Few distinctions among Dems vying for Senate seat
Three candidates share similar views in District 24 primary race
Arelatively small crowd turned out Tuesday evening to hear three Democratic candidates for state Senate District 24 try to distinguish themselves to primary election voters: term-limited Santa Fe County Commissioner Anna Hansen, legislative analyst Veronica Krupnick and former Santa Fe school board member and state Rep. Linda Trujillo.
One of the three women will almost certainly replace longtime Sen. Nancy Rodriguez, D-Santa Fe, who is not seeking reelection, because no Republican is running for the seat.
The League of Women Voters of Santa Fe County hosted the forum at the Southside Branch Library in partnership with The New Mexican, which livestreamed the event. League moderator Byron Treaster asked about 15 questions selected by a screening panel on topics including health care, education, housing, public safety, elections and partisanship.
Here are some of highlights.
Fireworks
There weren’t many. The candidates traded no barbs and politely abided by time limits for their answers, even if it meant stopping mid-sentence.
Best quotes
Hansen: “I have been an environmental champion my entire life. I have worked on water issues; I am completely committed to a carbon-free environment.”
Krupnick: “Heading into one of our most critical election cycles that we’ve seen in a generation, having voices like mine who live in that intersection — I’m 28, I’m Native, I’ve been through the systems, I’m living the challenges with you — having that voice on the ground at the state level fighting to protect you is of extreme importance.”
Trujillo: “I guarantee you — I’m a former Head Start teacher, I’ve been an education advocate for well over 25 years — I am here to fight the battle to make sure that our kids have access to a quality education, regardless of their ZIP code.”
Key disagreements
Paid family and medical leave:
Trujillo and Krupnick voiced strong support for a state-mandated family and medical leave program for workers. A bill to enact such a program failed by just two votes in the recent legislative session. Trujillo said it’s past time New Mexico employers provide paid family and medical leave, and Krupnick said
the program would be good for workers and businesses.
Hansen said, however, a paid family and medical leave program must “take into account” small businesses, such as those with five or fewer employees. “For them to lose an employee for 12 weeks, nine weeks ... is really difficult,” Hansen said. “We need to figure out how we can make this paid medical and family leave work for everyone.”
Open primaries: Having thought through the issue “a number of times,” Trujillo said, she does not support open primaries, in which voters can participate in the primary of any one party.
Hansen and Krupnick, on the other hand, said they support open primaries, which Hansen said would get more people to participate in democracy and Krupnick said would free voters from being put in boxes.
Introductions
Hansen, 75, who has served two terms on the County Commission, described herself as an environmental advocate and longtime small-business owner.
Krupnick, 28, described herself as an Indigenous leader with personal experience navigating New Mexico’s foster care system; she worked with “system-impacted youth” before becoming an analyst for the state Legislature, she said.
Trujillo, 64, who served in the House from 2017-20, said she has lived with food and financial insecurity, and access to education helped her “break the cycle of poverty.”
Biggest issues
Hansen’s top priorities include ensuring access to clean water, supporting mental and behavioral health and developing infrastructure. “I’m an infrastructure gal,” she said. “Good roads, sewers — they are incredibly important.”
Krupnick said her top priority would be improving child welfare.
“We’ve ranked consistently [the] last or second-to-last state in overall child well-being for at least the last five years,” she said. Other important issues include affordable housing and environmental justice, she said.
Improving public education, including early learning, K-12 schools and higher education, would be Trujillo’s primary focus, she said. “I will focus my intention on making sure that kids come to school ready to learn.”
That means ensuring access to stable housing, food security, health care and high-wage jobs for students and families, Trujillo said.
The crowd
About 25 people attended the forum at the Southside Branch Library, while a few dozen had watched via livestream by late Tuesday.
Coming up
The league will play host Thursday to forums involving two candidates each for First Judicial District attorney and Santa Fe County clerk. That will be held at Santa Fe Prep, 1101 Camino de Cruz Blanca.
The league will hold forums for two open seats on the Santa Fe County Commission on Tuesday at St. John’s United Methodist Church, 1200 Old Pecos Trail.
Both events will be livestreamed on The New Mexican’s website, santafenewmexican. com. Early voting for the June 4 primary election begins May 7 and will be expanded May 18.