New Mexico

New Mexico primary election: Berghmans aims to unseat Ivey-Soto

Published

2 years ago

May 27, 2024

New Mexico primary election: Berghmans aims to unseat Ivey-Soto

One of the biggest showdowns is in northeast Albuquerque, where Democrat Heather Berghmans is running to unseat Democratic state Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Political candidates are gearing up for next Tuesday’s primary election.

One of the biggest showdowns is in northeast Albuquerque, where Democrat Heather Berghmans is running to unseat Democratic state Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto. The Senate District 15 race is easily one of the nosiest this year, as an accomplished state senator with a history of controversial behavior tries to hang onto his seat.

Ivey-Soto was first elected into the Roundhouse over a decade ago, and he’s helped craft dozens of new laws in New Mexico. However, he’s also faced numerous sexual harassment allegations and that’s playing a role in his competitor’s campaign.

Berghmans is no stranger to the Roundhouse or the allegations of what happens inside.

“What I’ve heard from the community is that they want a leader that can work well in the Roundhouse to get, to find solutions to these problems and not be a distraction,” Berghmans said.

Berghmans is focused on issues like homelessness and public safety, but her campaign website challenges Ivey-Soto, saying he “has been credibly accused by multiple women of sexual harassment and other forms of abuse over the last two years.”

“It’s important for me to let voters know how he conducts himself in the Roundhouse,” she said.

In 2022, multiple women accused Ivey-Soto of sexual harassment and aggression. That list includes a current state lawmaker, a former lobbyist, and gun violence prevention advocate Mirando Viscoli.

“He, between two doors in a building where there are no cameras, yelled and screamed at me and violently pointed his finger at my face, in my face,” Viscoli said. “It was one of the worst moments of my life.”

Ivey-Soto denies the allegations, but he did step down as chair of the Senate Rules Committee after a leaked report revealed there was probable cause he violated anti-harassment rules.

“I do believe that actually, that initial investigation should not be done by the Legislature,” Ivey-Soto said. “Because I think the public naturally is going to be suspicious either way.”

The New Mexico State Ethics Commission dismissed a similar ethics complaint against Ivey-Soto last year. The senator says revisiting the allegations is a distraction from accomplishments, like a new pretrial detention bill.

“It’s been pretty stressful,” Ivey-Soto said. “You know, we’ve been really wanting to talk about the issues, talk about a lot of the bills that I’ve been working on, the policy issues that I’ve been passing, and the things that I’ve been doing in the district.”

Ivey-Soto pointed out that several of his fellow state senators have donated to his reelection campaign, and one even appeared in his campaign ad extending their support. However, Viscoli argues that should not excuse the numerous accusations of bad behavior.

Whoever wins the primary will likely face Republican Craig Degenhardt in the general election this November.

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New Mexico

Debate rages on oilfield wastewater in New Mexico – Carlsbad Current-Argus

Published

2 hours ago

December 17, 2025

Press Room

Debate rages on oilfield wastewater in New Mexico – Carlsbad Current-Argus

A pump jack operates in Carlsbad. File photo

Adrian HeddenCarlsbad Current-Argusachedden@currentargus.com Wastewater from oil and gas drilling could be reused by other industries next year, if a state body acts despite criticism from…

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New Mexico

Family clarifies why they believe missing New Mexico man is dead

Published

14 hours ago

December 17, 2025

Press Room

Family clarifies why they believe missing New Mexico man is dead

NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – KRQE News 13 has learned more about the disappearance of 36-year-old Joel “Deano” Valdez, and why, nearly three months after he went missing, his family believes he is dead. Valdez went missing on September 18, on his way home after a job on the other end of the state. After weeks of searching, on Monday night, Valdez’s family announced their loved one was dead, but did not provide information to support their claim.

On Tuesday, the family issued a follow-up statement saying they hired a private investigator who obtained interviews from several people who confirmed Valdez’s death. They said that Valdez, a Marine vet and father of three, was headed from Silver City to Coyote back in September but had stopped at a Santa Fe gas station before he vanished.

Media reports described an incident where Valdez may have been preyed upon in his white Chevy Silverado pickup truck. Valdez’s family believes that “something nefarious happened” to him, leading to his demise. Bank statements show Valdez stopped at a gas station and an ATM in Santa Fe before he vanished. His family also said that his credit cards were used by someone else after he went missing.

In the statement released Tuesday, the family said in part, “Waiting for his remains to be found makes it difficult to start the grieving process.

Monday night, a family member said, “To go so long without answers has been heart-wrenching and heartbreaking for all of us. We still don’t have all the answers and hope to one day have some clarity and peace.”

KRQE News 13 asked the Santa Fe Police Department about the incident. They said on the day that Valdez went missing, they received a 911 call about three people breaking into a white pickup truck. The caller said they heard someone inside the truck yelling for help. Before they arrived, Santa Fe police officers were diverted to a higher-priority call.

According to police records, when an officer finally arrived at the scene 45 minutes later, there was nothing to report. KRQE News 13 is cautioning viewers that it is not clear if the 911 incident had anything to do with Valdez or his pickup truck.

New Mexico State Police are in charge of the investigation, and they told KRQE News 13 they are still treating Valdez as a missing persons case.

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New Mexico

New Mexico Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 Day results for Dec. 15, 2025

Published

1 day ago

December 16, 2025

Press Room

The New Mexico Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 15, 2025, results for each game:

Powerball

23-35-59-63-68, Powerball: 02, Power Play: 4

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Pick 3

Day: 2-3-6

Evening: 4-5-5

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Lotto America

08-11-29-36-50, Star Ball: 07, ASB: 02

Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.

Pick 4

Evening: 2-5-0-2

Day: 7-2-1-6

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Roadrunner Cash

01-12-17-26-29

Check Roadrunner Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Powerball Double Play

20-23-38-42-65, Powerball: 19

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Las Cruces Sun-News editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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