District 5: Doreen Johnson

Doreen Wonda Johnson didn’t take long to make a positive impression on the New Mexico Legislature.

A native of Crownpoint, Johnson has become an environmental champion in her first two years in this San Juan-McKinley county seat that includes Gallup and Chaco Culture National Historical Park. The Democrat has achieved a 100% score on the Conservation Voters New Mexico environmental scorecard.

She has worked tirelessly on issues of air and water protection and sought to expand benefits to workers who have been poisoned by uranium-mining operations in the state. She’ll be an outstanding ally for the conservation community.

Mona Blaber

District 25: Christine Trujillo

Christine Trujillo is running for re-election to State House District 25 in Albuquerque’s near Northeast Heights.

Rep. Trujillo, who is running in the Democratic primary, has a lifetime 91% Conservation Voters New Mexico rating. She says “clean water, a healthy, thriving natural environment and caring for wildlife are very important to me.”

In 2015, she co-sponsored the Wildlife Protection and Public Safety Act, which would restrict the use of animal traps, and a bill to appropriate money to NMSU to develop technologies to abate uranium in drinking water, among other environmental bills.

Rep. Trujillo is a long-time teacher who has served six terms as president of American Federation of Teachers New Mexico, and has served 12 years as the president of New Mexico Federation of Labor-AFL-CIO, among other positions.

Richard Barish,
Central Group Political chair

District 38: Mary Hotvedt

Mary Hotvedt is our pick in a Democratic primary with two strong candidates.

Hotvedt is a longtime resident and community activist in District 38 (encompassing Silver City and Truth or Consequences) and sponsor of the Gila River festival. She understands the relationship between our environment and communities’ economy and health and supports legislative action to protect our wildlife, water, air and public lands.

District 48: Paul Campos

Paul Campos has been successfully protecting the environment since he served as Santa Fe County commissioner from 2001 to 2008.

Campos will bring that commitment to this Santa Fe seat vacated by the retirement of another environmental champion, Lucky Varela.

As a commissioner, Campos took a leadership role in bringing Rio Grande water into the city and county water systems and in the adoption of a moratorium and ordinance regulating oil and gas fracking.

Campos worked to make new construction projects energy-efficient (including the First Judicial District Court House). He advocated for land-use planning and zoning rules that discouraged sprawl, encouraged clustering and required adequate water supplies and infrastructure to protect our environment. He also championed the county’s open-space and trail plan.

Campos is committed to making New Mexico “water-secure” by advocating for water-reuse investment and by mandating that agriculture use its water more efficiently. He believes New Mexico will be unable to establish a strong economy and good-paying jobs until it effectively addresses water security, establishment of an outstanding education system, and makes a large public investment in broadband.

Paul will advocate for incentives encouraging solar and wind energy production in NM. This energy sector can provide more and better paying jobs than those provided presently by the shrinking coal industry. He will strongly call for a full review of the State budget and tax code to determine whether our true priorities are being served.

Susan Martin,
Chapter Political Team chair

Paid for by the the Rio Grande Chapter of the Sierra Club PAC.

Featured image from NewsCastic