May 31—House Democratic races

Among Bernalillo, Sandoval, Valencia and Santa Fe counties, only three primary races in the House are contested among Democrats. Districts 13, 27 and 69 have incumbents running against new candidates, and Districts 16 and 18 are all new faces.

Following are candidates’ responses to a Journal questionnaire; responses have been edited for brevity and clarity.

District 13

Southern Albuquerque’s District 13 is all but guaranteed to stay blue, as two Democrats and no Republicans run in the primary. Incumbent Rep. Patricia Roybal Caballero is up against Teresa Garcia this year.

Patricia Roybal Caballero

Did not respond to Journal questionnaire.

Teresa Garcia

1. How long have you lived in your district?

I have proudly lived in District 13 for 14 years .

2. Why are you running?

As a deeply engaged member of our community, I’ve chosen to run for office to effect positive change and advocate for my community’s needs. I share the sentiment of many in our district who feel forgotten and underrepresented. I am here to advocate for my community in bringing “A New Voice, Your Voice, A New Vision, Your Vision,” for a brighter future in District 13.

3. What issues are top of mind for you?

Top issues include rampant crime with inadequate accountability, deficient infrastructure lacking proper roads, sidewalks and lit communities, alongside frequent racing and gunshots. Residents desire local amenities like Costco and Home Depot to create jobs. I’m committed to addressing these concerns for public safety, infrastructure, economy and especially education.

4. What experience do you have?

I transitioned from a 10-year pharmaceutical career to champion community welfare, particularly focusing on domestic violence issues. With extensive involvement in local and statewide organizations supporting survivors, I currently chair the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Commission for the city of Albuquerque. My reputation is built on integrity and commitment to intentional change.

5. What do you want to see change in New Mexico’s Legislature?

I would like to see District 13 properly represented and legislation that would directly impact my community be heard and passed. Forty percent of domestic violence cases come out of District 13, where SB 12, the Renaming of the Family Violence Protection Act, will help survivors. It’s important to have a representative who pays attention to their district and its needs and collaborate with other legislators to make sure important legislation is passed.

6. What do you want to see stay the same in New Mexico’s Legislature?

I value the accessibility of our citizen legislators and the openness of the Capitol. It’s crucial that people can freely engage with lawmakers at any time to discuss issues that concern them. Maintaining this accessibility fosters transparency and strengthens democracy in New Mexico’s Legislature.

7. Do you plan to take a leadership position?

I am eager to learn. At this time, I do not plan to take a leadership position unless I feel qualified to do so.

8. Anything else you’d like to add?

I am a proud daughter of an immigrant and a Vietnam Air Force veteran. I am the first in my family to graduate with a bachelor’s of science, first to chair a commission and the first to run for office. No matter what we’ve been through, our dreams and goals are achievable. I am eager to represent and advocate on behalf of my community with integrity, transparency and kindness to make it a better one for the next generations that follow.

District 16

Two Democrats — Marsella Duarte and incumbent Yanira Gurrola Valenzuela —are competing for House District 16, which is in Albuquerque’s West Side. The winner will face Republican Leland Benwood Bohannon in the General Election.

Marsella Duarte

1. How long have you lived in your district?

Forty years, I was born and raised in House District 16.

2. Why are you running?

I am running to champion the needs of our community, ensure fair representation and drive positive change. With a focus on public safety, education, infrastructure and economic development, I will bring fresh perspectives and effective solutions to the issues that matter most to our quality of life on the West Side. I care.

3. What issues are top of mind for you?

My top issues include unacceptable crime rates, homelessness driven by lack of affordable housing and mental health support; underfunded education systems struggling with teacher retention and technology integration; health care accessibility and costs; and senior care facing quality, affordability and caregiver shortages.

4. What experience do you have?

I served as chair of the Northwest Community Police Council and vice chair of the Democratic Party of Bernalillo County. I have also worked at the Legislature as a committee assistant in House Appropriations and Finance Committee and House Labor Veterans and Military Affairs Committee.

5. What do you want to see change in New Mexico’s Legislature?

New Mexico’s House of Representatives needs reforms in increased public engagement and stricter ethical standards. Additionally, bolstering legislative efficiency through technology and bipartisan collaboration will improve governance and accountability.

6. What do you want to see stay the same in New Mexico’s Legislature?

I like the accessibility of legislators. I will answer and return calls.

7. Do you plan to take a leadership position?

I will be a leader for House District 16.

8. Anything else you’d like to add?

I grew up in House District 16 and I deeply care about the people, the businesses and the quality of life for my family, friends and neighbors. Having taught kindergarten at the same elementary school I once attended, I have a firsthand understanding of our community’s values and needs. Together we can continue to build a brighter future for all.

Yanira Gurrola Valenzuela

1. How long have you lived in your district?

Almost 16 years.

2. Why are you running?

As a state representative, a long-time teacher, and a West Sider, I am deeply familiar with the issues facing our families. I want to continue my work to fight for safe and crime-free communities, great education for our kids, housing people can afford and good job opportunities for New Mexicans.

3. What issues are top of mind for you?

Voters tell me their priorities are reducing crime, gun violence and homelessness. Mine, too, but of course, my passion is education, specifically addressing the challenges of teacher retention. I support proven strategies to prevent crime like neighborhood policing, and I will continue to champion gun safety legislation and affordable housing.

4. What experience do you have?

I have an engineering background and more than 20 years of educational experience. I taught math at an APS Title I school. I’ve lived in my district for more than 15 years, and have served as a state representative since January 2023. My dedication to our community has been continuous.

5. What do you want to see change in New Mexico’s Legislature?

New Mexico is the only state that does not pay its legislators, and that limits who can serve. Paid lawmakers are a key part of improving state governance. Our community deserves the strongest representation possible, and that’s why I’m an advocate for modernizing the Legislature.

6. What do you want to see stay the same in New Mexico’s Legislature?

New Mexico has its challenges, but it’s also a wonderful, welcoming place to live and raise a family. It’s for these reasons I want to see us do better. We must continue to maintain our commitment to supporting working families, setting our children up for success, and making Albuquerque safer.

7. Do you plan to take a leadership position?

As a state representative, I hold a leadership role and I support our colleagues and the Democratic House leadership team. I am open to assuming a leadership position if it aligns with my capacity to serve and to advance our legislative and community priorities.

8. Anything else you’d like to add?

It is an honor to serve, and I look forward to continuing with dedication and integrity. I am a committed Democrat and because of my record, I am the only candidate endorsed by trusted community groups like Planned Parenthood Votes NM and labor organizations, like the Firefighters.

District 18

Four Democrats are vying to represent a southern part of Albuquerque, north of the Sunport. The winner is likely guaranteed a spot in the Legislature, as the candidate will run unopposed in the General Election. The race replaces long-time Rep. Gail Chasey, who served for nearly three decades.

Marianna Anaya

1. How long have you lived in your district?

Three years; blocks outside district boundaries for years prior.

2. Why are you running?

I’m running because the people of HD18 deserve someone who will fight for them, as Rep. Gail Chasey did for 27 years. I was born and raised in Albuquerque and throughout my career, successfully passed legislation for abortion access, quality health care, increased corporate accountability and greater public safety.

3. What issues are top of mind for you?

Poverty is the root of many issues we face as a community — from homelessness and substance abuse, to health access and education. Too many families are living paycheck to paycheck and could easily fall into poverty, exacerbating the safety issues our community already faces.

4. What experience do you have?

I’ve spent my career fighting for public education, people’s rights and safety. I’ve led legislative efforts to repeal New Mexico’s 1969 abortion ban, protect patients and providers from criminalization, pass the Voting Rights Act, hold corporations accountable for harm to New Mexico families and for Paid Family and Medical Leave.

5. What do you want to see change in New Mexico’s Legislature?

We must professionalize our Legislature to ensure more women, people of color and queer communities can serve in office, and further, to ensure legislators have staff to help analyze bills so that decisions are made based on data not hearsay or reliance on lobbyists.

6. What do you want to see stay the same in New Mexico’s Legislature?

I hope the tradition of direct access to elected officials remains. New Mexico families deserve legislators they can call, who are just as easy to talk to as their neighbors, so that pressing issues in our community are central to the bills we pass in the Roundhouse.

7. Do you plan to take a leadership position?

My focus is on serving the constituents of House District 18. My goal is to represent this district with integrity, honesty and hard work.

8. Anything else you’d like to add?

I’ve built trust and experience to not only introduce, but also pass, meaningful legislation. I’ve earned the support of Rep. Gail Chasey, Planned Parenthood Votes NM, 25 Democratic legislators, unions, social justice organizations and HD18 businesses owners.

Juan Larrañaga

1. How long have you lived in your district?

Almost 30 years

2. Why are you running?

I will prioritize public safety, education and early literacy and work tirelessly to make our community thrive. Together we can expand services for early literacy, support educators, improve the education gap, support renewable energy, support our heritage language and support working families.

3. What issues are top of mind for you?

Together we can expand services for early literacy, support educators, improve the education awarding gap, support renewable energy, reclaim our heritage languages and support working families. I will work for children’s health and create collaboration to improve neighborhood safety.

4. What experience do you have?

I have served on neighborhood boards and have taken leadership positions on many boards. I serve on many early literacy boards. I advocated for personalized license plates, and I changed UNM Tobacco-Free Policy. I served on UNM Staff Council.

5. What do you want to see change in New Mexico’s Legislature?

I want to pass a statewide recess bill for our students. I want to protect children from second hand smoke. I want to create heritage language programs.

6. What do you want to see stay the same in New Mexico’s Legislature?

I want us to help each other as neighbors. To serve as mentors and assistants. I want to promote the green amendment and support working families.

7. Do you plan to take a leadership position?

I would like to serve on tobacco tax committee and language committee.

8. Anything else you’d like to add?

I am from Old Town and I have worked in education for 30 years. I have a civil rights background and I support anti-racism.

Anjali Taneja

1. How long have you lived in your district?

12 years

2. Why are you running?

Roughly 25% of the state budget encompasses health but there are no doctors serving in the New Mexico House. I will bring decades of on-the-ground experience among and in partnership with community to the Legislature to work on intersectional and imaginative solutions around health, environment, housing and more.

3. What issues are top of mind for you?

At first glance, my career revolves around matters of health. But my desire to serve my neighbors in state is underpinned by the reality that health isn’t limited to a narrow definition. Healthier communities are ones in which economic opportunity, access to housing and education, public safety and a safeguarded environment all intersect.

4. What experience do you have?

I am the executive director and a physician at Casa de Salud, a nonprofit clinic that provides primary care, addiction treatment and queer/transgender care to the uninsured and patients on Medicaid. I’ve helped transform local and state policy, including with legislation that makes New Mexico a leader in health care innovation.

5. What do you want to see change in New Mexico’s Legislature?

Public service should operate as a continuous partnership between an elected official and their constituents. Legislators must center and champion the lived experience and wisdom of the people closest to the pain rather than participate in political gamesmanship or defer to connected insiders.

6. What do you want to see stay the same in New Mexico’s Legislature?

The legislative process is largely accessible. During the 2023 session, I helped conceptualize a bill in collaboration with Sen. Jerry Ortiz y Pino to ensure evidence-based treatments for opioid addictions in jails and prisons across New Mexico. Stakeholder input is valued by the best of the Legislature.

7. Do you plan to take a leadership position?

Working to represent the priorities and interests of my neighbors in House District 18 will be my touchstone and focus in the Legislature. I will actualize my duty to them to the best of my abilities. Service isn’t about my ambition but about creating a future for New Mexico that belongs to us all.

8. Anything else you’d like to add?

I am passionate about leading with love, to find solutions that support all of us in New Mexico. I am inspired by the scrappy, innovative spirit here and have worked tirelessly as a community physician to support city, county and statewide change. I have shown incredible dedication to listening — and to finding and implementing imaginative and visionary solutions at every level, and look forward to doing this as a legislator.

Gloria Sue Doherty

1. How long have you lived in your district?

I’ve lived in District 18 for just under 20 years.

2. Why are you running?

As an advanced nurse, I dedicated my life to helping others. Seeking public office is an extension of my unwavering belief that we can do better. I’m not a political insider. I’m a mother, a nurse an advocate and small-business owner who believes in a better future for all New Mexicans.

3. What issues are top of mind for you?

As a state representative, I’ll work to expand access to quality health care and expanded services for our most vulnerable populations, including seniors, unhoused and veterans. I’ll introduce legislation to incentivize the recruitment and retention of public safety workers, including behavioral health specialists, crises managers, first responders and police workers.

4. What experience do you have?

I have been a nurse for more than 25 years and I own a small business. I am also a workplace safety specialist. As a health care expert, I have given testimony many times to legislative committees to promote health care policies in New Mexico. I served on Sen. Ben Ray Lujan’s and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerras’ roundtable on workforce shortage.

5. What do you want to see change in New Mexico’s Legislature?

After reading UNM’s research study about the New Mexico’s legislative processes, I believe it’s imperative that we modernize and professionalize our legislative branch. I strongly support either two 45- or 60-day legislative sessions. Legislators should be provided with professional staff year-round and district offices, to better serve constituents.

6. What do you want to see stay the same in New Mexico’s Legislature?

I would like to continue to see the inclusive professionalism Rep. Gail Chasey helped foster in the Legislature. Finally, I hope the members continue to work to address complex and critical issues.

7. Do you plan to take a leadership position?

As wonderful as the idea sounds, I will dedicate my first term to fostering relationships, building partnerships and do the work necessary to meet the needs of the district.

8. Anything else you’d like to add?

I look forward to visiting with the voters of House District 18 through the next two months. I’m not a self-funded or politically connected candidate. My candidacy is grassroots, driven by neighborhood volunteers and small-dollar donors who believe in the power of our democracy.

District 27

Two Democrats want to represent the Northeast Height’s District 27: incumbent Marian Matthews and Greg Seely. The winner will face Republican Gregory Gallegos in November.

Marian Matthews

1. How long have you lived in your district?

36 years

2. Why are you running?

To advocate for children, the disabled, caretakers, seniors, small business and others not in the power structure. To use my experience as a prosecutor to improve public safety and deter crime. To improve quality of life for New Mexicans. To complete the North Domingo Baca Aquatic Center

3. What issues are top of mind for you?

Public safety: human trafficking and violent juvenile crime; workable, sustainable Paid Family Medical Leave; solve funding delays to caregivers; housing protections for seniors; affordable housing; rebuilding New Mexico health care provider resources; economic, workforce and job development.

4. What experience do you have?

State representative four-plus years; former deputy attorney general; former prosecutor; experienced in civil rights litigation; business instructor at CNM; longtime advocate for disabled, seniors and children

5. What do you want to see change in New Mexico’s Legislature?

We need permanent year-round staff; office in the community we serve; pay; longer sessions; revamped interim committee process; use of subcommittees to focus on more complex issues

6. What do you want to see stay the same in New Mexico’s Legislature?

We’ve made progress in ethics legislation and in staffing of support offices like LFC, LCS, Speaker’s Office, etc.

7. Do you plan to take a leadership position?

No, I like to work on complex legislation, not organize and run meetings (though that is important).

8. Anything else you’d like to add?

It is a privilege to represent my district and my constituents.

Greg Seeley

1. How long have you lived in your district?

Three years in new HD 27 since redistricting. Most of my life in the NE Heights in or near the district.

2. Why are you running?

I’m running for House District 27 to modernize our state Legislature and to develop open, transparent and responsive government, while growing our organizational capacity to address 21st century challenges. I am committed to building safe, healthy and prosperous communities, protecting our democracy, and creating a more just future for all.

3. What issues are top of mind for you?

Ending childhood poverty, increasing housing access and protecting workers. Investing in community safety, courts and law enforcement. Enhancing cybersecurity, data and AI readiness. Fighting climate change, developing infrastructure and clean energy. Growing our health care workforce and access to care. Protecting democracy, the environment and reproductive rights. Passing true gun reform that keeps our families safe.

4. What experience do you have?

More than 15 years of public service in federal, state and local government from enlisting in the world’s greatest Air Force to Congress, to Albuquerque City Hall securing millions in funding for my beloved hometown. I’ve written legislation, founded a business, served in war and raised a family here in New Mexico.

5. What do you want to see change in New Mexico’s Legislature?

I support modernizing our state Legislature, including year-round paid staff and standing up regional offices to support constituent services. I also support expanding legislative sessions, asking voters to consider full-time salaried legislators and making bold investments in the staff and resources needed to address increasingly complex 21st century challenges.

6. What do you want to see stay the same in New Mexico’s Legislature?

A strong Democrat majority working to build a brighter future for all New Mexicans.

7. Do you plan to take a leadership position?

As a first-term representative, I won’t seek a House majority leadership role but will work with leadership to pass funding and legislation to build a stronger HD27 and New Mexico. I will fight every day for hard-working people in my community, always remembering my core values and who I work for.

8. Anything else you’d like to add?

On Capitol Hill, I witnessed bipartisanship and immense funding devoted to military missions to ensure they cannot fail. We can choose to make ending poverty, crime, addiction, homelessness and climate change no-fail missions, with funding to reflect that commitment. It’s up to us to build safe, healthy, prosperous communities together.

District 69

Incumbent Rep. Harry Garcia runs against two other candidates for District 69, which spans rural areas on the edge of and beyond Bernalillo County, including Cibola, McKinley, San Juan, Socorro and Valencia counties as well. No Republican running means the winner will have an uncontested General Election race.

Michelle Abeyta

Did not respond to Journal questionnaire.

Harry Garcia

Did not respond to Journal questionnaire.

Stanley Michael

Did not respond to Journal questionnaire.