abortion through all stages of pregnancy, even procedures involving viable babies late in term, with no parental consent for minors. It protects and funds puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries that remove healthy body parts from youth, and promotes COVID shots for healthy babies at six months. These are not abstract policies—they are codified in law and funded with taxpayer dollars, and the public deserves honest language about them. Another reader with a GOP lean writes: MAYORAL DEBATE A reader identifying as Bobby Griego has armchair analysis of the ABQ mayoral campaign: Joe, I like your solution to the ban by KOAT of mayoral candidates Mayling Armijo and Eddie Varela from the Oct. 15 debate--if the are to be added the time allowance for the debate simply can be extended. Inclusion is generally a good idea, but so is substance. The city has some very critical issues facing it and residents deserve probing questions and detailed answers--not just fluff. Residents are all clear on what the main issues are; what they need are details on how each candidate is going to get that done. That will not happen with six candidates and limited time. Also, I find Mayor Keller's social media appeal for Armijo and Varela's inclusion to be disingenuous. It is clear that what he wants is a watered down debate. He does not want to get into issues and his record too deep. It is also obvious that what is happening is Mayling Armijo is auditioning for a position in a potential Keller third term--likely the ABQ Director of Economic Development. This would allow Terry Brunner to concentrate on being the Chief of Staff and not pull double duty. During the debate Armijo would act as Keller's shield, suck up time, and it will all be over before it actually begins. If Keller really wants to advance democracy and promote transparency during the election, he should agree to more debates. RIO RANCHO FOR KELLER  Joe, I live in Rio Rancho. As a relative new resident of New Mexico in 2017, I was excited for and backed, Tim Keller in his first run as mayor. I believed, with his statewide leadership and experience, his experience in finance and friendly demeanor that he would hit the ground running. I admit to being deeply surprised and disappointed at how he functioned in the first term and part of the second term. However, I now believe Keller has finally gotten a handle on crime and homelessness and has shown more wisdom in how to lead a city with the level of challenges Albuquerque has. As I look at who is running against him, I see nobody ready for prime time. Running this city is harder than running the state due to municipal governmental constraints. When I see the way in which these other candidates have behaved in this campaign, it feels as if there is more vanity than either experience or wisdom in their wanting to take on the mayoral role. If I lived in Albuquerque, I would be voting for Keller for his third term. Finally, I would add Keller's latest pronouncement--that the next term would be his last term--is also a sign of the wisdom he has learned in being the mayor of Albuquerque. POOR PORTAL Reader Vicky Salazar writes: Hi Joe, long time reader here. Just an average voter. But today I'm annoyed. I got so many texts and emails this weekend from candidates who asked me to sign their petitions--which I'm happy to do. But when I tried to sign into the Secretary of State portal to do so, I got an error message. Not once but all day! Isn't this a bit ironic that the portal is down and no one can get signatures while she gears up to announce her run for another office?! That's Vicky zinging SOS Maggie Toulouse Oliver who says she may run for lieutenant governor next year. HOMELESS IN ABQ  Reader John Strong writes: Hi Joe, I walk our neighborhood early each morning and noticed an SUV parked on the side of the street that was unfamiliar to me. After a few days my neighbor called and asked if we knew the car. They had seen the driver get out barefoot in the morning, stretch and then get back in and drive off, returning in the evening. He was causing no trouble, left no trash or disturbed anything, but it made me aware that I have seen at least three other vehicles like this jin our neighborhood near 15th and Central. It seemed obvious that this person had likely become homeless, but still had a car and likely a job, and may be just trying to hold on. I’m concerned about this being an emerging problem, where people who do not want to be homeless are desperately trying to stay afloat and clinging to some normalcy. Wouldn’t this be the best time for intervention? Before they lose the car or the job and become chronically homeless? I don’t blame the man for parking in my neighborhood, it's relatively safe and I'm sure that's why he was here. Should we have a safe monitored place for those in this situation? Wouldn’t that be better than forcing them into alleys and dark lots? And should we try and provide some way for them to have hygiene and clean clothes, if they’re trying to hold onto jobs? I m very concerned that in a developing economic downturn, this is a problem that could suddenly explode on us and we should be planning for solutions now. SHAMEFUL CAMPAIGN?  Joe, the new state litter campaign is shameful. Tying litter control to “territories” and glamorizing gang culture may be trendy, but it doesn’t reflect who we are as New Mexicans. I’m a fourth-generation New Mexican, not a tourist, politically middle of the road, and this isn’t about sides—it’s about pride. We can do better. E-mail your news and comments. (newsguy@yahoo.com) Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here. Wednesday, October 08, 2025The Health Decade: Sweeping Events Continue To Impact Healthcare In State; MLG Presides Over A Progressive Era That Impacts, Vaccines, Abortion And More This has become the decade of health in state politics. It started with Covid and vaccines, then on to the repeal of Roe V. Wade, the Medicaid cuts and to today where the federal government is shut down because of an intense argument over health insurance subsidies. Presiding over this has been MLG, a former Health Department secretary, who vigorously attacked the Covid epidemic--critics say too vigorously---and later paved the way for one of the most liberal abortion laws in the nation in response to the court ruling overturning abortion rights. Last month her Health Department ensured that New Mexicans did not get caught up in the confusion over Covid and other vaccines and issued precise guidelines for vaccinations. Then there's the recently concluded special legislative session where measures to protect rural health care and provide health insurance subsidies were approved. (The doctor shortage will have to wait until the regular session in January.) The changes here have been far reaching and the New Yorker takes notice with this update : How New Mexico Became a Sanctuary State for Health Care. Since Roe v. Wade was overturned, the number of abortion clinics there has doubled. With strong protections for gender-affirming treatment, and now universal child care, the state is betting on a progressive vision. In recent years, New Mexico has quietly emerged as a progressive health-care sanctuary. Since the Dobbs decision, the number of abortion clinics has more than doubled, as clinics that were forced to close their doors elsewhere have reopened in the state, which has no gestational limits on abortion. More than ten thousand women have travelled there to receive abortion care. "New Mexico is “taking on the burden for women who don’t have these protections in places like Texas and Oklahoma and Nevada and Utah,” Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham said. The state also has among the strongest protections in the Southwest for gender-affirming care for both adults and minors. When the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidance limiting the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine to certain populations, New Mexico’s Department of Health promptly ordered pharmacies to make the vaccine available to anyone who wanted it. This November, New Mexico will become the first state to offer universal free child care to all residents, regardless of income—an initiative that Lujan Grisham has spoken about as being part of a broader attempt to improve the health of New Mexicans. How the Governor's aggressive health care agenda will be judged in the future is unknown but it will be an enduring legacy of her two terms. NM ABORTION LAW  With over 10,000 women traveling here for abortions, we looked at the cost:
Many groups in Texas--where abortion is severely restricted--help women finance their trips and medical expenses here. THE DEBATE
Kudos to you for your comprehensive and politically correct post taking KOAT to the proverbial woodshed for their "attempt" to exclude Mayling Armijo and Eddie Varela from the outlet's debate stage. I say "attempt" because I'll bet my benji to your hole in a donut that your point-by-point outing of their wrongheadedness will now be corrected by the station. Thanks for getting in the trenches for those that some would marginalize. One solution is simple: expand the debate to 90 minutes giving plenty of time for all the candidates. But will the penny-pinchers at Hearst--which owns the station--give up that extra half hour of ad revenue? This is the Home of New Mexico Politics. E-mail your news and comments. (newsguy@yahoo.com) Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here. Tuesday, October 07, 2025Commentary: KOAT's Exclusion Of Two Mayoral Candidates From their Debate Stage Rests On Shaky Ground And Raises Questions About Station's Fairness Having all six ABQ mayoral candidates on your debate stage October 15 is not unmanageable and is the only fair option. The exclusion of Mayling Armijo and Eddie Varela is unfair and raises questions about your station's objectivity in covering the November 4 city election. KOAT says their 7 P.M. prime time debate will feature only the four "leading candidates"--incumbent Tim Keller and challengers Darren White, Alex Uballez and Louie Sanchez. The exclusion of Armijo and Varela is based on the recent ABQ Journal poll--a cosponsor of KOAT debates--that shows Varela pulling only 2 percent and Armijo just one percent. The problem? All the challengers have very weak numbers. Uballez and Sanchez are only getting 6 percent, second place finisher White scores a humbling 16 percent and Keller is first with 29 percent. The station seems to be saying that there is no chance of either Varela or Armijo to advance in the election which could result in a run-off if no candidate secures 50 percent--a likely occurrence. Political observers would agree that Armijo and Varela have less chance than the other Keller challengers of advancing but neither are nuisance or vanity candidates who should be banned from the debate airwaves. Heck, when Trump was first seeking the GOP presidential nomination there was 17 unique candidates participating in 12 televised debates (some of which included both a main stage and an undercard). There is a way of doing this to fully serve the voters of Albuquerque. SHOWING UP
Armijo is a New Mexico native, a veteran of the US Navy who served as Director of Economic Development for Bernalillo County. She also served as Deputy County Manager for Sandoval County. Her friends and family have contributed $120,000 to a PAC in support of her candidacy. Varela is a retired firefighter with 30 years experience, including service as Deputy Chief for AFD and Fire Chief for Barstow, California. He has also served on the city council of Reserve, NM. These are not frivolous people. They are just unknown, just as Alex Uballez and Louie Sanchez are mostly unknown. The debate takes on added importance because it will apparently be the only prime time mayoral debate on KOAT, KOB or KRQE--the three major network affiliated stations with news departments, The exclusion of Armijo, the only woman in the race, and Varela for the convenience of KOAT is unmerited and raises the question of fairness at the ABC affiliate, a question that has already surfaced because of the relationship of KOAT investigative producer T.J. Wilham with former Sheriff White. White--during the non election season--has been regularly featured by Wilham and KOAT as a guest expert on a wide range of law enforcement issues. Wilham was White's right hand man during the Republican mayoral administration of Richard Berry, serving as Public Safety Communications Director under White who was Chief Public Safety Director from 2009-2011. Wilham later became the Director of APD's Real Time Crime Center before joining KOAT-TV as an investigative producer and reporter in 2018 when Keller took over as mayor. In his official bio on the station's website, Wilham's high profile position with White is not mentioned. CONCERNING DECISION
It is also concerning that KOAT, led by a prominent African American broadcaster, is excluding a Hispanic ABQ native like Varela and Armijo, a native New Mexico woman of Asian-Hispanic heritage, in one of the most majority-minority cities in the US. KOAT needs to look in the mirror and remind itself that it serves under a federal license that requires them to serve the "public interest." Excluding two ABQ residents who have proven they are serious about the future of this city is not in the public interest, is unfair and a rebuke of KOAT's long tradition of fairness and inclusiveness. KOAT should let Armijo and Varela say their piece. They've earned it. And let the other candidates urge the station to reverse course. ACCURATE AD Reader Ralph Moller writes of Monday's blog on Mayor Keller's first TV ad: Joe, I was disappointed that you did not comment on the accuracy of the Mayor's ad. If all true, it sounds pretty impressive. Or is there some context I'm missing? It would be helpful to get your input. Keller's ad about his programs appears to be accurate. The context is the positive results of those programs that are implied in the ad and that led to the critical insights of the message. Hope that is helpful, Ralph. I'm Joe Monahan reporting from Albuquerque and. . . This is the Home of New Mexico Politics. E-mail your news and comments. (newsguy@yahoo.com) Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here. Monday, October 06, 2025A Boastful Mayor Keller Ignores The Field But Takes On Media And ICE In First TV Ad; Says His Accomplishments Are Not Being Heard; Ad Takes On Happy Days Tone; Critics Call It Audacious A feeble opposition has prompted ABQ Mayor Tim Keller to embrace a "happy days are here again" narrative in his first TV ad, backing off his previous tone where he boasted of progress but with the caveat that serious challenges remain. In spot #1 any bow to his many skeptics is gone and the boasting is effusive. There is even come cocky confidence and blame-shaming as Keller chides the media, claiming, "we are getting a lot more done than the news media is telling you about." The ad features a young Hispanic woman posing as a peppy news reporter as she runs through a "pop quiz" with a beaming Keller by her side. The transcript: Pop Quiz. True or false. Tim Keller created the nation's first community safety department with mental helth responders. The police are freed up to fight crime. He created before and after-school programs for over ten thousand children, twenty-five hundred affordable housing units and shelter with addiction treatment for 1,000 homeless. He's also blocking ICE if they don't have a warrant. Keller: We're getting a lot more done than the news media is telling you about. Keller supporters will see the ad that sugarcoats homelessness and the high rate of violent crime as reasonably balanced when contrasted with his record. The critics, like several emailers here, will view it as audacious and the result of a political system so awash in apathy (and a failed Republican party) that it has produced no candidates who are a threat to Keller or an unsatisfactory status quo. Keller may not see a legitimate opponent in the field of candidates but he does need foils to finger because so many folks (over 60 percent) believe the city is headed in the wrong direction. In addition to alleged news media bias, his declaration about ICE adds President Trump to his target list. Dem consultant David Alcon is tracking the action: Keller is trying to set this up as a retention election where the opponents on the ballot continue to be ignored and where voters are simply asked to give him credit for his record. Having Trump hanging out there is a bonus. With no alternative messaging being heard, the strategy is sound. Keller essentially adopting the "stop bagging and start bragging" slogan is actually a defiant posture candy-wrapped in his pop quiz. The mayor's reasoning is that he has done everything that can be done--and done it right--to address crime and homelessness and that the city must now bend to his version of reality. It is confrontational with no opposition to seriously confront him. The political reality is that for many voters this campaign so far is like going to a restaurant with one item on the menu. Order it or walk away. GETTING SOCIAL Dem candidate Alex Uballez can't yet afford to go on broadcast TV like Keller but he does come with an ad for the socials "featuring Alex's mother-in-law, Peggy Lopez, sharing her twenty year relationship with Alex and what she's witnessed in their family and his career." The ad is here. IMPORTING POLITICOS  If you do not believe the Democratic Party has a new generation of leaders, you are not paying attention. Our state party vice chair is 24 and the Bernalillo County chair is 25. . .To suggest we should “import” politicos is an insult to New Mexico. We are not the Republican Party. The Democratic Party of New Mexico supports, trains, and pushes young people—and it’s not just chairs and vice chairs. I am 19 and have done consulting work from school-board races to statewide races, I have represented the State on the National Level with the DNC. The future of the state is in good hands. The claim that New Mexico is “running out of politicians” is wrong. It ignores what’s happening on the ground: young organizers, first-time candidates, and newly elected leaders are building the bench in cities, pueblos, and rural communities alike. That’s the pipeline. It’s already working. We joked that if McClure's plan can bring new politicos here then some of them should also be badly needed doctors. But that was no joke for physician Anjali Tenaja who writes: I think we can grow our own (politicians)! I am a family physician who ran for the NM state House (District HD 18), in last year's Democratic primary. I have also been keenly interested in how we support healthcare workers (physicians and others) to run for office. We critically need healthcare expertise at the state and local levels. Physicians and other healthcare workers also bring lived experience around healthcare and healthcare delivery in NM. A few of us have been informally discussing how to encourage and support healthcare workers to run. Thanks for noting how important it is to get doctors into office to help change policy and the course of things here in NM. THE BOTTOM LINES You didn't miss much but what action there was at last week's special legislative session that ended Thursday is here and here. This is the Home of New Mexico Politics. E-mail your news and comments. (newsguy@yahoo.com) Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here. Thursday, October 02, 2025Clippings From Our Newsroom Floor: Mayor Keller's Various Poll Ratings Explained, Some Charter School Power And A Plan To Import Politicos The Research and Polling survey conducted Sept. 19-26 gives Keller a 42 percent approval rating and 47 percent disapproval. The paper notes that his approval in their polling in 2018 was 61 percent; 60 percent in October 2020 and 50 percent in 2021 when he won his second term. But they don't mention their poll released November 2, 2022 that gave Keller a dismal approval rating of just 33 percent. Flash forward three years and he is up nearly ten points from that mark to 42 percent. For purposes of this election cycle Keller's approval rating has actually been on an up slope, coinciding with a moderate drop in crime stats from historic levels. Still, in the Journal's candidate horse race Keller polled at 29 percent, well below his approval rating. But with a month of heavy paid media coming on his behalf and negative campaigning against him not expected to match that output, Keller's low number for Election Night could be around that 42 percent mark. Could he get to 50 percent and avoid a run-off as Democratic analyst David Alcon argues? He could, if the negative campaign against him doesn't stick. Alcon points out that Keller's approval rating among Democrats in the new poll is 54 percent. He says: Dem City Councilor Louie Sanchez is the best performing native ABQ Hispanic candidate but he is only polling at 6 percent while Daniel Chavez has dropped out and Republican Eddie Varela is at two percent. Alex Uballez also polled at 6 percent. CHARTER POWER Matthew Pahl, Executive Director Public Charter Schools of New Mexico, writes: Hi Joe, longtime reader, first time emailer. I'm writing to share that New Mexico's public charter schools are demonstrating the power of school choice. A poll by Research and Polling last fall found that 73% of New Mexicans support expanding public charter schools in their communities. Families are seeing the benefits of school-level decision-making and mission-driven education, which foster stronger connections and better outcomes. Charter schools consistently outperform traditional district schools, especially among economically disadvantaged students, who read at proficient levels 5 percentage points higher. Over 10% of New Mexico students are now enrolled in charter schools, with enrollment growing annually. Despite misconceptions, charter schools in New Mexico are public schools and are held to rigorous accountability standards—including oversight by elected authorizers and the same performance and governance requirements as all public schools in the state. IMPORT POLITICOS  Joe, the dissatisfaction with mayoral, candidates suggests a larger problem in New Mexico. We’re running out of politicians. The legislature refuses to address the state’s largest problems such as crime and the shortage of medical care. No candidate running for governor promises any significant change. Our Congressional delegation spends more time fighting the federal government than participating in it. The only reason the voters don’t throw these people out of office is that there’s nobody else to vote for. It’s unlikely New Mexico will produce a new generation of leaders when our smartest young people are leaving the state. So here’s a modest proposal: Import a fresh crop of politicians. We need a bipartisan organization to identify promising people in other states – such as up-and-coming Democrats in Texas and Republicans in California -- and offer them incentives to move to New Mexico. If they can work remotely for out-of-state employers, so much the better. The political parties can introduce them to green chile and groom them to run for office in a few years. (This would require Republicans to organize an actual political party.) This probably sounds far-fetched, but if a New Mexico town can name itself after a television show, anything is possible. Jim, how about we recruit doctors with politician ambitions and kill two birds with one stone? This is the Home of New Mexico Politics.E-mail your news and comments. (newsguy@yahoo.com) Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here. Wednesday, October 01, 2025Hot Button Healthcare Item Has Senate Majority Leader Feeling Heat; Makes A Closely Watched Promise On Medical Compacts; Guv Puts Item On Special Session Agenda But Only For "Study", Plus: Complete Special Session Agenda
Wirth's woes began when he fought the move to place on today's special session agenda the adoption of interstate compacts for doctors and other health care workers. Those are agreements among states to accept medical licenses from other states that have adopted the compacts. An example would be a doctor licensed in Texas showing that license to the NM Medical Board and quickly getting licensed here. The problem is that Wirth is a noted Santa Fe trial attorney, a profession that has opposed the compacts despite their adoption in over 40 other states. The lawyers oppose a provision that prevents them from suing the interstate compact commissions, the boards that oversee each compact. Against that backdrop the Democratic leader stiffened his spine and came with this retort against his opponents: Healthcare policy should not be held hostage to short-term grant deadlines. Making permanent changes to professional licensing standards based on temporary funding availability and an ever-changing set of rules coming from the federal government sets a dangerous precedent. (Lawmakers) need the time between the special session and January to examine how the compacts would interact with New Mexico’s existing laws and ensure changes serve providers and patients long-term. Trouble is the compacts easily passed the House last session but were thwarted in the Senate by maneuvering over amendments. Then there's Wirth's fellow Democrat, MLG, saying she wanted the compacts considered at the special session but could not include the item in her agenda because it would be blocked by "legislative leaders." The Governor does list the compacts on her special session agenda but only for study not legislative action: Back to Senator Wirth. The dam could not hold and he soon changed his tune as a backlash developed. His new and improved statement brought forth the promise that is now under the microscope: I do support the medical compacts. I think that’s priority number one, and we’re going to get that done in January and work hard between now and then to make it happen. But it’s just not ready to go at this point in the special session. No wonder there was political backlash to Wirth's initial reticence. New Mexicans across the state are bemoaning the lack of doctors, swapping horror stories about months-long waits to see a provider or having to take themselves or their sick kids in need of specialists across state lines. And getting on Zoom is not an option if the Doc is not licensed here. To block a relatively simple measure like the compacts that could make a dent in the doctor shortage is untenable for the Democrats. That the Republicans have signed on to the compacts makes matters worse for them. COMPACT BINOCULARS Approving the compacts would not be the waving of a magic wand but it is a step to directly addressing the lack of doctors available to see the sick. Wirth's pledge to "get that done" means the majority leader can take his back off the Roundhouse walls for now, but it will be right back on them if his day job interferes with his pledge to take action (and not action that butchers the compacts.) Fred Nathan of Think Mexico already has his binoculars on and remains worried: Stay tuned. A DIFFERENT ANGLE  A more impactful solution, particularly for New Mexicans seeking out-of-state care, would be to automatically license physicians at major medical centers to practice in NM. This would enable patients who travel for care to legally receive telemedicine follow-up consultations. Examples of major medical centers include MD Anderson Cancer Center and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center for cancer care; The Steadman Clinic and Hospital for Special Surgery for orthopedic care; and the Mayo Clinics and Cleveland Clinic for a wide range of conditions. Surely someone knowledgable in public health issues could develop suitable criteria or a list of centers. Thanks David. Good luck with your healthcare journey. SPECIAL AGENDA Here is the Governor's complete special session agenda as released by her office:--Rural Health Care Delivery Fund expansion: Amending the Rural Health Care Delivery Fund to allow for grants to health care providers and facilities in high-needs geographic health professional shortage areas and stabilize the provision of existing health care services. --Health insurance exchange eligibility: Adjusting eligibility requirements for participating in the New Mexico health insurance exchange. --Vaccine standards: Requiring rules for the immunization of children attending school or child care to be based on the recommendations of the New Mexico Department of Health, allowing the Department of Health to set vaccination standards for adults, and requiring vaccines purchased pursuant to the statewide vaccine purchasing program to be recommended by the Department of Health. --Federal budget cuts response: Appropriating funds to respond to recent federal budget cuts. --Western New Mexico University Board of Regents: Confirming regents to the Western New Mexico University Board of Regents.  --Behavioral health legal proceedings: Appropriating funds to the Administrative Office of the Courts for a competency pilot program and behavioral health support for parties in legal proceedings. --Appropriation Contingency Fund: Transferring funds into the Appropriation Contingency Fund to ensure New Mexico has money set aside for emergency response. --Regulation and Licensing Department funding: Appropriating funds to supplement the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department's budget. --Interstate medical licensing compact: Studying and preparing for the implementation of any interstate medical licensing compact. --Legislative expenses: Appropriating funds for the expenses of the Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Special Session, 2025. The New Mexican has a play by play on each item. THE BOTTOM LINES Now there are six, but the names of seven mayoral candidates will still be on the November 4 ABQ election ballot. The candidacy of Daniel Chavez has imploded as the candidate deals with a battery charge and the ABQ Journal poll that had him receiving only 1 percent of the vote. He cited that poll--not his legal troubles--as the reason for ending his mayoral run. Coming as late as his withdrawal does, his name will remain on the ballot. This is the Home of New Mexico Politics. E-mail your news and comments. (newsguy@yahoo.com) Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here. Tuesday, September 30, 2025Special Session Scored As Trump Bashing Party But Major DC Health Care Cuts Loom Over Roundhouse, Plus: Medicaid For New Mexico's Future; Strategies Weighed That question has been repeated and answered by state Republicans who say MLG's decision to call a special is simply an opportunity to bash Trump. Senate Minority Leader Bill Sharer claims the session is about "fantasy worries" and says no New Mexican will lose Medicaid or food stamps for at least 18 months. To me, this session is really just to stand up there and talk about how evil Trump is because there’s nothing that needs to be fixed right now. No doubt the Democratic majority will have sharp words for the Trump presidency and Sharer's concern about an overtly political session resonate but shocking numbers repeatedly cited by Sen. Martin Heinrich give pause to that concern. What's coming down the tracks looks like a locomotive filled with dynamite ready to explode on impact--special session or not. Heinrich, whose estimates come from the NM Health Care Authority and other experts, has been ringing the bell for months on the potential crisis, saying the state is in line to lose $4 billion in federal Medicaid funding each year over the next five years--a $20 billion hit. The forthcoming cuts to Medicaid--if accurate and if they stand--are an existential threat to the state's finances even as we rake in billions from oil and gas. The stunning cuts reflect New Mexico's status as a welfare state with more residents (40 percent) dependent on the program than any other. The program costs about $10 billion annually. The Feds cover two-thirds ($6–7 billion). A $4 billion annual cut would wipe out half the federal share and leave the state staring at an estimated 90,000 people losing benefits, according to Heinrich. It would be a generational tragedy if the ample state reserves built up in various funds had to be drawn down to make up for humongous federal cuts, not to mention the possibility of tax increases. The Trump administration says the cuts target "waste, fraud, and abuse," including stricter work requirements for able-bodied adults and reduced funding for undocumented immigrants. The special session will, as Sen. Sharer asserts, spend plenty of time on non urgent issues. For example, appropriating money to make up for federal public broadcasting cuts could wait until the January session. But if the session makes progress in raising awareness about what may be one of our most pressing financial challenges than it could be worth the drive up La Bajada. THE FUTURE MEDICAID
Joe, the last time New Mexico truly reformed Medicaid was in 1997, when I was Cabinet Secretary and we converted a bloated fee-for-service program into a managed care system. Since then, there have been no meaningful changes — only cosmetic rebrands. Medicaid has multiplied ten fold in size and cost. Providers are leaving, patients can’t get appointments, and outcomes are flat. The strategy: --Run Medicaid as a pharmacy benefit manager (PBM). Other states have cut out pharmacy middlemen and saved hundreds of millions. West Virginia saved $54M in its first year, Ohio uncovered $224M/year in spread pricing, and New York projects $500M+ annually. New Mexico should do the same, with full rebate pass-through and caps on reimbursable executive pay. --Our managed care contracts must be rebid with accountability baked in. That means penalties, bonuses, secret shopper audits, and transparency. And no more underwriting golden parachutes: Presbyterian’s CEO was paid $4.5M in one year, while Molina’s CEO pocketed a $181M package built on Medicaid revenues. “If managed care means mismanaged money and million-dollar CEO payouts, we rebid the contracts and change the rules.” --Medicaid should only serve those lawfully entitled to benefits. That means real-time eligibility checks, consistent redeterminations, and integration with SNAP. Every ineligible enrollee drains resources from those truly in need. “Medicaid is for the eligible — not everyone who slips through the cracks.” --Massachusetts and Oregon have capped Medicaid growth at 3–4% annually. New Mexico must do the same. Families and businesses can’t outspend their paychecks — neither should Santa Fe. “A sustainable Medicaid program lives within its means.” --About 5% of enrollees consume 50% of all spending. These patients need smarter, integrated care — “health homes,” predictive analytics, and case management to cut ER overuse, duplicate testing, and readmissions. “Care for the sickest better — and spend smarter while we do it.” --The LFC has revealed Medicaid IT modernization costs ballooning to over $800M, with delays into FY27 and no evidence of better access. That’s nearly a billion dollars on back-office systems while patients still can’t get an appointment. Future RFPs must push IT costs onto vendors, integrate systems with SNAP, and include clawbacks if results don’t materialize. --We’ve spent $2.2B on provider rate hikes with more than $1B going to hospitals. Yet patients still face long waits and too few providers. Any future raises must be contingent on measurable improvements in access and outcomes. “Bigger checks must buy better care. No results, no raise.” Other states have already proven these reforms work. New Mexico has simply lacked the will. The last time we fixed Medicaid, it lasted a generation. Now, the costs are higher, the problems deeper, and the stakes even greater. The question is whether we will treat Medicaid reform with the urgency it deserves. If we don’t, nothing else — not classrooms, not roads, not water, not wages — will have the oxygen to succeed. This is the Home of New Mexico Politics. E-mail your news and comments. (newsguy@yahoo.com) Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here. |
 
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