Community Organizations Endorse Senator Harold Pope to be Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico

The competition to be the next Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico has been mired in controversy. The sudden withdrawal of nominee Maggie Toulouse-Oliver just two weeks after the primary has triggered an unusual process to select her replacement. Instead of holding a special election to let the voters choose the next Lieutenant Governor, the Democratic Party of New Mexico is tasking a little-known group of about 500 party leaders to select the Democratic candidate, who is likely to be elected in November. Gubernatorial nominee Secretary Deb Haaland has endorsed Stephanie Garcia Richard, the current Public Lands Commissioner.

But ahead of deliberations, grassroots and community organizations across New Mexico have made their preference for our next Lieutenant Governor clear: Senator Harold Pope.

The Lieutenant Governor’s role in New Mexico’s government is key – they serve in the governor’s stead when the governor is away, preside over the New Mexico Senate, and act as a member of several key boards and commissions. New Mexico deserves a fighter for the working class in this crucial role. That’s Senator Pope.

After over two decades in the United States Air Force, he continued his proud record of public service by serving as a leader in his community, including a stint in Albuquerque’s city government. Pope was elected to the State Senate in 2020, defeating an incumbent Republican in a Westside district historically known for being conservative. As a state senator, he spearheaded bills focused on voting rights, civil rights, anti-hazing, consumer protections, child welfare, housing, and the environment.

The Albuquerque and Santa Fe chapters of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) have endorsed Senator Harold Pope because his values and record align with ours. He will fight to lower costs for New Mexicans struggling around the state to make ends meet. He supports the labor movement and workers’ rights to collective bargaining. He supports a living wage and universal healthcare. As a lieutenant governor with years of experience in the Senate, he’d have the opportunity to cast the tie-breaking vote when the senate is divided.

Senator Pope has time and again opposed corporate power grabs in New Mexico and refuses to take corporate PAC money. He has spoken out against multibillion-dollar private equity firm Blackstone’s bid to buy out our public utility, calling on the New Mexico government to consider taking a controlling stake in PNM. He previously pressed for greater transparency in another shadowy private equity firm’s effort to buy New Mexico Gas Company. Last year, he authored a bill to ban Wall Street firms from buying up homes in New Mexico.

Senator Pope has demonstrated moral clarity in his engagement with some of the most urgent issues of recent years. In 2024, he backed a resolution supporting the suspension of U.S. weapons transfers to Israel and calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, taking a stance on one of the foremost moral issues of our time. Now, he’s also supporting calls to abolish ICE as they kidnap and even kill our immigrant neighbors.

Socialist values, like fair wages, access to basic necessities, and worker’s rights are overwhelmingly popular across this country, including here in New Mexico. State Democratic Parties throughout the country are facing an existential dilemma: stick with political elites in the establishment or side with the growing number of Democrats embracing a new approach centering the working class. We need a party that is willing to fight for our futures. Senator Pope will be a strong Lieutenant Governor because he is willing to challenge the status quo and push the party and our state into a brighter future.

The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Red Rose, any individual editor, Albuquerque DSA, the Democratic Socialists of America, or any individual therein.

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The SCC will begin a four-day process to choose the Democratic Lieutenant Governor candidate for the November election on Saturday, July 25. New Mexicans deserve a Lieutenant Governor who will challenge and push our state, and our next Governor, to fight even harder to improve and protect our communities. We are confident that Senator Harold Pope is up to the job.

Do you have thoughts on socialism in New Mexico? Submit your idea here.