🚨ENDORSEMENT ALERT!!!

Today, Equality New Mexico is proud to re-affirm our endorsement of City Councilor Isaac “Ike” Benton and Ane Romero 4 ABQ!!! Both Benton and Romero face a runoff election, with early voting starting tomorrow! Be sure to vote – this is when our voices *really* matter!

Councilor Benton, previously endorsed by EQNM, has been a stalwart ally to the LGBTQ+ community. He has the experience to know how to get things done and he has lived and worked in the district for decades. Queer and transgender Burqueños can trust that his only ambition is to improve the lives of people in Albuquerque. 

Romero, also re-endorsed by EQNM, is an experienced, thoughtful, and committed young leader that trans and queer people in the NE Heights need. Her expertise in behavioral/mental health policy is sorely needed on the council. Trans and queer Burqueños can trust that Ane will be a strong champion and ally!

Equality New Mexico Announces Endorsements of Maggie Toulouse Oliver for Secretary of State and Stephanie Garcia Richard for Commissioner of Public Lands

ALBUQUERQUE, NM: Proudly, Equality New Mexico has endorsed Maggie Toulouse Oliver for Secretary of State and Stephanie Garcia Richard for Commissioner of Public Lands.

Toulouse Oliver has been instrumental in securing rights for the LGBTQ+ community. Knowing the road to marriage equality in New Mexico led through the courts, she invited the lawsuit filed by Kim Kiel and Rose Griego, et. al. that culminated in the Supreme Court’s 2013 “Griego v. Oliver”, ruling that marriage equality should be the law of the land in our state. 

“Maggie has proven herself to be one of the biggest allies of LGBTQ+ New Mexicans, time after time.” says Adrian N. Carver, Executive Director of Equality New Mexico (EQNM). “Because of Maggie, regardless of what happens at the federal level, LGBTQ+ New Mexicans will have the right to marry the person they love. She’s consistently leveraged her offices to secure tangible wins for our community and as EQNM continues to fight for voting rights for all New Mexicans, we need Maggie Toulouse Oliver to continue to be our Secretary of State.”

In a questionnaire turned into EQNM, Toulouse Oliver states, “I am running for Secretary of State because I believe that the more people participate in democracy, the more representative their government—and the policies it creates—are of all communities. As Secretary of State, I have worked to make it easier for everyone to register to vote, for people with disabilities to cast a ballot and for working people to be able to vote at times and places that make sense for their schedule. When everyone votes, everyone’s voices are heard. That’s how we affect real change. “

Representative Stephanie Garcia Richard, running to be the next Commissioner of Public Lands, an office traditionally held by men, also received the endorsement of EQNM.

Of Representative Garcia Richard’s nomination, Carver says, “In a state with incredible disparities in education, health, and economic opportunity the State Land Office has gone underutilized in efforts to achieve justice in those areas. EQNM’s endorsement of Stephanie is a signal that we need a new type of leader as Land Commissioner. LGBTQ+ New Mexicans need someone who can leverage the mandate of the Office to focus on the wellbeing of all our community members.”

Representative Garcia Richard’s questionnaire states, “For over 100 years, and even before that, our land has been rich in shared natural resources and we have not realized the full benefit of those resources.  We have sold off our interests to short term profit gain, making due with the piddling we get from those sales, protecting powerful interests, lobbyists and industries at the expense of our people and their welfare.  Now, we face an increasingly grim climate reality, health concerns, water scarcity, and a population that faces obstacles to healthcare access, quality education, economic opportunity; a population that faces generational poverty, addiction and cyclical violence and sees no one willing to stick up for them.  I’m running to change all that.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Equality New Mexico Announces Endorsements of Deb Haaland, Xochitl Torres Small; Incumbents Heinrich, Lujan

ALBUQUERQUE, NM: In a first round of political endorsements for the 2018 election, Equality New Mexico, the largest LGBTQ political advocacy organization in the state, announced its support of Congressional candidates Deb Haaland (NM-1) and Xochitl Torres Small (NM-2), ), along with incumbent U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich and Congressman and DCCC Chair Ben Ray Lujan. (NM-3).

Haaland is running for the open Albuquerque area Congressional seat being vacated by Gubernatorial candidate Michelle Lujan Grisham, and if elected, would be the first Native American woman to serve in Congress. 

Of Haaland's endorsement, Executive Director Adrian N. Carver said, "Deb Haaland has exhibited the ability to run a winning campaign in the primary and into the general election. In a crowded field, she maintained a clear advantage in our community survey because she has long advocated for the self-determination of LGBTQ+ New Mexicans. Aside from directly aligning on our issues, Deb has demonstrated an ability to raise the money necessary to win and out-organized her opponents to win the Democratic Party's State Convention. Not only can she win this race, but Native American women deserve representation and a seat at the table in Washington. We look forward to Deb breaking that ceiling and leaving the ladder down for future generations of Native women."  

Torres Small is running for the sprawling open Congressional District 3 seat in the Southern part of New Mexico. 

Carver said, "The vacancy created by Steve Pearce's run for Governor creates a unique opportunity in Congressional District 2. We must assure all New Mexicans are represented in Congress by people who support their families and want to see them thrive. I'm confident that 2018 is a year that Xochitl will replace Steve Pearce’s hateful rhetoric and deliver the representation LGBTQ New Mexicans in District 2 deserve.”

"While we have two open congressional seats, ready for new voices, we count Sen Heinrich and Ben Ray Lujan as steadfast allies and among the strongest advocates for LGBTQ+ New Mexicans.”, says Carver, “Equality New Mexico has endorsed them both before and we’re proud to endorse both incumbents again.”

The endorsed candidates in contested primaries released the following statements: 

Xochitl Torres Small: "Equality New Mexico has been an amazing advocate for the LGBTQ community in New Mexico," said Torres Small. "Having partnered with EQNM while working at the UNM School of Law Clinic, I saw firsthand their commitment to ensuring that all New Mexican's civil liberties and rights were protected.  I am honored to have their endorsement, and look forward to continuing to work with them through the campaign and beyond."

Deb Haaland: "This endorsement is very personal for me, I've worked with EQNM for a very long time, and I’ll continue to work extremely hard to win this primary so I can champion equal rights for all and protection from all discrimination. In this Trump era, when too many people face increasingly hateful violence, we can't turn our backs for even a moment -- because if we do, Trump will continue to strip away the rights of our LGBTQ family. In Congress, I’ll stand up to Trump and his exclusion of transgender members in our military and I'll fight to make sure Title 9 protects everyone. It’s time that Congress works to truly address the oppression of our marginalized communities.”

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