HOUSE DISTRICT 43 CANDIDATES AT A GLANCE
Editor’s note: Written responses were edited for length. For complete responses, go to www.santafe newmexican.com.
House District 43 DEMOCRAT Christine Chandler
Age: 61
Lives in: Los Alamos Educational background: Bachelor’s degree, Smith College, economics; Juris Doctor, Boston College Law School; Master of laws, Georgetown University Law Center.
Occupation: Lawyer
Relevant experience: Completing first term as a state representative; former Los Alamos County councilor and council chairwoman
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.
What steps would you take to help the state blunt the coronavirus pandemic and recover from it? Critical to our recovery is ensuring that public health orders defining social distancing and good health practices are carefully explained, well-understood and followed. Additional measures to support the state’s recovery are the establishment of programs that provide easy access to funds by local businesses as they take on the heavy burden of rebuilding, and support initiatives that allow businesses to operate more easily within the health guidelines. Unemployment and stimulus payments to affected employees should be adequate and timely.
What steps would you take to diversify and strengthen New Mexico’s economy? A substandard public education system, including insufficient training and vocational programs, impedes our ability to attract businesses to the state. Poor infrastructure, including inadequate broadband coverage, is an impediment. Our tax code is unduly complex and inconsistent. We must tackle these deficiencies and foster the critical foundation to support existing businesses and encourage entrepreneurialism.
What would you do to reduce crime in New Mexico? First, we need to adequately fund the criminal justice system (law enforcement, prosecutors, public defenders and the judiciary) to ensure people committing crimes are promptly arrested and tried. Prolonged delays in prosecuting offenders undermines the deterrent effect of the criminal code. Second, we need to adopt laws that ensure strong penalties against repeat, violent criminals and third, we need to offer robust treatment and diversion programs for low level and drug related offenses. Finally, we must eliminate many of the unnecessary and counter-productive barriers to reentry faced by offenders when they have done their time.
What are your three top priorities or objectives? 1. Building a public education system (pre-K to postsecondary) that gives our children the tools to succeed. 2. Improving access to affordable health care for all New Mexicans. 3. Improving basic infrastructure such as access to clean water, roads and broadband to create a foundation for economic opportunity.
Who is your political hero or heroine and
why? President Jimmy Carter for his decency, compassion, and integrity and for his unwavering commitment to human rights and world cooperation and peace.
REPUBLICAN David Hampton
Age: 59 Lives in: White Rock Educational background: Bachelor’s degree, University of California-Santa Barbara, business economics Occupation: Retired Relevant experience: Board member of various organizations and nonprofits; former project controls engineer at Los Alamos National Laboratory
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.
What steps would you take to help the state blunt the coronavirus pandemic and recover from it? I would continue protecting at-risk populations, like those in assisted living and skilled nursing facilities, but seek to reopen the economy as quickly as possible in healthy communities. All businesses which can maintain social distancing and hygiene guidelines should be allowed to reopen.
What steps would you take to diversify and strengthen New Mexico’s economy? I would lower state taxes and remove state regulation where they are unnecessary.
What would you do to reduce crime in New Mexico? We need to enforce existing laws and end harmful practices like catch and release.
What are your three top priorities or objectives? Halt and reverse the leftward movement of our current state administration and Legislature. I would vote to reduce government spending and taxation, stop the erosion of our rights under our state and federal constitutions, and make New Mexico friendlier to business and investment.
Who is your political hero or heroine and why? State Sen. Rod Montoya, R-Farmington, for his strong defense of the sanctity of life during the 2019 state legislative session.