The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says  emergency funds won’t be used to provide SNAP payments to states if the shutdown continues into November, as Senate Democrats insisted was possible. In a memo released Friday, the USDA blamed Democrats for the nearly 24-day government shutdown and said that money from the contingency funds cannot be […]

By Alex Ross  — A third Republican has joined the field of contenders vying to take on Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-NM-02) next year in a key congressional swing district.  Records from the Federal Election Commission show that on Oct. 16, Jose Orozco of Albuquerque filed a statement of candidacy to run for the Republican nomination […]

By Alex Ross  — New Mexico Democratic Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Lujan on Thursday disputed claims made by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) that they lack the funds to cover the cost of next month’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Heinrich and Lujan were among 45 Democratic Senators who signed […]

By Alex Ross  — New Mexico Democratic Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Lujan on Thursday disputed claims made by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) that they lack the funds to cover the cost of next month’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Heinrich and Lujan were among 45 Democratic Senators who signed […]

It’s been one of the worst-kept secrets in Santa Fe, and on Thursday, New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver confirmed the speculation about her ambition by declaring herself a candidate for lieutenant governor.  Toulouse Oliver, who spent nearly a decade as the state’s chief elections official, kicked off her entry into the race […]

More than 400,000 New Mexicans who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) could see a halt to their food assistance next month due to the ongoing government shutdown, according to a top state health official.    Healthcare Authority Secretary Kari Armijo told lawmakers on the Legislative Finance Committee at their Oct. 15 meeting that […]

State budget analysts warn that federal mineral leasing payments to New Mexico could be at risk if Congress does take action in the coming months. The payments are from royalties companies pay to the federal government when they extract oil, coal and other minerals from federal land in New Mexico. The state then gets a […]

She has put her campaign for lieutenant governor on hold, but campaign finance reports issued last week show that Democrat Stephanie Garcia Richard’s cash haul since April far exceeded those of her two rivals for the party’s nomination.   The reports, which were due on Oct. 14, showed that $165,605 rolled into the campaign of Garcia […]

New Mexico Democratic Sen. Martin Heinrich has come to the defense of rapper Cardi B, following comments she made about the economy.   Earlier this week, the outspoken rapper and recording artist made observations about the rising cost of living in an Instagram live video that went viral.  “I feel so bad because I didn’t realize […]

By Alex Ross — Three months after filing the paperwork to run for Congress, new campaign finance reports show that State Rep. Martin Zamora (R-Clovis) edged out Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM-03) in campaign contributions in the recent fundraising quarter.  Reports filed this week with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) show that between July 1 and […]