GOP pushes to disqualify Democrat from race

Republicans say candidate’s residence isn’t in district

The state Republican Party has filed a complaint with the Secretary of State’s Office, contending Democratic candidate Ambrose Castellano lives outside House District 70, making him ineligible to run in the race.

The GOP filed its ethics complaint on behalf of Republican candidate Nathan Dial, who claims Castellano lives in Pojoaque — more than 60 miles outside the district — and uses a post office box based on his father’s address in Bernal.

In New Mexico, political candidates must live in the districts they would represent.

“It never should have been approved,” Dial said of his opponent’s candidacy.

Castellano offered a brief emailed statement in response to the allegations.

“Election season always brings out these kinds of accusations,” Castellano wrote. “I am a resident of our district and proud to be running to represent our community in the state House.”

Castellano, who owns AGM Konstruction in Santa Fe, said he believes his positions on the issues and his values align best with the district’s voters.

“I think the GOP knows that too, which is why they have filed this frivolous complaint,” Castellano wrote.

However, Dial maintains Castellano lives with his girlfriend and children in Pojoaque, adding that while the Democrat may visit his father in Bernal, his business and family point to a more northern residence.

According to rules outlined on the secretary of state’s website, a candidate’s residence is determined by the permanent address listed on the certificate of voter registration and the candidate must reside on the premises.

Also, the candidate’s name on the ballot must match the voter registration on file.

When Castellano declared his

candidacy, he submitted to the state a map showing the entire district with an arrow pointing to Bernal, and not to any specific residence, the state GOP said in a news release.

“To fail to tell the truth about one’s address is a shameful action and an insult to constituents,” state Republican Party Chairman Steve Pearce said in a statement. “A candidate must play by the rules.”

The GOP also tied Castellano to financial irregularities that occurred at Luna Community College and the West Las Vegas School District while he was a trustee and school board member, respectively.

Castellano declined to respond to those allegations.

In 2001, West Las Vegas Schools Superintendent Barbara Perea Casey sued the school board and its individual members in federal court, according to a story in The New Mexican.

Casey had discovered that as many as half the families with children enrolled in the federally funded Head Start program had incomes above eligibility levels. Some had underreported their incomes or inflated their household’s size.

She reported her findings to the FBI, and the district eventually had to repay more than $500,000.

Casey was demoted to assistant superintendent and the school board didn’t renew her contract. She filed a lawsuit against the board of education.

She claimed Castellano demanded that she fire a Head Start director she brought in to make the program comply with federal standards. She said he did that to protect two of his sisters who worked for the program.

Castellano and other board members also discouraged her from advertising Head Start jobs because those positions typically went to families, friends and political supporters, Casey said.

The district eventually settled by paying Casey $375,000.

At the time, Castellano said the settlement terms prevented him from commenting on the case.

The GOP in its statement also said when Castellano was a Luna Community College trustee, education funds were spent on luxury hotel rooms and questionable contracts. However, it provided no details that directly link Castellano to those expenditures.