New Mexico

A recap of Beto O’Rourke’s visit to New Mexico State University

Published

11 months ago

October 30, 2023

A recap of Beto O’Rourke’s visit to New Mexico State University

Beto O’Rourke’s first public visit to New Mexico State University on Friday, Oct. 20 featured cheers, applause and encouragement to run for office again.

O’Rourke took center stage at the ASNMSU Center for the Arts last week ahead of the upcoming election.

A small crowd of about 100 attended the event as part of the Nelson Boswell Reading Series put on by the university’s creative writing program. The series welcomes authors of all works to share their books and backstories with the university and Las Cruces community. The hope is that the series inspires other local artists to explore their talents, according to the series’ webpage.

O’Rourke, a former congressman and outspoken critic of his home state’s treatment of voters, talked about his second book ‘’We’ve Got to Try: How the Fight for Voting Rights Makes Everything Else Possible.” He took questions from crowd members afterwards and signed copies of his book.

Here’s a glimpse of what inspired him to write it and a look at some questions community members asked him.

Why O’Rourke wrote about voting rights

The book dives into a history of Texas’ voting laws in the 1900s which discriminate against minorities and people of color.

Through the lens of Dr. Lawrence Nixon, a black doctor who was prohibited from voting in the democratic primary in 1924, and modern day voters he met on the campaign trail, O’Rourke writes about the experience these individuals have endured and what it took for them to overcome voting challenges.

In his talk, O’Rourke expands on that idea by saying the state still prohibits voters from having more access to the ballot box at a time when Texas faces restricted reproductive health care, is the highest for uninsured citizens, has one of the lowest minimum wages in the country and has high prison populations.

“We have an organization in El Paso and throughout the state of Texas called Power by People that registers eligible voters at a large scale in Texas. In 2020, we registered a little over 200,000 voters and we hope to register significantly more this year,” O’Rourke said. “Part of the solution to some of the voting challenges that we described in Texas has to do with just making sure that more people are on the rolls, even if they’re voting at a disadvantage.”

He told the crowd that these issues were the driving force for his research and writing of the book along with his interest in politics.

“Confronting these issues by running for office is one approach that I’ve taken,” O’Rourke said. “I ran some races in Texas against Ted Cruz in 2018, against Greg Abbott in 2022, and as you all know, we came up short. That was my way of trying to do what I could. We knew that the odds were not with us, but we knew that we could not remain silent in the face of this outrage.”

O’Rourke said that his mission was to better understand the historical context of what keeps voters from turning up at general and midterm elections.

He ended his speech with advice to those who want to better understand and stay engaged with political issues.

“One conclusion I reached in researching and writing this book is that no victory whether it’s the Voting Rights Act of 1965, or Roe vs Wade in 1973 is ever going to be final in this country,” he said. “The fight goes on for as long as we can draw a breath into our lungs. As soon as we internalize that, and act on that, we find that there’s actually joy in that work.”

What audience members asked O’Rourke

The question that many have asked since O’Rourke lost the 2022 race: Will he run for office anytime soon?

“I can see that you’re really passionate about Texas, but have you considered moving to New Mexico, you could get elected to senate or governor of New Mexico, no problem,” one man asked.

O’Rourke joked that Doña Ana dog catcher was the only position he had considered. He did, however, say there were no plans to relocate to New Mexico, for now.

Another question addressed was from Associated Students of New Mexico State University Senator Rahaf Ben Ali. She asked O’Rourke what he thought about the on-going conflict between Israel and Palestine and how the U.S. should be addressing the matter.

He started off by saying terrorism of any kind shouldn’t be justified and that civilians are the most impacted and are caught in the crossfire. He said this is especially true when everyday necessities like food, water and shelter become inaccessible.

“It is absolutely ripping my heart up in every direction to see all of this from the terror attack in Israel to the bombing in Gaza to the pictures of children being lifted out of rubble and what many have described as the largest open-air prison on the planet,” he said. “We as Americans have to be able to do better there. I sure hope that we will.”

Ernesto Cisneros is a reporting fellow with the UNM/NM Local News Fund program. He covers education for the Sun-News and can be reached at ECisneros@lcsun-news.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter at @_ernestcisneros.

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New Mexico

Early voting kicks off in Indiana, New Mexico, Ohio, Wyoming

Published

1 hour ago

October 8, 2024

Press Room

Early voting kicks off in Indiana, New Mexico, Ohio, Wyoming

Four more states began their early voting processes on Tuesday: Indiana, New Mexico, Wyoming and the major swing state of Ohio.

Here is everything you need to know about casting a ballot in each of the states.

All eyes on the Senate race in Ohio

Ohio is home to one of the most competitive Senate races on the map.

Democrat Sen. Sherrod Brown has won the Midwestern state three times, but with Trump pushing White working-class voters toward the GOP and record spending from both parties, this is set to be a tight race. Brown faces Republican businessman Bernie Moreno.

Republicans have made inroads in the northeastern and heavily industrial areas bordering Pennsylvania. Trumbull County flipped to the GOP in 2016, and Trump increased his margin to 10 points in 2020; Mahoning County flipped in 2020 by almost two points. These counties played a key role in Trump’s statewide wins.

Democrats are performing better than ever in the “three C’s”: Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati. These areas have the highest percentages of college-educated voters. President Biden won the counties home to these cities by double-digit margins in 2020, with roughly 30-point wins in Franklin (Columbus) and Cuyahoga (Cleveland).

Unlike in other competitive states, Republicans still hold up in Ohio’s suburban and exurban areas, particularly those surrounding Cincinnati.

Ohio’s Senate race is a toss-up and the presidential race is ranked Likely R on the Fox News Power Rankings.

Vice President Harris and former President Trump are neck and neck in the polls. (Getty Images)

Meanwhile, New Mexico is also in the “likely” column, both at the presidential and senate level. The state delivered Biden an 11-point win in 2020, but Latino or Hispanic voters made up 35% of the state’s electorate in the 2020 election, and those voters’ support for the Democrat ticket has wavered in recent polls.

Republicans would need to run up their margins with these voters all across the state and keep Harris at bay in places like Doña Ana County, home to Albuquerque and which last voted for Biden by 18 points, to pull off a victory.

Key downballot races in today’s early voting states

Voting also begins today in four House districts ranked Lean or Toss Up on the Fox News Power Rankings. For a full list of competitive races, see the latest Senate and House rankings.

Indiana’s 1st District: Democrat Rep. Frank Mrvan has held this northwest Indiana district since the last presidential election; he won it by 5.6 points in the midterms. This year, he faces Republican Lake County Councilman Randy Niemeyer. It’s Lean D in the Power Rankings.
New Mexico’s 2nd District: New Mexico’s 2nd District occupies most of the southwest land area of the state. It includes Las Cruces and parts of Albuquerque, but it also has a chunk of the rural vote. Democrat Rep. Gabe Vasquez won the district by just 1,350 votes in the midterms; this year, he faces the seat’s former Republican occupant, Yvette Herrell. This is a Power Rankings Toss Up.
Ohio’s 9th District: This northwestern Ohio seat has been held by populist Democrat Rep. Marcy Kaptur since 1983, but her margins have shrunk as Ohio has drifted right. She faces conservative Republican state Rep. Derek Merrin on the ballot this year; it’s another Power Rankings Toss Up.
Ohio’s 13th District: Finally, the northeastern 13th District includes Youngstown and parts of Akron; it has been represented by Democrat Rep. Emilia Sykes since 2023. Sykes faces Republican former state Sen. Kevin Coughlin this year. It’s also a Toss Up.

How to vote in Indiana

This is a guide to registration and early voting. For comprehensive and up-to-date information on voter eligibility, processes and deadlines, please go to Vote.gov and the election website for Indiana.

Voting by mail

Indiana began absentee voting on Tuesday. Residents do not need to provide an excuse in order to receive a ballot. State officials must receive a ballot request by Oct. 24, and that ballot must be delivered to state officials by Nov. 5.

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Early in-person voting

Indiana offers early in-person voting beginning Oct. 8 and running through Nov. 4.

Voter registration

Indiana residents must have registered to vote by Oct. 7.

A voter arrives at a polling location. Indiana began absentee voting on Tuesday. (REUTERS/Joel Page)

How to vote in New Mexico

Voting by mail

New Mexico began absentee voting on Tuesday. Residents do not need to provide an excuse in order to receive a ballot. State officials must receive a ballot request by Oct. 22, and that ballot must be delivered to state officials by Nov. 5.

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Early in-person voting

New Mexico offers early in-person voting beginning Oct. 8 and running through Nov. 2.

Voter registration

New Mexico residents must register to vote by the end of Tuesday.

How to vote in Ohio

Voting by mail

Ohio began absentee voting on Tuesday. Residents do not need to provide an excuse in order to receive a ballot. State officials must receive a ballot request by Oct. 29, and that ballot must be delivered to state officials by Nov. 5.

Early in-person voting

Ohio offers early in-person voting beginning Oct. 8 and running through Nov. 3.

Voter registration

Ohio residents must have registered to vote by Oct. 7.

Republican presidential nominee former President Trump returns to speak at a campaign rally at the site of his July 21 attempted assassination in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

How to vote in Wyoming

Voting by mail

Wyoming began absentee voting on Tuesday. Residents do not need to provide an excuse in order to receive a ballot. State officials must receive a ballot request by Nov. 4, and that ballot must be delivered to state officials by Nov. 5.

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Early in-person voting

Wyoming offers early in-person voting beginning Oct. 8 and running through Nov. 4.

Voter registration

Wyoming residents must register to vote by mail by Oct. 21. They can register to vote in person at any time during early voting or on election day.

Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Send tips to Anders.Hagstrom@Fox.com, or on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.

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New Mexico

New Mexico man who shot Native American protesting statue takes plea deal

Published

9 hours ago

October 7, 2024

Press Room

New Mexico man who shot Native American protesting statue takes plea deal

A New Mexico man has accepted a plea deal in the 2023 shooting of a Native American activist protesting a conquistador statue, lawyers said on Monday, in a case that highlighted rising political violence in the United States.

Ryan Martinez pleaded no contest to aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and aggravated assault for shooting activist Jacob Johns and pointing his handgun at Malaya Peixinho, another demonstrator, according to his lawyer Nicole Moss. He will serve four years in state prison.

“He is still maintaining that he acted in self-defense,” Moss said, adding that Martinez would likely serve under three years in prison by accruing good time, followed by five years probation.

Mariel Nanasi, a lawyer representing Johns and Peixinho, called the shooting “a racially motivated hate crime by a MAGA-proud gun-toting crazed man who came to a peaceful prayer ceremony with a fully loaded live gun.”

Martinez was at the protest wearing a red cap with the Donald Trump slogan “Make America Great Again.” He was originally charged with attempted murder, which carries up to 15 years in prison.

“This is a continuation of colonial violence. Unfortunately, this criminal process is reflective of the systemic white supremacy that indigenous people face,” Johns said in a statement, adding that as a Native American he would have been sentenced to life imprisonment for shooting someone at a MAGA rally or a Christian prayer service.

New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack Altwies offered the plea deal to Martinez.

“The resolution is in the best interests of justice and the community,” she said in a statement.

Johns, a global climate activist and artist, was shot as he tried to prevent Martinez from pushing his way into the vigil in Espanola, New Mexico, opposing reinstallation of the statue of a 16th century Spanish colonial ruler.

The Juan de Onate bronze was removed in 2020 from a site just north of Espanola during nationwide anti-racism protests and was to be reinstated at a county complex in the town.

Peixinho called the plea deal inappropriately light.

“However it shows our desire for conflict resolution,” Peixinho said in a statement.

The shooting marked the latest violence around Onate statues put up in the 1990s to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the arrival of Spaniards to New Mexico.

The monuments have long outraged Native Americans and others who decry his brutal 1598 colonization. Onate is known for the 1599 massacre of a Pueblo tribe, leading a group of Spanish settlers into what is now New Mexico.

Some descendants of Spanish colonial settlers, known as Hispanos, say Onate should be celebrated as part of New Mexico’s Hispanic heritage.

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New Mexico

Poll: Vasquez leads Herrell in New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District race

Published

16 hours ago

October 7, 2024

Press Room

Poll: Vasquez leads Herrell in New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District race

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A new KOB 4/SurveyUSA poll shows that incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez has a solid lead over Republican challenger Yvette Herrell.

We asked voters in New Mexico’s Second Congressional District, “If the election was held today, who would you vote for?” Here were the results:

Gabe Vasquez: 51%
Yvette Herrell: 42%
Undecided: 8%

_{582 likely voters surveyed. Credibility interval of +/- 4.5 percentage points}

This race is a rematch of two years ago when Vasquez beat Herrell when she was the incumbent. Vasquez has served CD-2 since winning in 2022, representing much of southern New Mexico, including communities like Alamogordo, Carlsbad, Silver City and Las Cruces, and parts of the Albuquerque metro like the West Side and the South Valley.

We asked voters, “What is your opinion on Gabe Vasquez?”

45% have a favorable opinion of him
31% have an unfavorable opinion
18% are neutral
5% have no opinion

_{582 likely voters surveyed. Credibility interval of +/- 4.5 percentage points}

We also asked voters about their opinion on Yvette Herrell:

34% have a favorable opinion
41% have an unfavorable opinion
20% are neutral
6% have no opinion

_{582 likely voters surveyed. Credibility interval of +/- 4.5 percentage points}

There are many issues that are playing into elections across the board so we asked CD-2 voters, “Which of these issues will have the most influence on your vote for the U.S. House of Representatives?”

Immigration and border: 28%
Abortion: 17%
Inflation: 16%
Crime: 12%

_{582 likely voters surveyed. Credibility interval of +/- 4.5 percentage points}

Jumping off of that question, we also asked about how much of a deciding issue immigration and the border is: