Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE – The COVID-19 pandemic – and particularly Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s dealing with of it – is rising as a contentious problem in New Mexico’s gubernatorial election this 12 months.

Throughout a GOP candidate discussion board this week in Santa Fe, the 5 Republicans working for governor blasted Lujan Grisham, a Democrat who’s searching for reelection to a second time period, for her response to the pandemic that has claimed the lives of greater than 7,400 state residents.

Monetary adviser Greg Zanetti, a retired U.S. Military officer, mentioned Lujan Grisham had positioned “authorities over God” through the pandemic, a reference to capability limits for church buildings and homes of worship imposed by the governor’s administration.

The bounds had been challenged unsuccessfully in court docket by not less than one Albuquerque church, however had been lifted finally in April 2021, with the potential of extra authorized threats looming.

Fellow Republican Rebecca Dow, a three-term state lawmaker from Reality or Penalties, advised that even some Democrats may need grown weary of the governor’s dealing with of the pandemic.

“She can’t say she saved us – the info exhibits in any other case,” Dow mentioned through the candidate discussion board sponsored by Santa Fe Federated Republican Girls.

However Lujan Grisham and prime well being officers in her administration have insisted the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic saved 1000’s of lives.

In an October 2020 interview, Lujan Grisham mentioned New Mexico’s demographics and well being care system limitations performed a task in her administration’s determination to shut faculties and shut down nonessential companies shortly after the pandemic’s arrival in an try to sluggish the unfold of the virus.

“We’re stricter as a result of now we have extra points than most states,” Lujan Grisham mentioned on the time.

One of many nation’s poorest states on common, New Mexico additionally has an more and more aged inhabitants – 18% of its residents had been 65 or older as of final 12 months – and a restricted variety of hospital beds and well being care amenities.

Lujan Grisham’s marketing campaign spokeswoman Kendall Witmer mentioned Friday the governor’s actions through the pandemic mirrored New Mexico’s distinctive circumstances and helped keep away from a complete collapse of the state’s well being care system.

She additionally cited Lujan Grisham’s efforts to approve tax cuts, present monetary reduction and increase early childhood packages through the pandemic.

“The GOP candidates for governor spent the pandemic endangering New Mexican lives by spreading misinformation about therapies and safety, failing to show any shred of management that might sign they understand how to make sure the protection and safety of New Mexicans and their households,” Witmer advised the Journal.

‘Blood on her arms’

As they make their case to Republican voters upfront of the June main election, nonetheless, the 5 GOP candidates have argued that Lujan Grisham’s choices had detrimental impacts on New Mexico companies and households alike.

Gubernatorial candidate Jay Block, a Sandoval County commissioner, mentioned this week the pandemic shutdowns had led to an increase in crime and baby abuse across the state.

Legislative analysts launched a report final summer season that mentioned the speed of kid maltreatment fatalities in New Mexico greater than doubled from 2019 to 2020, although it’s unclear how a lot of that enhance is perhaps associated to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This governor has blood on her arms for what she single-handedly did to New Mexicans,” Block mentioned on social media, including New Mexicans would maintain her accountable on the poll field in November.

Mark Ronchetti, who has outraised his 4 GOP rivals by way of marketing campaign fundraising, has additionally criticized Lujan Grisham’s dealing with of the pandemic.

“She took a March 2020 method when little was identified concerning the illness and prolonged that excessive mindset into March of 2022 when science had already disproven her lockdown method,” Ronchetti spokesman Enrique Knell mentioned Friday.

The spokesman for Ronchetti, a former KRQE-TV meteorologist, additionally mentioned the governor’s method was pushed by a want to be named to President Joe Biden’s Cupboard.

Lujan Grisham was thought of for a Biden administration put up, however finally stayed in New Mexico.

She has vigorously denied that political elements performed a task in her pandemic decision-making, together with the choice to elevate New Mexico’s face masks mandate for indoor public settings in February.

NM ranked eleventh in US

Total, New Mexico’s charge of COVID-19 deaths per 100,000 individuals – presently at 353 – ranks eleventh highest within the nation, in accordance with The New York Occasions.

That charge is decrease than such neighboring states as Arizona and Oklahoma, however greater than different western states, together with Colorado, Wyoming, Texas and Oregon.

In the meantime, New Mexico’s public well being emergency order that was set to run out Friday was prolonged by state Well being Secretary David Scrase, the highest well being official within the Lujan Grisham administration.

The order, which is now set to run via Might 16, requires masks to be worn in hospitals, state prisons and different group-living amenities, amongst different provisions.

In all, the general public well being order has now been prolonged and revised by the Lujan Grisham administration greater than 35 occasions because the governor issued the preliminary public well being emergency order associated to COVID-19 in March 2020.