New Mexico
Republicans spend big on Spanish-language ads in New Mexico, with hopes ‘Trump could change’ 20-year blue streak
Republicans believe they can win New Mexico for the first time in 20 years — and conservative advocacy groups are spending big on Spanish-language commercials for the last two weeks of the election.
“New Mexico is the dark horse this presidential cycle,” Jay McClesky, a longtime political strategist for Republicans in the state, told The Post. “New Mexico hasn’t voted for a Republican presidential candidate in 20 years but Trump could change that.”
Sources say groups including the conservative advocacy group Election Freedom, as well as RFK Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again PAC, have ramped up their advertising efforts for a final push.
Election Freedom’s $5 million ad blitz is primarily going to pay for Spanish language ads that highlight how Kamala Harris and New Mexico’s Democratic senator Martin Heinrich have created inflation and allowed a surge in illegal immigration as crime rises — two issues voters in New Mexico overwhelmingly say they are focused on.
“President Trump is making huge inroads with Hispanic voters and is actually leading among Hispanic men in multiple internal polls,” McClesky said.
According to polling from KAConsulting, Harris is up just three points in New Mexico — a state Biden won by 10 points in 2020 — with an additional three percent of the population saying they remain undecided.
Internal polls conducted by the Trump camp, meanwhile, show a race that is nearly neck-and-neck, thanks in part to RFK Jr.’s support, sources said.
RFK Jr. — who was polling at 8% in New Mexico before throwing his support behind Trump in August — has moved some of his supporters to the right, which has helped put the state in play, sources add.
Kennedy, who now promotes the slogan “a vote for Trump is a vote for Kennedy” on his campaign materials, has also ramped up his ad spend in the state over the last few weeks.
Trump’s support among Latino voters has jumped to 40% this year — more than double the 19% of latino voters he won in 2016. While 47% of voters in New Mexico are Hispanic, which means the so-called Land of Enchantment is seeing a dramatic shift in polling, voters all across Southwestern border states are undergoing a transformation.
Catalina Miranda, a 26-year-old Tucson, Arizona, auto industry worker with family in the border town of Nogales, said she is voting for Trump because “a lot of Republican values align with Mexican values.”
And Erika Moreno, an El Paso, Texas, mother who is also the small owner of an online furniture store, said she will vote for Trump come November. An immigrant from Mexico who arrived in the US 24 years ago, she is fed up with the Biden-Harris administration for the countless illegal migrants who have filled her city’s downtown streets and turned it into a dangerous place for native customers.
“Folks are angry at her [Harris] here because people don’t want to come shop at the stores for fear of being assaulted, for people sleeping on the streets. Our taxes are paying for migrants to live in hotels,” Moreno said. “If Harris could not be a good border czar, how can she guide the whole country?”
In 2024, New Mexico had the highest violent crime rate of any state in the US, with 781 incidents per 100,000 people — more than double the national average.
“Biden won handily in 2020 because he ran as a centrist, but as Harris gets exposed as a far left candidate, that will move voters,” McClesky added.
“New Mexico has shifted blue but it’s not liberal or progressive … especially with respect to the border and crime,” he added. “Albuquerque [the most populous city in the state] voters in particular are focused on crime.”
Additional reporting by Joseph Treviño
ESPAÑOLA, N.M. (KRQE) – Residents in the area of the Riverside Fire in Española got a better look at the aftermath as the sun came out Saturday morning. Española resident Estevan Lucero is grieving the mobile home he grew up in. It’s one of four structures lost due to the riverside fire. His childhood home was burned, and just missed his family’s primary house on their property. “It’s awful to see all this black all around, it’s scary, it’s scary to see that it got this close,” said Lucero.
The large fire erupted Friday night in Espanola behind the Santa Claran hotel and Casino up to Fairview Lane. Some Espanola residents said that the experience was terrifying. “It’s one of the bigger fires I’ve seen in this area, so it was intense,” said Ronald Gallegos.
Meanwhile, crews have been battling to keep flames contained, but there is no reason for how it started. The fire is currently under investigation. It did spread very quickly. Initially, firefighters did think it was approximately 100 acres based on the nighttime and not getting that great visual effect,” said Española Mayor Dennis Tim Salazar.
Evacuations have been lifted for all residents, but the work will continue. “There’s several hot spots, and as mentioned, we’re really concerned about the winds, so we just want to make sure to focus on getting the job done,” said Mayor Salazar.
Several firefighters have come to pitch in. A total of 19 fire engines are assisting from federal, city, and county levels.
Welcome to the weekend!
If you are heading out the door this morning, chilly temperatures have settled into sections of west and northwest New Mexico. Temperatures are ranging from the 30’s, in the northwest, to the 60’s in the southeast. Today’s high temperature forecast will have near seasonable temperatures throughout the state, with Albuquerque expected to reach the 70s once again. The rest of the Land of Enchantment can anticipate a spread of high temperatures from the 60s to the upper 80s. Similar to most of this week, Saturday will also bring gusty winds. Gusty westerly winds will range from 25-45 mph before stronger winds return on Sunday.
Our upper-level winds will strengthen as the jet stream glides over the state. Those stronger winds above will bring high winds to sections of New Mexico. Wind gusts along the central mountain chain could reach 50-60 mph or more on Sunday afternoon. The National Weather Service (NWS) will issue High Wind Watches and Wind Advisories for gusts that could reach 50 and 60 mph. Those warnings will be for several communities along the central mountain chain, Estancia Valley, sections of Guadalupe/Lincoln counties, and southwest New Mexico.
In true New Mexico fashion fire danger will also accompany the strong winds this weekend. The NWS will issue Red Flag Warnings and Fire Weather Watches both days for fires that can easily start and spread underneath these weather conditions. Most of these will be for eastern and southern New Mexico. Fire Weather Watches also extend through central and western New Mexico for tomorrow. Precipitation chances are also expected to return this weekend.
Wet and dry storms are possible on Sunday in sections of west, central and northwest New Mexico. Aside from sprinkles to light rain, lighting would be the concern to spark new wildfires. Mountain snow is also forecasted with this push of moisture Saturday night through Sunday. A dusting to a few inches is possible in the peaks of the northern mountains, while the peaks in the San Juans, in southwest Colorado, could pick up 6-12 inches. After Sunday breezy winds are still forecasted on Monday throughout New Mexico before a wetter pattern emerges later next week. Have a great Saturday!
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