Wirth faces challenger in Senate District 25
Candidates: Peter Wirth, D, and Ricardo Arturo Vargas, R
The overview: Wirth, who has served as the state Senate majority leader since 2017, is facing his first opponent since being elected to the Legislature in 2004. But Vargas, a loan officer who moved to Santa Fe eight years ago, doesn’t seem to be mounting much of a serious challenge. He doesn’t have a campaign website or a social media presence, and he doesn’t answer candidate questionnaires or return calls for comment.
Even Wirth doesn’t know much about his opponent. “I haven’t met him and don’t really know what his issues are,” Wirth said.
What they say: Vargas didn’t return multiple calls for comment. According to his work bio, he’s a military veteran with “years of experience in the finance industry.” But his policy positions, as well as his experience and background, are relatively unknown.
Wirth, who spent four years as a state representative before he became a state senator, believes his experience, as well as his skill set as a lawyer and mediator, make him the best candidate for the seat. He is described as a knowledgeable lawmaker who works well across party lines.
“I ran way back in 2004 because I really believed in public service and giving back,” he said.
Since then, “I’ve been able to work in both chambers in a collaborative fashion to really focus on getting results but doing so in a way that maintains kind of respect amongst colleagues of different political opinions and also maintains decorum,” he said. “One of things I’m most proud about in the four years I’ve been the majority leader in the Senate is that we’ve had a chamber that really has functioned in a way that is becoming more and more of an exception.”
How the district voted in 2016: Wirth ran unopposed.
Key issues for the district: Dealing with the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and figuring out the balance between safety and getting the economy functioning is what constituents are focused on, Wirth said.
“I think voters in Senate District 25 want legislators that will really advocate to make New Mexico a backstop to prevent the harm that can happen if the Supreme Court reverses the Affordable Care Act, overturns Roe v. Wade,” he said. “All those rights are at play, and they all tie directly into what we do in the Legislature.”
Bottom line: Wirth has a solid reputation and a challenge from an unfamiliar candidate in a district that is overwhelmingly Democrat. While Wirth has been focused on fundraising for other Democrats running for the state Senate in his role as majority leader, he said he isn’t taking his own reelection bid for granted.
“There’s only one Democratic incumbent without an opponent this cycle,” he said. “What I’m hoping is that voters in Santa Fe, seeing all their local legislators with opposition, are going to step up in a huge way.”
DEMOCRAT Peter Wirth
Age: 58
Lives in: Santa Fe
Educational background: Bachelor’s degree, economics and Spanish, Stanford University, 1984; Juris Doctorate, University of New Mexico School of Law, 1990. Occupation: Lawyer, mediator
Have you ever been charged or convicted of a crime, including drunken driving? No.
Have you ever filed for bankruptcy or been involved in a bankruptcy proceeding, either personally or in business? No.
Have you ever been the subject of liens for unpaid taxes? No.
Policy questions:
1. Has Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s response to the COVID-19 crisis been adequate? What more (or less) should be done?
I will continue to support Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s leadership in fighting the virus with everything we have as a state. The governor is striking the right balance between safety and the need to reopen the economy. As winter arrives, restaurants that install state-of-the-art air-filtration systems to mitigate airborne spread of COVID should be allowed a higher occupancy percentage.
2. The Legislature will soon be tasked with redistricting New Mexico. Has the process been fair in the past, and what would you do to make sure it’s fairer and more transparent?
The last redistricting session in 2011 was fair under the rules in place at the time. There is always room for improvement. I would favor more pre-session redistricting meetings around the state. During the session, the public should have more time for input on plans before they go to a final vote. We also should continue to explore options for a redistricting commission.
3. What measures will you support to diversify the state’s economy and reduce its reliance on oil and gas?
We must diversify and strengthen New Mexico’s economy by expanding and leveraging our investments in renewable energy, film, outdoor recreation, arts, tourism, culture and entrepreneurial startup businesses. We also have to reform the tax code. Gross receipts tax reform should be next, with a push to broaden the tax base, lower rates and eliminate unnecessary exemptions, deductions and credits.
4. Do you support term limits? If not, why not?
No. We serve at the pleasure of our constituents, who decide every election whether to bring us back for another term. Enacting term limits would weaken the legislative branch and empower special interests.
REPUBLICAN Ricardo Arturo Vargas
The candidate did not respond to a questionnaire nor requests for comment.