>> FUNDING FOR NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS IS PROVIDED BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

>> Jeff: THIS WEEK ON NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS, BLUE IN A RED COUNTRY.

WE BREAK DOWN THIS YEAR'S ELECTION RESULTS AS STATE DEMOCRATS STAVE OFF NATIONAL TRENDS AT THE BALLOT BOX.

AND -- >> Boyd: I THINK WE'LL KIND OF SEE HOW THAT FEMALE MAJORITY AT THE ROUNDHOUSE TRANSLATES INTO POLICY.

IT WILL BE A DIFFERENT FEEL AT THE ROUNDHOUSE.

AND NOT AS MUCH OF THE OLD BOYS CLUB.

>> Jeff: SECRETARY OF STATE MAGGIE TOULOUSE OLIVER EXPLAINS THE LOGISTICS OF THE ELECTION, INCLUDING THE STATEWIDE ROLLOUT OF SAME-DAY REGISTRATION.

NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS STARTS NOW.

THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS WEEK.

I'M EXECUTIVE PRODUCER JEFF PROCTOR.

ELECTION DAY HAS COME AND GONE WITH MORE THAN 914,000 BALLOTS CAST IN OUR STATE.

TONIGHT, WE'LL ANALYZE HOW AND WHY NEW MEXICANS VOTED THE WAY THEY DID.

IN A NATIONAL ELECTION MARKED BY SWEEPING REPUBLICAN WINS, NEW MEXICO STAYED MOSTLY BLUE.

DESPITE A LOWER TURNOUT THAN IN 2020, THE DEMOCRATS STILL HAVE CONTROL IN BOTH CHAMBERS OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND YET, AS WE'LL GET INTO LATER, REPUBLICANS WERE ABLE TO GAIN SOME GROUND HERE.

BUT TUESDAY'S RESULTS WEREN'T THE ONLY NEWS OUT OF THE ELECTION DAY.

IT WAS ALSO THE FIRST ELECTION WHERE NEW MEXICO OFFERED SAME-DAY REGISTRATION AT EVERY POLLING SITE.

COMING UP LATER IN TODAY'S SHOW, I TALK WITH SECRETARY OF STATE MAGGIE TOULOUSE OLIVER TO ASK HOW MANY PEOPLE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THAT OPTION AND HOW IT WENT.

BUT FIRST, I'LL THROW THINGS OVER TO SENIOR PRODUCER LOU DiVIZIO FOR A ROUNDTABLE ANALYSIS OF THE ELECTION.

MUCH OF THE ATTENTION AFTER TUESDAY NIGHT, OF COURSE, HAS DESERVEDLY BEEN FOCUSED ON THE PRESIDENTIAL CONTEST.

WE WILL INEVITABLY TOUCH ON THAT THROUGHOUT OUR DISCUSSIONS TONIGHT.

WE'LL ALSO TALK ABOUT NEW MEXICO'S SLIGHT RIGHTWARD TICK.

BUT THE STATE REMAINS BLUE, AND THAT MEANS THE PRESIDENTIAL CONTEST WAS LARGELY OUT OF OUR CONTROL.

SO, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE A POINT OF SPENDING QUITE A BIT OF TIME ON THE RACES AND MEASURES THAT GAVE VOTERS POWER WITHIN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES.

HERE'S LOU.

>> Lou: THANKS, JEFF.

WELCOME TO OUR PANELISTS TODAY.

GREAT TO SEE ALL OF YOUR FAMILIAR FACES.

WE HAVE ERIC GREIGO, FORMER DEMOCRATIC STATE SENATOR NOW A UNM POLI-SCI PROFESSOR.

DAN BOYD, BUREAU CHIEF AT THE ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL.

AND MERRITT ALLEN, GREAT TO HAVE YOU BACK, TOO, FROM VOX OPTIMA PUBLIC RELATIONS.

THANK YOU, ALL.

>> Allen: THANKS.

>> Lou: NOW, SENATOR MARTIN HEINRICH AND ALL THREE CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES WALKED AWAY THIS PAST TUESDAY WITH WINS ON ELECTION NIGHT.

LET'S START IN WHAT WE KNOW WOULD BE THE CLOSEST OF THOSE CONTESTS, THAT'S CD2.

DEMOCRAT GABE VASQUEZ WON OVER FORMER GOP REP YVETTE HERRELL.

ERIC, LET'S START WITH YOU.

HOW DID HE DO THAT?

>> Griego: YOU KNOW, HE KIND OF DEFIED A LOT OF THE RESULTS IN THE REST OF THE STATE, TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST.

YOU KNOW, THAT DISTRICT CHANGED.

LAST TIME AROUND, HE JUST KIND OF SQUEAKED IT OUT.

1300 VOTES OR SOMETHING.

THIS TIME IT WAS MORE LIKE 10,000, WHICH WAS SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER.

I THINK EVEN THOUGH THE POLLING WAS SHOWING HE WAS GOING TO DO WELL, I THINK HE DID BETTER THAN, CERTAINLY, FOLKS THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO DO, DESPITE THE POLLING.

I WAS LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS, AND MORE THAN HALF THE DISTRICT IS IN BERNALILLO COUNTY AND DONA ANA COUNTY.

HE DID REALLY WELL THERE.

HERRELL WON NINE OF THE FIFTEEN COUNTIES, BUT HE WON PRETTY OVERWHELMINGLY IN THE TWO BIG, URBAN, AND MOST DEMOCRATIC, PROGRESSIVE COUNTIES.

THAT WAS ENOUGH TO PUT HIM OVER THE TOP.

I THINK THE DIFFERENCE WAS, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THIS CHANGE IN THE DISTRICT, I THINK YVETTE HERRELL WAS A GOOD FIT WHEN IT WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE REPUBLICAN-LEANING DISTRICT.

I THINK THE DISTRICT'S CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY.

THERE'S A LOT OF RURAL COUNTIES WHERE THERE'S A LOT MORE CONSERVATIVE AND REPUBLICAN VOTERS.

I THINK GIVEN THE FACT THESE TWO BIG COUNTIES WITH A LOT OF DEMOCRATIC AND PROGRESSIVE-LEANING VOTERS MAKE UP MOST OF THE DISTRICT.

THAT'S WHERE VASQUEZ SPENT A LOT OF HIS TIME.

I LIVE IN THE DISTRICT HERE AT THE EDGE OF ALBUQUERQUE, AND HE SPENT A LOT OF TIME HERE AND HAD A LOT OF SUPPORT.

I THINK THAT WAS THE BIG PART OF IT, THAT CHANGE IN THE DISTRICT.

JUST THE FACT THAT HERRELL, I THINK, IS NOT THE FIT SHE USED TO BE.

AND THESE TWO BIG COUNTIES REALLY COMING IN STRONG FOR HIM.

>> Lou: OKAY.

MERRITT, DO YOU SEE IT THE SAME WAY, THE DISTRICT PLAYING THE LARGEST ROLE HERE?

I KNOW HERRELL SUED OVER THAT LAST ELECTION AND LOST, BUT WAS THIS A FAILURE IN HER CAMPAIGN PAGING OR JUST A SITUATION OF -- >> Allen: OR WAS IT GERRYMANDERING?

WHY, YES, IT WAS GERRYMANDERING.

I MEAN, PUTTING ROSWELL AND ALBUQUERQUE -- SPLITTING ROSWELL INTO THREE DISTRICTS IS NUTS.

THEN SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE BRIAN EGOLF WAS PRETTY OPEN ABOUT WHAT HE INTENDED TO DO WITH REDISTRICTING IN 2021.

AND, LO AND BEHOLD, HE DID IT.

I TOOK A PRETTY ACTIVE ROLE IN EFFORTS TO ENACT INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING.

SO, THIS IS A CAUSE THAT'S NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART.

I SERVED ON THE INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE.

WE PUT FORWARD OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AN INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSION.

NEWLY REELECTED REPRESENTATIVE REBECCA DOW REALLY TOOK THAT FORWARD IN THE 11th HOUR.

LEGISLATION WAS PASSED TO ESTABLISH A COMMISSION, A LOT OF THE TEETH WERE TAKEN OUT SO THAT, OF COURSE, THE LEGISLATURE WOULD TAKE THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMISSION AND DO WHATEVER THEY WANTED.

THAT IS PRECISELY WHAT HAPPENED.

WHAT I THINK IS REALLY INTERESTING AND A GOOD EXAMPLE IS CONGRESSMAN VASQUEZ ALSO HAS TAKEN SOME PAINS TO TRY AND PLAY TO HIS DISTRICT.

I SHOULDN'T SAY THAT.

HE'S ACTUALLY, I THINK, TRYING TO REPRESENT HIS CONSTITUENTS.

ONE EXAMPLE WOULD BE WHERE YOU SEE SOME REALLY PROGRESSIVE LEGISLATION BEING TAKEN UP BY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE DELEGATION.

HE DIDN'T EVEN VOTE WHEN THERE WAS A RESOLUTION HONORING BILLIE JEAN KING.

HE FELT THAT WAS NOT GOING TO PLAY WITH HIS CONSTITUENTS.

SO, I THINK VASQUEZ IS LISTENING TO HIS CONSTITUENTS.

AND IN THIS DAY AND AGE, YOU SAY HE'S JUST DOING THAT TO BE REELECTED.

MAYBE HE'S TRYING TO BE SENSITIVE AND RESPECT WHAT HE THINKS IS IMPORTANT TO HIS CONSTITUENTS.

SO, HE IS PLAYING A LITTLE MORE CONSERVATIVE.

HE DOES TAKE A LESS PROGRESSIVE STANCE THAN, PERHAPS, OTHER MEMBERS OF THE DELEGATION.

I THINK THAT IS A SMART PLAY FOR VASQUEZ.

YOU KNOW, YVETTE HERRELL IS A FAMILY FRIEND.

SHE GOT HER START AS THE LEGISLATIVE AID FOR MY MOTHER, THE LATE REPRESENTATIVE DIANNE HAMILTON.

SO, I'VE CERTAINLY KNOWN FORMER CONGRESSWOMAN HERRELL FOR SOME YEARS, AND SHE IS A VERY TOUGH CAMPAIGNER.

SHE'S A VERY HARD WORKER.

AS SOON AS -- EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE LAWSUITS OVER THE GERRYMANDERING, THE INSTANT THAT DISTRICT WAS REDRAWN SHE WAS IN THE SOUTH VALLEY.

SHE WAS WORKING IT.

SO, I THINK SHE DID THE BEST SHE COULD WITH THE DISTRICT SHE WAS GIVEN.

I JUST THINK IT'S A REALLY TERRIBLY-ENVISIONED DISTRICT.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE REQUIREMENTS OF COMPACTNESS, OF ALL THE THINGS YOU WANT TO SEE IN REDISTRICTING, CD2 MEETS NONE OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS.

IT'S JUST NOT THERE.

IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN 2030, I THINK.

>> Lou: OKAY.

NOW, DAN, SENATOR HEINRICH, HE BEAT HIS REPUBLICAN CHALLENGER NELLA DOMENICI BY TEN POINTS.

IN A STORY OF YOURS THIS WEEK FOR THE JOURNAL, YOU QUOTED DOMENICI TELLING HER SUPPORTERS THAT THEY SHOULDN'T SEE THIS AS A LOSS BUT THE BEGINNING OF A MOVEMENT.

DID YOU SEE ANYTHING IN THAT RACE TO INDICATE THAT SHE'S RIGHT?

WHAT ELSE WERE YOUR TAKEAWAYS FROM THAT ONE?

>> Boyd: WELL, I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING.

SHE ENDED UP LOSING TO MARTIN HEINRICH BY ABOUT TEN POINTS, WHICH WAS A WIDER MARGIN THAN THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE.

THERE WAS SOME VOTERS OUT THERE WHO VOTED FOR DONALD FROM AND FOR MARTIN HEINRICH.

I HAVEN'T TALKED TO THEM YET, BUT I'D BE INTERESTED TO HEAR THAT PERSPECTIVE.

FOR ME, IT WAS INTERESTING TO SEE HOW AT FIRST SHE TRIED TO KEEP TRUMP AT AN ARM'S LENGTH A LITTLE BIT AND DECLINED TO SAY WHETHER SHE WOULD SUPPORT HIM.

AND IN THE FINAL WEEKS OF THE CAMPAIGN, KIND OF FULLY BOUGHT INTO THAT, SPOKE AT THE TRUMP RALLY, AND SAID SHE WOULD VOTE FOR HIM.

BUT I WONDER IF THAT INITIAL RELUCTANCE MAYBE, YOU KNOW, COOLED THE SUPPORT OF SOME TRUMP VOTERS WHO MIGHT HAVE VOTED FOR HER.

ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, THE RACE THIS YEAR WAS ACTUALLY A BIGGER MARGIN THAN FOUR YEARS AGO WITH MARK RONCHETTI AND BEN RAY LUJAN.

SO, I THINK REPUBLICANS CAN TAKE A LOT OF POSITIVES FROM THIS YEAR'S RESULT, BUT I THINK IN THE SENATE RACE, YOU KNOW, CLEARLY THERE'S MORE WORK TO DO AND REPUBLICANS STILL HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO WIN STATEWIDE IN THE LAST SEVERAL STATEWIDE CYCLES.

>> Lou: YEAH.

NOW, AFTER HIS WIN, HEINRICH TOLD KRQE'S GABRIELLE BURKHART THAT HIS TOP PRIORITY HEADING TO WASHINGTON WAS A SPENDING BILL, SPECIFICALLY, ONE THAT SECURES FUNDING FOR OUR NATIONAL LABS.

JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, HE SAT FOR A 22-MINUTE INTERVIEW ON OUR AIR WITH GWYNETH DOLAND.

THEY TALKED ABOUT THINGS LIKE CRIME, FENTANYL, ABORTION, HOUSING.

WE DIDN'T GET THE IMPRESSION THAT LAB FUNDING WAS HIS TOP PRIORITY, OR HIS DAY-ONE FOCUS FOR THAT MATTER.

ERIC, DOES THE FACT THAT WE NOW HAVE A REPUBLICAN SENATE, EXECUTIVE, AND POSSIBLY HOUSE CHANGE THE PRIORITIES OF THE PEOPLE THAT OUR STATE ELECTED TO REPRESENT US?

>> Griego: I DON'T THINK IT CHANGES THE PRIORITIES.

IT CERTAINLY IS GOING TO MAKE THEIR JOB MUCH TOUGHER.

IT'S RARE THAT YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE HOUSE, SENATE, AND THE WHITE HOUSE IN THE SAME HANDS.

WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN, THAT'S WHEN -- TO THE EXTENT OUR SYSTEM ALLOWS MAJOR POLICY CHANGE, THAT'S WHEN YOU SEE IT.

CERTAINLY, WHEN YOU HAVE A PRESIDENT-ELECT WHO'S AS, I SHOULD SAY, MOTIVATED TO MAKE MAJOR CHANGES AS FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID HE WANTS TO, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH.

SO, I THINK EVEN THOUGH THE MARGIN IS GOING TO BE CLOSE, WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THE HOUSE IS GOING TO BE, IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY TOUGH AND IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF DEFENSE FOR SENATOR HEINRICH AND SENATOR LUJAN.

I THINK I DON'T EXPECT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO COME AFTER THE LABS.

IT'S BEEN ONE OF THE AREAS WHERE THERE'S BEEN PRETTY BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.

HOWEVER, I THINK EARLIER IN HIS CAREER SENATOR HEINRICH WAS PUSHING FOR MUCH MORE DIVERSE MISSION FOR THE LABS, ESPECIALLY SANDIA, MUCH MORE ON THE RENEWABLE SIDE.

I THINK THAT MIGHT BE THE ONE AREA WHERE, POTENTIALLY, GIVEN WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS SAID ABOUT HIS VIEWS ON RENEWABLE ENERGY AND THE GREEN ECONOMY, THAT SOME OF THE FUNDING THERE MAY SHIFT MORE INTO THE NUCLEAR SIDE -- THE NUCLEAR STOCKPILE, STEWARDSHIP, AND ALL THE OTHER MISSIONS THEY HAVE THERE.

YOU THINK, IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH FOR HEINRICH AND LUJAN AND FOR THE WHOLE DELEGATION BECAUSE NOW IT'S LOOKING LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN THE MINORITY IN BOTH HOUSES, AND THEY DON'T HAVE A PRESIDENT THAT REALLY SEES THE WORLD THEY WAY THEY SEE IT.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF TIME ON DEFENSE AND TRYING TO JUST KEEP REALLY BAD THINGS, IN THEIR VIEW, FROM HAPPENING POLITICALLY.

IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME THEY'VE BEEN IN THIS SITUATION IN TERMS OF HAVING TO WORK WITH THIS PRESIDENT AND BEING IN THE MINORITY, BUT THE ALIGNMENT THAT I DON'T THINK MOST OF US SAW COMING, WHICH IS A PRETTY STRONG RESULT FOR PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP, PICKING UP MORE SEATS THAN I THINK SOME OF US EXPECTED IN BOTH THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE.

TIMES ARE GOING TO BE TOUGH FOR THE DEMOCRATS IN THE SENATE AND IN THE HOUSE.

>> Lou: OKAY.

I KNOW THERE WERE SOME CONCERN FOR DEMOCRATS HERE IN NEW MEXICO WATCHING TOTALS COME IN TUESDAY NIGHT AFTER DELAYS IN BERNALILLO COUNTY THAT MADE THINGS LOOK LIKE REPUBLICAN STEVE JONES HAD A REAL SHOT OF TAKING DOWN MELANIE STANSBURY.

THAT ENDED UP NOT BEING THE CASE WITH THE FINAL RESULTS ONCE THOSE CAME IN.

MERRITT, WHAT DID YOU SEE IN THE OTHER TWO CONGRESSIONAL RACES THAT BOTH ENDED UP AS 12-POINT WINS FOR DEMOCRATS?

>> Allen: WELL, I WAS COVERING ELECTION NIGHT ON KKOB WITH TJ TROUT, SO WE DID NOTE THAT.

I WAS REALLY STRUCK, AS A RESIDENT OF CD1, BY STEVE JONES RACE.

OF COURSE, THAT WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE WE HAD SOMEBODY FROM RUIDOSO RUNNING FOR IN CD1.

HE WAS A VERY, I THOUGHT, BERNALILLO COUNTY-FRIENDLY REPUBLICAN.

VERY MODERATE.

I THINK HE RAN A VERY SMART RACE.

I WAS STRUCK BY THE CORDIALITY OF HIS CONCESSION SPEECH.

I THINK HE WAS A VERY GOOD CANDIDATE.

I ALSO -- THE CD3 RACE, THAT WAS TOUGH BECAUSE I'M SUCH A FAN OF SHARON CLAHCHISCHILLIAGE.

SHE WAS SUCH A GREAT LEGISLATOR.

SHE HAS SO MUCH GOOD TO SAY, AND IF YOU LOOKED AT HER CAMPAIGN WAR CHEST, I DON'T THINK SHE GOT OVER $100,000 COMPARED WITH THE DEMOCRATIC INCUMBENT.

10%, PERHAPS.

AND THE FACT THAT SHE GOT 44% OF THE VOTE WITH SO LITTLE FUNDING, ALL THROUGH HARD WORK AND BRINGING REAL ISSUES TO THE TABLE, I THOUGHT SHE HAD A TREMENDOUS FINISH.

AND THOSE TWO RACES WERE JUST NOT REALLY WELL-SUPPORTED, I FEEL, BY RPNM.

IT ALL WENT TO CD2.

THAT WAS THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERED.

I THOUGHT IT WAS A REAL SHAME THAT THE SUPPORT WASN'T SPREAD AROUND STATEWIDE.

AND I THINK THAT'S THE PROBLEM.

I THINK THAT'S ONE REASON WHY YOU SEE THE ENTIRE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION, ALL THE STATEWIDE RACES, GOING TO DEMOCRATS IN A STATE WHERE JUST OVER TWO-FIFTHS OF VOTERS ARE REGISTERED IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

THAT DOES NOT, TO ME, LOOK LIKE ONE PERSON, ONE VOTE.

I THINK IT REALLY IS UP TO REPUBLICANS TO LOOK AT THAT AND REALLY FOCUS, TRULY FOCUS, THEIR PRIORITIES STATEWIDE IN THE FUTURE.

>> Lou: NOW, DAN, I WANT TO END WITH YOU HERE.

WE ONLY HAVE A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN A MINUTE.

THIS WAS THE BEST ELECTION SHOWING FOR A REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE SINCE GEORGE W. BUSH WON NEW MEXICO IN 2004.

TRUMP MADE GAINS OVER 2020 IN 30 OF 33 COUNTIES HERE.

WHAT'S BEHIND THAT SHIFT?

>> Boyd: YEAH, I THINK, CLEARLY, DONALD TRUMP WAS ABLE TO TAP INTO SOME VOTER SENTIMENT, EVEN IN SOME PARTS OF NEW MEXICO WITH LARGE HISPANIC POPULATIONS AND NATIVE-AMERICAN POPULATIONS AND MAKE SOME INROADS THAT REPUBLICANS, FRANKLY, HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO IN PAST YEARS.

OBVIOUSLY, HE WASN'T ABLE TO WIN THE STATE LIKE HE SAID HE WAS GOING TO WHEN HE CAME, BUT HE DID MAKE IT MUCH CLOSER THAN WE'VE SEEN IN RECENT YEARS.

I THINK THE QUESTION GOING FORWARD WAS WHETHER THAT'S A FLASH IN THE PAN OR JUST DUE TO SOME OF THE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS, OR WHETHER THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, REPUBLICANS CAN TAP INTO GOING FORWARD.

>> Lou: OKAY.

ONE NOTE FOR OUR VIEWERS AS WE MOVE ON HERE.

HEINRICH EARNED 3,000 MORE VOTES THAN HARRIS IN BERNALILLO COUNTY.

THAT WAS JUST AN INTERESTING TIDBIT THAT WE FOUND.

THANK YOU, ALL.

WE'LL BE BACK HERE IN LESS THAN A MINUTE TO TALK ABOUT THE STATE'S LEGISLATIVE RACES, INCLUDING A RAISER-THIN ONE IN SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO.

>> Allen: BERNALILLO COUNTY HAS BEEN PRETTY SOLIDLY BLUE FOR SEVERAL CYCLES NOW.

I THINK THAT'S A REAL SHAME.

I THINK WE NEED TO HEAR OTHER VOICES IN BERNALILLO COUNTY.

AND HOW WE BREAK THIS LOCK, THIS CHOKEHOLD, WE SEE IT IN MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT.

WE HAVE A CONSERVATIVE MAJORITY ON THE CITY COUNCIL.

I DON'T KNOW HOW WE BREAK THROUGH AND GET THE RIGHT VOICES IN.

>> Lou: WELCOME BACK, EVERYONE.

LET'S FOCUS ON HOW THE STATE'S LEGISLATIVE RACES SHOOK OUT.

ALTHOUGH PARTS OF THIS STATE DID FLIP FROM BLUE TO RED, NEW MEXICO'S HOUSE AND SENATE REMAIN DEMOCRATIC STRONGHOLDS.

WE'LL GET TO SPECIFIC RACES IN JUST A SECOND.

BUT FIRST, MERRITT, HOW ARE STATE REPUBLICANS FEELING THIS WEEK AFTER SOME SLIGHT GAINS?

>> Allen: WELL, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, I GREW UP IN GRANT COUNTY, SO I'M GOING TO START THERE.

I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR SENATOR GABE RAMOS, NEWLY ELECTED SENATOR GABE RAMOS, WITH WHOM I WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL.

I'M JUST GOING TO NAME-DROP.

TAKING SIAH CORREA HEMPHILL'S SEAT.

SHE OPTED TO NOT RUN.

SO, HE WON THAT OPEN SEAT.

I THINK THAT'S GOOD NEWS FOR THE MINING DISTRICT.

HE'LL BE JOINING LUIS TERRAZAS, WHO HAD A TOUGH RACE.

WINNING IN DISTRICT 39.

REBECCA DOW, THAT WAS A CRAZY RACE.

$800,000 RACE IN A LEGISLATIVE RACE, FOR A TWO-YEAR VOLUNTEER JOB -- THAT WAS -- I THINK THE MONEY WE SAW IN SOME OF THESE LEGISLATIVE RACES WAS TREMENDOUS.

I RECOMMEND VIEWERS GO LOOK AT "NEW MEXICO IN DEPTH".

THERE'S A GREAT PIECE BY PETER ST. CYR ON WHERE SOME OF THE PAC MONEY WENT AND HOW IT PLAYED OUT IN THESE RACES.

WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO TALK ABOUT IT HERE, BUT DO CHECK OUT "NEW MEXICO IN DEPTH".

REBECCA DOW, TOUGH RACE WITH TARA JARAMILLO WHO WON THAT SEAT AFTER REDISTRICTING, AND AFTER REBECCA DOW LEFT THE LEGISLATURE TO RUN FOR GOVERNOR.

THAT'S A VERY CHANGED DISTRICT, AND DEFINITELY AN UPHILL CHALLENGE FOR DOW TO WIN.

IT WAS A TIGHT RACE.

THE SOUTHWEST STAYING RED.

JENIFER JONES, WHO TOOK OVER DONA IRWIN'S OLD SEAT THAT WAS BLUE, ALTHOUGH CONSERVATIVE BLUE, WITH JOHN ARTHUR SMITH.

THEY SERVED TOGETHER FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

JENIFER JONES HELD ON TO THAT SEAT VERY, VERY FIRMLY.

SO, WHERE THE MINING DISTRICTS, SOUTHWESTERN NEW MEXICO HAD BEEN DEMOCRAT FOR SO MANY DECADES LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE SOLIDLY RED FOR THE FUTURE.

SO, I FOUND THAT VERY, VERY INTERESTING.

YOU KNOW, SOME TIGHT, TIGHT RACES COMING OUT OTHERWISE.

I THINK THE ONE THAT WAS GOING TO A RECOUNT MAYBE DID NOT.

I THOUGHT THE HAMBLEN WAS GOING TO GO TO A RECOUNT.

IT DID NOT.

THE MAIN THING IS EVERYONE THOUGHT THE REPUBLICANS MIGHT BE DONE, THERE MIGHT BE THE SUPER-MAJORITY.

IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

IT LOOKED GOOD FOR THE REPUBLICANS.

>> Lou: NOW, QUICKLY, MERRITT, I WANT TO ALSO ASK YOU, DOES THIS CHANGE REPUBLICANS' POLICY CALCULUS AT ALL HEADING INTO THE 60-DAY SESSION, NOW THAT THERE'S NOT A SUPERMAJORITY AND THEY DID A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN MAYBE SOME PEOPLE EXPECTED?

>> Allen: WELL, WATCHING THE LEGISLATURE, AND PARTICULARLY I THINK WITH DOW BACK IN, SHE'S VERY GOOD AT MANAGING DEALS ACROSS THE AISLE AND BUILDING COALITIONS WITH PRO-BUSINESS DEMOCRATS.

THAT'S BEEN A TACTIC OF REPUBLICANS FOR SEVERAL SESSIONS NOW.

I THINK WE WILL SEE MORE OF THAT DEAL-MAKING.

ESPECIALLY THINGS LIKE PAID SICK LEAVE.

SOME OF THESE OTHER MORE PROGRESSIVE ISSUES, THE REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TEAM WITH THE PRO-BUSINESS DEMOCRATS AND STOP SOME OF THESE POLICY ISSUES.

I THINK WE'LL SEE MORE OF THAT.

>> Lou: OKAY.

THIS WAS THE FIRST STATE SENATE ELECTION SINCE NEW MEXICO'S REDISTRICTING.

DEMOCRATS REDREW THE LINES IN 2021.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT.

DAN, DID YOU SEE ANY EXAMPLES OF THAT SHAKE-UP INFLUENCING WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES?

>> Boyd: YEAH, WE SAW SOME OF DISTRICT 12, FOR EXAMPLE, WAS JERRY ORTIZ Y PINO'S SEAT FOR A LONG TIME.

HE ANNOUNCED HE WASN'T RUNNING FOR REELECTION THIS YEAR.

THAT SEAT GOT CHOPPED UP AND MOVED TO A TOTALLY DIFFERENT PART OF ALBUQUERQUE AND ACTUALLY INTO SANDOVAL COUNTY AS WELL.

WE SAW JAY BLOCK, A REPUBLICAN, WIN THAT SEAT.

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN, SENATE DISTRICT 30 HAD BEEN A REPUBLICAN SEAT DOWN IN VALENCIA COUNTY AREA, AND THEY ENDED UP PUTTING TWO INCUMBENT REPUBLICANS IN THE SAME DISTRICT, DISTRICT 29, AND THE DEMOCRATS THEN WON THAT DISTRICT SEAT.

ANGEL CHARLEY IS THE CANDIDATE WHO WON.

SO, IN THE END, SOME SHUFFLING AND SHIFTING A COUPLE OF THESE SEATS, BUT IN THE END REPUBLICANS ONLY PICKING UP ONE SEAT IN THE SENATE, THAT'S THE GABE RAMOS SEAT THAT MERRITT MENTIONED.

SOME INTERESTING CHANGES AND A LOT OF NEW FACES BECAUSE OF FOLKS WHO DIDN'T RUN FOR REELECTION.

IN THE END, I DON'T THINK THE POLITICAL CALCULUS IN THE SENATE IS GOING TO BE THAT DIFFERENT THAN IT WAS.

>> Lou: OKAY.

NOW, ERIC, I WANT TO ASK ABOUT HOUSE DISTRICT 53.

THAT'S INCREDIBLY CLOSE STILL.

THE DEMOCRAT SARA SILVA LEADS REPUBLICAN ELIZABETH LEE WINTERROWD RIGHT NOW.

133 VOTES, AS OF THURSDAY MORNING WHEN WE'RE RECORDING THIS.

WHAT DOES THAT RACE TELL ABOUT THAT DISTRICT, THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE STATE SPECIFICALLY?

>> Griego: IT'S A LITTLE BIT CONTRADICTORY.

WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT GABE VASQUEZ AND HOW WELL THINGS WENT FOR HIM, AND MOST OF THE DEMOCRATS DID OKAY.

I THINK CARRIE HAMBLEN -- SENATOR CARRIE HAMBLEN'S RACE WAS LOT CLOSER THAN A LOT OF FOLKS THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE.

THERE IS DEFINITELY SOME OF THE OVERPERFORMANCE OF TRUMP VOTERS, REPUBLICAN VOTERS PROBABLY HAS LOT TO DO WITH THAT.

YOU KNOW, SARAH, AS YOU ALL KNOW IN THAT RACE, IT WAS A CLOSE RACE IN THE PAST BUT WHEN JON HILL WON THE PRIMARY AND THEN, SADLY, GOT ILL AND PASSED AWAY.

SHE, NOT UNLIKE WHAT HAPPENED WITH VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS, GOT SORT OF INTO THE RACE VERY, VERY LATE.

SHE WAS WELL-KNOWN AND WELL-RESPECTED.

SHE HAD BEEN ACTIVE IN THE NONPROFIT COMMUNITY DOWN THERE, AND KNEW A LOT OF THE ELECTEDS AND WAS A VERY STRONG CANDIDATE.

BUT I THINK MOST FOLKS THOUGHT IT WAS NOT GOING TO BE THIS CLOSE.

CERTAINLY, I DIDN'T THINK, EVEN THOUGH THE NUMBERS MIGHT LEAD YOU TO BELIEVE OTHERWISE.

I THINK SHE'S GOING TO BE OKAY.

I HOPE SO.

SHE'S A STRONG, REALLY INDEPENDENT, SMART AND BEEN ACTIVE IN LOCAL ISSUES AND PRETTY WELL-RESPECTED BY ELECTED OFFICIALS.

I THINK SHE'LL WORK WELL WITH THE REST OF THE DONA ANA COUNTY, SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO HOUSE AND SENATE DELEGATION.

>> Lou: OKAY.

NOW, DAN, THE JOURNAL RECENTLY PUBLISHED A STORY -- MEGAN GLEASON WITH THE JOURNAL, ACKNOWLEDGING THIS IS FIRST-EVER FEMALE-MAJORITY LEGISLATURE IN NEW MEXICO HISTORY.

HOW DID THAT COME TO BE?

WHAT WILL THAT PERSPECTIVE MEAN FOR WHAT WE WILL SEE OUT OF THE ROUNDHOUSE IN A 60-DAY?

>> Boyd: YEAH, I THINK THAT WAS INTERESTING.

WE'VE BEEN SEEING IT SHIFT MORE THAT WAY, ESPECIALLY IN THE HOUSE.

BUT NOW MORE SO IN THE SENATE AS WELL.

IN THE HOUSE, WE CRUNCHED THE NUMBERS AND 44 OUT OF THE 70 SEATS WILL BE WOMEN COME JANUARY, WHICH MOST OF THEM DEMOCRATS, BUT ALSO SOME REPUBLICANS.

I THINK THAT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THAT TRANSLATES WHEN COMES TO ISSUES LIKE PAID LEAVE, THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT ALSO WITH THE GOVERNOR STILL GOING TO BE AROUND AND HER FOCUS ON CRIME BILLS AND HOW THAT -- THE RECEPTION THOSE GET IN THE LEGISLATURE, ESPECIALLY IN THAT MORE PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS THAT HAVE BEEN RESISTANT TO THAT CRIME-FOCUSED AGENDA IN THE PAST.

AND WHETHER THAT MAYBE SHIFTS A LITTLE BIT, OR WHETHER THEY CAN FIND SOME COMMON GROUND, ESPECIALLY GIVEN A COUPLE OF THE REPUBLICAN SEAT PICKUPS.

I THINK WE'LL SEE HOW THAT FEMALE MAJORITY AT THE ROUNDHOUSE TRANSLATES INTO POLICY.

CERTAINLY, I THINK IT WILL BE A DIFFERENT FEEL AT THE ROUNDHOUSE.

NOT AS MUCH OF THE, YOU KNOW, OLD BOYS CLUB WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST.

>> Lou: NOW, REPRESENTATIVE NATHAN SMALL, HE'S EXPECTED TO KEEP HIS SEAT IN HOUSE DISTRICT 36.

SMALL IS A MEMBER OF THE NONPROFIT ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATION NEW MEXICO WILDERNESS ALLIANCE.

ERIC, HOW WILL ELECTED OFFICIALS LIKE SMALL NAVIGATE PUSHING FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS FOR THIS STATE, ON A STATEWIDE LEVEL, WHEN THEY'RE UP AGAINST THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT POISED TO SLASH THE EPA AND ELIMINATE QUITE A FEW ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS IN THE PROCESS?

>> Griego: IT'S GOING TO BE AN INTERESTING DILEMMA.

THERE'S A PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL PHILOSOPHICAL DIFFERENCE NOW BETWEEN WHAT PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP HAS BEEN SAYING ABOUT DRILL, BABY, DRILL.

AND REALLY NOT THAT INTERESTED IN THE DIVERSIFICATION THAT MERRITT WAS TALKING ABOUT.

TO REALLY TRANSITION INTO A MUCH MORE DIVERSE ENERGY ECONOMY, WE HAVE TO MAKE MAJOR INVESTMENTS, THE KIND THAT WE SAW IN THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT.

I JUST DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HEAR.

ON THE REGULATORY SIDE, THE EPA IS PRIMARILY A REGULATORY ENTITY.

ALTHOUGH IT WAS CREATED BY RICHARD NIXON, IT'S THE EPITOME OF REGULATING INDUSTRY.

THAT'S WHAT THEY DO.

I THINK THAT WHAT IT MEANS FOR NEW MEXICO IS THAT, LIKE OTHER ISSUES, IT'S GOING TO FALL TO STATE LEADERS TO TRY TO -- WHATEVER JURISDICTION, OR WHATEVER AUTHORITY THEY HAVE, TAKE THE BALL AND MAKE SURE WE'RE PROTECTING NEW MEXICO'S ENVIRONMENT.

AND, YOU KNOW, TRY TO DIVERSIFY THE ECONOMY LOCALLY.

HAVING SAID THAT, A LOT OF MONEY WAS COMING TO NEW MEXICO OUT OF THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT AND D.O.E.

AND THESE GREEN PROJECTS.

WE'VE HAD SEVERAL SOLAR PROJECTS AND BATTERY STORAGE PROJECTS.

I JUST DON'T KNOW WHETHER THOSE ARE GOING TO HAVE THE SUPPORT COMING OUT OF WASHINGTON.

PRESIDENT TRUMP DOESN'T REALLY SUPPORT THOSE AS MUCH AS THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION, OR VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO MEAN FOR FOLKS LIKE NATHAN SMALL AND OTHER FOLKS WHO HAVE AN ENVIRONMENTAL AND CONSERVATION ETHIC IS THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REALLY USE WHATEVER POWER, RESOURCES, AND JURISDICTION THEY HAVE AS STATE LEADERS, AS STATE LEGISLATORS, TO TRY TO PROTECT NEW MEXICO'S ENVIRONMENT.

AND IT'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT OF AN EVERY-STATE-FOR-ITSELF AT THIS POINT.

HOPEFULLY, WE CAN BE A LEADER -- CONTINUE TO BE A LEADER BECAUSE WE ARE.

EVEN THOUGH THE GOVERNOR'S EMBRACED OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY MUCH MORE THAN SHE DID EARLY IN HER CAREER, I THINK FOLKS LIKE NATHAN SMALL AND OTHERS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO REALLY SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO AT THE STATE LEVEL TO PROTECT AT LEAST OUR STATE.

>> Lou: OKAY.

MERRITT, I WANT TO ASK YOU A VERY SIMILAR QUESTION.

HOW WILL REPUBLICANS FIT INTO THAT DYNAMIC IF THE STATE LEGISLATURE DOES BECOME SORT OF A PROTECTED BODY FROM MUCH MORE CONSERVATIVE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RIGHT NOW?

>> Allen: WELL, THE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS HAS ALWAYS BEEN FIRMLY ON THE SIDE OF THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY.

THAT SAID, THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY DOES NOT ALWAYS FIGHT ENVIRONMENTAL LIMITATIONS.

BECAUSE OFTENTIMES WITH CLEAN ENERGY LEGISLATION THERE IS CLEAN ENERGY FUNDING TO MAKE THE INDUSTRY CLEANER.

SO, AT TIMES, WHEN THE LARGE PRODUCERS OF OIL AND GAS ARE SAYING, YES, WE WELCOME THIS, THIS WILL BRING BETTER PROCESSES INTO THE INDUSTRY AND WE EMBRACE THIS, SOMETIMES THE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS DOESN'T QUITE MESH WITH THAT.

SO, THAT WILL BE AN INTERESTING DYNAMIC TO WATCH.

WHAT I'VE SEEN, IN OBSERVING THIS IN THE LEGISLATURE, IS NEW MEXICO IS GOING TO DO WHAT NEW MEXICO WANTS TO DO.

WHAT'S ALSO CLEAR IS THIS ADMINISTRATION IS GOING TO DO WHAT IT WANTS TO DO.

AND IT'S GOING TO BE UP TO THE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS TO FRAME ITS AGENDA IN A WAY THAT IT CAN PUT SOME WINS ACROSS, AND THAT WILL HAVE TO BE THROUGH COALITION BUILDING.

SO IT WILL HAVE TO DETERMINE WHAT'S IMPORTANT FOR THEM, WHAT ARE WINS THEY CAN PUT ACROSS TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS, AND HOW DO THEY FRAME THEM IN A WAY THAT THEY CAN GET CONSENSUS FROM AT LEAST SOME MEMBERS OF THE OTHER CAUCUS TO PUSH SOMETHING ACROSS.

>> Lou: THANK YOU, ALL, AGAIN.

WE'LL WRAP THINGS UP JUST FOR THIS SEGMENT.

WE'LL BE BACK FOR ONE MORE IN JUST A LITTLE OVER TEN MINUTES.

>> Jeff: STARTING ELECTION DAY MORNING, VOTERS IN MORA, RIO ARRIBA, SANDOVAL, AND BERNALILLO COUNTIES EXPERIENCED SEVERAL DELAYS.

THIS WAS THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION WITH SAME-DAY REGISTRATION, AND WITH THAT CAME HOUR-LONG LINES.

IN MY INTERVIEW WITH SECRETARY OF STATE MAGGIE TOULOUSE OLIVER, I ASK WHAT HER OFFICE LEARNED FROM THIS NEW PROGRAM'S ROLLOUT, AND WHY SHE STILL BELIEVES IN HER JOB IN THE CURRENT POLITICAL CLIMATE.

>> Jeff: MAGGIE, THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME AND WELCOME BACK TO NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS.

>> Oliver: THANKS FOR HAVING ME, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE DEALING WITH ALL THESE TECHNOLOGICAL CHALLENGES.

>> Jeff: INDEED.

BUT WE'RE MAKING IT WORK, THAT'S THE THEME OF THIS CONVERSATION.

>> Oliver: YES.

>> Jeff: SO, I'M NOT GOING TO ASK YOU, MAGGIE, IF THIS WAS A SAFE AND SECURE ELECTION BECAUSE I ALREADY KNOW IT WAS.

FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE AS THE PERSON WHO ADMINISTERED IT, WHAT WERE YOUR TWO OR THREE BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS THIS TIME?

>> Oliver: IT'S INTERESTING TO ME THAT MORE PEOPLE TURNED OUT DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC, OR AT LEAST WHILE WE WERE IN LOCKDOWN MODE OF THAT PHASE.

I THINK EVERYONE KNOWS COVID IS STILL HANGING AROUND, UNFORTUNATELY.

AND, YOU KNOW, THAT TO ME, YOU KNOW, AS SOMEBODY WHO'S RUN ELECTIONS FOR 18 YEARS AND SOMEBODY WHO HAS BEEN IN THE POLITICAL SPHERE SINCE I GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL, THAT WAS WASN'T THE FEELING THAT I GOT, RIGHT?

>> Jeff: SAME.

>> Oliver: YEAH.

SO, THAT WAS INTERESTING TO ME.

JUST A LOT OF PEOPLE SAT THIS ONE OUT, AND WE ALSO DID HAVE GREAT TURNOUT GENERALLY.

I THINK OVER THE LAST SEVERAL ELECTIONS MORE PEOPLE ARE PARTICIPATING, ESPECIALLY DURING THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

AND THAT'S ALWAYS GOOD.

OF COURSE, WE WISH, YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME TO BUILD UPON THE LAST TIME.

AND THE OTHER THING I NOTICED IS THAT PEOPLE REALLY WAITED THIS YEAR, WHICH WAS ALSO SURPRISING TO ME.

BECAUSE DURING A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION USUALLY VOTERS KNOW HOW THEY'RE GOING TO VOTE, THEY'RE READY TO GO, THEY'RE SICK AND TIRED, THEY WANT TO GET TAKEN OFF THE LIST, THEY DON'T WANT TO GET ANY MORE PHONE CALLS OR DOOR-KNOCKS.

AND THOUGH WE STILL DID HAVE A LOT OF EARLY VOTING TURNOUT, WE HAD A HUGE ELECTION DAY TURNOUT.

AND THAT IS MORE IN LINE WITH WHAT WE SEE IN THE MIDTERM ELECTION ON ELECTION DAY, WHEN PEOPLE DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO YET.

>> Jeff: YEAH, YOU CAN COUNT ME AMONG THOSE ELECTION DAY VOTERS.

I'VE BEEN DOING THAT SINCE '92.

SPEAKING OF ELECTION DAY, I WANT TO DIG A LITTLE BIT ON SAME-DAY REGISTRATION.

HOW MANY PEOPLE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THAT NEW OPTION THIS CYCLE?

>> Oliver: ACTUALLY, WE'RE STILL TRYING TO PROCESS THOSE NUMBERS.

WE KNOW THAT TOWARD THE END OF THE DAY ON ELECTION DAY OVER 8,000 ON ELECTION DAY ALONE AT THAT POINT HAD ALREADY TAKEN ADVANTAGE.

IT WAS SO MANY THAT IT LITERALLY CRASHED OUR SYSTEM.

WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE SYSTEM BACK UP, BUT THAT POINT COUNTY CLERKS AND THEIR TEAMS WERE ALREADY SO OVERWHELMED THAT THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO KEEP UP, WHICH IS TOTALLY UNDERSTANDABLE.

WE STARTED REGISTERING FOLKS ON PAPER, WHICH IS DEFINITELY PART OF THE PROCESS.

IT'S PROVIDED FOR IN LAW AND RULE, BUT WE'RE STILL -- OUR COUNTY CLERKS ARE STILL GOING THROUGH THOSE AND PROCESSING THEM AND ADDING THEM.

SO, IF I HAD TO GUESS, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OVER 10,000 ELECTION DAY SAME-DAY REGISTRATIONS ALONE.

>> Jeff: DO WE HAVE A SENSE OF AFFILIATION SPLIT ON THE SAME-DAY REGISTRATIONS?

>> Oliver: DURING EARLY VOTING, REPUBLICANS WERE DEFINITELY TAKING ADVANTAGE MORE THAN DEMOCRATS.

WE SAW THAT ACTUALLY THE FIRST TIME WE EVER IMPLEMENTED SAME-DAY REGISTRATION, THE FIRST ELECTION IN 2022.

A LOT OF THAT CAME FROM, YOU KNOW, THE SOUTHEASTERN PART OF THE STATE WHERE WE HAVE FOLKS THAT ARE COMING AND LIVING HERE, BUT THEY'RE WORKING IN THE OIL FIELDS, AND THEY'RE WORKING IN POTASH AND ALL THESE AREAS.

SO, WE DO HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT HOME IN TEXAS OR OKLAHOMA OR KANSAS.

THEY'RE HERE, THEY'RE WORKING, SO THIS IS WHERE THEY'RE VOTING.

AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, I'LL ME INTERESTED TO SEE THE GEOGRAPHICS ONCE WE HAVE A CHANCE TO ANALYZE WHERE EVERYBODY CAME FROM THIS TIME.

>> Jeff: ME TOO.

JUST AS A CONCEPT, MAGGIE, WHY DO YOU THINK SAME-DAY REGISTRATION IS IMPORTANT FOR THE LARGER MOSAIC OF OUR ELECTIONS?

>> Oliver: WELL, YOU KNOW, I JUST AM AND ALWAYS HAVE BEEN A HUGE BELIEVER IN HAVING THE BIGGEST PARTICIPATION POSSIBLE.

BECAUSE WHEN PEOPLE OF ALL BACKGROUNDS, AGES, COLORS, ECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS, COME TOGETHER AND HAVE THEIR VOICE MADE, REGISTERED AT THE POLLS, THEN WE ELECT LEADERS THAT LOOK AND FEEL MORE LIKE US AS A PEOPLE.

IT'S MORE REPRESENTATIVE.

SO, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE -- 28 DAYS BEFORE AN ELECTION, WHICH IS THE QUOTE-UNQUOTE REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS REALLY ARBITRARY.

AND PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY YOUNGER PEOPLE, OR PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T PARTICIPATED BEFORE, THEY DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW THAT, RIGHT?

>> Jeff: RIGHT.

>> Oliver: SO, WE JUST REALLY NEED TO PROVIDE THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS TO MAKE SURE THEY CAN STILL PARTICIPATE EVEN IF THEIR DAILY LIVES AND WHAT THEY KNOW ABOUT THE VOTING PROCESS DIDN'T ALIGN WITH MEETING A PARTICULAR ARBITRARY DEADLINE.

>> Jeff: 28 DAYS, SO ARBITRARY.

>> Oliver: YES.

>> Jeff: I WANT TO ASK YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUNG PEOPLE, MAGGIE.

I WAS CHATTING WITH A FRIEND THE OTHER DAY WHO DIDN'T REALIZE 16-YEAR-OLDS COULD BE POLL WORKERS.

HOW DOES YOUR OFFICE WORK TO MAKE SURE YOUNG PEOPLE DON'T JUST FEEL EMPOWERED, BUT THEY ACTUALLY ARE EMPOWERED IN THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS?

>> Oliver: ABSOLUTELY.

SO, TOGETHER WITH MANY FELLOW COUNTY CLERKS AND SENATOR STEINBORN FROM LAS CRUCES WHO WAS THE SPONSOR, WE PASSED THAT BILL SEVERAL YEARS AGO.

AND TO YOUR POINT, THE GOAL WAS, LOOK YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO VOTE YET, YOU MAY NOT ME OLD ENOUGH TO VOTE YET, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN'T HAVE A MEANINGFUL ROLE IN THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS AND IN CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.

AND, IMPORTANTLY, I THINK ONE OF THE CHALLENGES FOR YOUNGER FOLKS IS IF THEY'VE NEVER VOTED BEFORE, THE PROCESS CAN SEEM A LITTLE ARCANE.

IT CAN SEEN LIKE I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

WE WANT TO DEMYSTIFY THE PROCESS.

IF YOU WORK AS A POLL WORKER, YOU GET TO ALREADY LEARN THE PROCESS BEFORE IT'S YOUR CHANCE TO VOTE.

AND WE THINK THAT THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

YOUNG PEOPLE ARE REAL SMART, THEY'RE REALLY TALENTED WITH THE TECHNOLOGICAL PIECE OF THE ELECTION PROCESS.

THEY MAKE INCREDIBLY GREAT TEAMMATES WITH THEIR OLDER POLL WORKER COLLEAGUES.

AND THEN WE GET THEM AUTOMATICALLY REGISTERED, SO BY THE TIME THEY DO TURN 18, THEY WILL AUTOMATICALLY BECOME VOTERS THEMSELVES.

>> Jeff: YEAH, YOU'RE MAKING NEW VOTERS LIKE A FACTORY ASSEMBLY LINE KIND OF THING.

>> Oliver: I WISH IT WERE THAT SIMPLE.

>> Jeff: INDEED.

SO, WE'VE GOT A COUPLE MINUTES LEFT, MAGGIE, AND I WANT TO ASK ABOUT YOU.

WHAT IS YOUR MOTIVATION TO CONTINUE DOING THIS WORK, PARTICULARLY IN THIS POLITICAL CLIMATE?

>> Oliver: YEAH, THANK YOU, JEFF.

IT'S REALLY HARD.

IT HAS BEEN HARD ALWAYS.

I MEAN, THIS IS INCREDIBLY STRESSFUL, INCREDIBLY TIME-CONSUMER WORK.

I FOUND MY CALLING WHEN I BECAME COUNTY CLERK OF BERNALILLO COUNTY.

I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING MORE MEANINGFUL THAT I CAN BE DOING THAN MAKING SURE THAT THE WHEELS OF DEMOCRACY CONTINUE TO TURN.

YES, I'M A MEMBER OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, BUT I ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY I'M A SMALL D DEMOCRAT TOO BECAUSE I'M JUST A BIG BELIEVER IN OUR DEMOCRACY.

I WILL TELL YOU, WHEN I HAD TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT TO RETURN AGAIN FOR REELECTION IN 2022, AFTER EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED IN 2020, AND PARTICULARLY THREATS TO MY LIFE, MY FAMILY HAVING TO RELOCATE FOR WEEKS ON END, WORKING WITH THE FBI, THINGS LIKE THAT, I REALLY DID HAVE TO DIG DEEP TO DECIDE IF THAT IS WHAT I WANTED TO CONTINUE TO DO.

I JUST DECIDED THAT THIS IS ISN'T THE TIME.

OUR DEMOCRACY, YOU KNOW, IS AT RISK RIGHT NOW.

IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN WHAT THE FALLOUT OF THIS PARTICULAR ELECTION IS, ALTHOUGH I SUSPECT IT'S GOING TO BE EXTREMELY DIFFERENT FROM 2020.

BUT IT JUST FELT LIKE THIS WAS NOT THE TIME TO ABANDON THIS WORK.

I'VE GOT TWO MORE YEARS LEFT IN MY TERM.

I INTEND TO SEE THOSE ALL THE WAY THROUGH AND THEN FIGURE OUT WHAT'S NEXT FOR ME.

>> Jeff: WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE FUTURE OF POSITIONS LIKE SECRETARY OF STATE AND COUNTY CLERK?

AND IN NEW MEXICO, MORE BROADLY, WHO IS GOING TO CARRY THIS WORK INTO THE FUTURE?

>> Oliver: FIRST OF ALL, I THINK WHAT MANY FOLKS DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW OR UNDERSTAND IS THAT THIS WORK REQUIRES REAL PROFESSIONALS WHO UNDERSTAND THE JOB AND WHO ARE CAPABLE OF DOING A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT SOMETIMES PEOPLE RUN FOR THESE POSITIONS BECAUSE THEY THINK IT IS MAYBE A STEPPING STONE TO A HIGHER OFFICE.

AND THAT CAN BE TRUE, BUT IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE, AND I'M HOPING THAT THE PEOPLE THAT RUN FOR THESE OFFICES ARE PEOPLE THAT SHARE MY SAME VALUES THAT REGARDLESS OF PARTY WE WANT FAIR, EFFICIENT, SAFE, ACCURATE ELECTIONS, AND ARE NOT JUST RUNNING BECAUSE THEY HAVE A POLITICAL POINT OF VIEW.

OR THEY'RE NOT JUST RUNNING BECAUSE THEY'RE MAD ABOUT THE OUTCOME OF THE 2020 ELECTION.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT SCARES ME THE MOST IS THAT WE HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO SEE OVERLY POLITICAL FOLKS COMING INTO THESE OFFICES, AND THAT IS ABSOLUTELY -- THAT'S THE WRONG DIRECTION.

WE NEED PROFESSIONALS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE COMMITTED TO DEMOCRACY AND ENSURING THAT EVERY SINGLE VOTER HAS A CHANCE TO MAKE THEIR VOICE HEARD AND TO HAVE THAT VOTE COUNTED ACCURATELY.

SO, THAT'S WHAT I'M HOPEFUL FOR.

>> Jeff: MAGGIE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ANOTHER QUALITY ELECTION, AND FOR SPENDING A LITTLE TIME CHATTING WITH ME TODAY ABOUT IT.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

>> Oliver: JEFF, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO, AND THE WHOLE TEAM OVER THERE AT KNME.

YOU DO INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT WORK AS WELL, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU.

>> Jeff: THANKS A LOT.

TAKE CARE.

NOW WE'LL GO BACK TO LOU DiVIZIO.

IN THIS LAST SEGMENT WITH THIS WEEK'S PANEL, LOU ASKS ABOUT THE LANGUAGE OF SOME OF THE LOCAL BALLOT INITIATIVES, AND WHETHER SLIGHT GAINS BY STATE REPUBLICANS ARE PART OF A LARGER TREND.

HERE'S LOU.

>> Lou: THANKS AGAIN TO THE THREE OF YOU FOR RETURNING FOR ONE LAST CONVERSATION.

LET'S FOCUS FOR A MOMENT NOW ON OUR STATE'S MOST POPULOUS AREA, THAT'S BERNALILLO COUNTY, OF COURSE.

VOTERS THERE CHOSE TO REEELECT DEMOCRATIC HOUSE SPEAKER JAVIER MARTINEZ.

AT THE SAME TIME, REPUBLICAN JAY BLOCK WON SENATE DISTRICT 12.

THAT WAS ONCE HELD BY LONGTIME STATE DEMOCRAT SENATOR JERRY ORTIZ Y PINO.

MERRITT, YOU TALKED ABOUT THIS BRIEFLY, BUT DID STATE REPUBLICANS MAKE INROADS IN BERNALILLO COUNTY, SPECIFICALLY, AND HOW?

>> Allen: WELL, CERTAINLY, WHEN YOU GO FROM SENATOR ORTIZ Y PINO TO AN ELECTION-DENIER, THAT'S QUITE A SWITCH, ISN'T IT?

ONE COULD SAY THAT'S A DRASTIC CHANGE, BUT THAT'S ALSO A CHANGE BROUGHT BY REDISTRICTING.

YOU KNOW, THERE WERE SOME STRONG CONTENDERS.

I FELT LIKE KURSTIN JOHNSON RAN A VERY GOOD RACE, BUT WAS STILL UNSUCCESSFUL.

AND BERNALILLO COUNTY HAS BEEN PRETTY SOLIDLY BLUE FOR SEVERAL CYCLES NOW.

I THINK THAT'S A REAL SHAME.

I THINK WE NEED TO HEAR OTHER VOICES IN BERNALILLO COUNTY.

AND HOW WE BREAK THIS LOCK, THIS CHOKEHOLD, WE SEE IT IN MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT.

WE HAVE A CONSERVATIVE MAJORITY ON THE CITY COUNCIL.

I DON'T KNOW HOW WE BREAK THROUGH AND GET THE RIGHT VOICES IN.

WE SEE IT, YOU KNOW, IN THE EAST MOUNTAINS, WHICH IS PRETTY SOLIDLY RED.

WE SEE IT IN VALENCIA COUNTY, IN BELEN AND LOS LUNAS.

YOU SEE REPUBLICAN LEGISLATORS.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS ABOUT THE ALBUQUERQUE CITY LIMITS, WHERE REPUBLICANS CAN'T REALLY SEEM TO MAKE INROADS.

BECAUSE, OF COURSE, SENATOR-ELECT BLOCK IS IN SANDOVAL COUNTY, THE RIO RANCHO AREA, WHICH TENDS TO RUN MORE REPUBLICAN.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE SEE THE SUBURBS ARE MORE REPUBLICAN, THE CITY'S CENTER IS MORE DEMOCRATIC.

SO, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S REFLECTING JUST THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.

I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT IS.

I THINK, DEFINITELY, WE NEED TO SEE A MORE MODERATE REPUBLICAN TONE.

I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE, DEFINITELY, MORE CENTER-RIGHT RATHER THAN FAR-RIGHT.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE LEGISLATORS WHO HAD BEEN SUCCESSFUL, THOSE ARE THE VOICES AND THE TONES THAT, I THINK, WE'VE HEARD FROM THEM.

WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK FOR 2026 AND SEE WHAT CAN BE PULLED OFF THERE.

>> Lou: OKAY.

IN HER RECENT SPECIAL SESSION, GOVERNOR LUJAN GRISHAM PROPOSED PUBLIC SAFETY BILLS THAT YOU MENTIONED, DAN, MOST OF THE SUPPORT WAS FROM STATE REPUBLICANS ON THOSE DURING THAT SPECIAL.

DEMOCRATS STILL HAVE THE MAJORITY, OF COURSE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT.

YOU'VE REFERENCED THE INFLUENCE A MAJORITY-WOMAN LEGISLATURE MIGHT HAVE ON THIS.

WHAT ABOUT THE SLIGHT UPTICK FROM REPUBLICANS TOO?

DO YOU THINK THERE WILL BE ANY MOMENTUM FOR THE GOVERNOR ON THOSE PUBLIC SAFETY MEASURES?

>> Boyd: I THINK WE WERE WATCHING -- I MEAN, THE POSSIBILITY THAT IF KAMALA HARRIS WON, THE GOVERNOR COULD HAVE BEEN APPOINTED TO HER CABINET.

WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT FOR SURE, BUT I THINK THERE WAS THAT SPECULATION ABOUT THAT.

OBVIOUSLY, WE KNOW NOW THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE THE CASE.

SO, WE'RE KIND OF -- WE'RE GOING TO SEE WHAT THESE NEXT TWO YEARS LOOK LIKE BEFORE HER SECOND TERM EXPIRES.

I DO THINK AT THE LEGISLATURE THERE'S MAYBE NOT A CONSENSUS, BUT A FEELING THAT CRIME IS MORE OF AN ALBUQUERQUE ISSUE THAN A NEW MEXICO ISSUE.

I THINK, AS MERRITT MENTIONED, THE FACT THAT DEMOCRATS CONTROL NEARLY ALL THE LEGISLATIVE SEATS IN ALBUQUERQUE NOW, I THINK THAT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF THE GOVERNOR, OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS BEFORE THE SESSION STARTS, CAN FIND SOME COMMON GROUND, CAN BUILD A LITTLE BIT OF MOMENTUM FOR SOME OF THESE PROPOSALS.

CERTAINLY, IN THE SPECIAL SESSION THIS SUMMER THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

AND WE SAW THAT THERE WASN'T MUCH OF AN APPETITE FROM THE LEGISLATURE AND EVEN DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP IN TAKING UP THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS.

I THINK THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT WE DO SEE MORE CONFLICT BETWEEN THE GOVERNOR AND MEMBERS OF HER OWN PARTY THAN WE HAVE OVER HER FIRST TERM.

I THINK THE CAN CONTINUE UNLESS THEY'RE ABLE TO REACH SOME COMMON GROUND BEFORE THE SESSION.

YOU KNOW, BEFORE THE SESSION BEGINS.

>> Lou: OKAY.

OVERALL, VOTER TURNOUT IN NEW MEXICO FELL SLIGHTLY, WITH 66% OF ELIGIBLE VOTERS CASTING A BALLOT.

THAT'S A DROP FROM 2020.

68% VOTED IN THAT ELECTION.

THIS WAS AN ELECTION CYCLE WHERE EVERY OTHER POLITICAL AD SEEMED LIKE IT HAD APOCALYPTIC OVERTONES.

ERIC, DESPITE THAT, FEWER PEOPLE VOTED.

WHY DO YOU THINK THAT WAS?

>> Griego: THERE'S A LOT OF SPECULATION GOING ON AND A LOT OF SOUL-SEARCHING GOING ON IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

REPUBLICAN TURNOUT WAS HIGHER.

AS YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, IN MOST COUNTIES THEIR PERFORMANCE WAS MUCH BETTER FOR THEM.

A COUPLE OF POINTS, FIVE POINTS IN SOME COUNTIES.

REPUBLICANS TURNED OUT FOR SURE.

I THINK THAT THERE'S A FEW THEORIES ABOUT WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN GOING ON.

CERTAINLY, YOU CAN'T UNDERESTIMATE THE PROGRESSIVE WING OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY BEING, YOU KNOW, DISAPPOINTED IN VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS NOT TAKING A STRONGER POSITION ON GAZA.

I THINK SHE -- THIS EFFORT TO SORT OF MOVE IN A MUCH MORE CENTRIST, REPUBLICAN WAY WITH CAMPAIGNING WITH LIZ CHENEY AND THE STRATEGY TO ATTACK RIGHT, THERE'S A GROWING SENTIMENT IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY THAT WAS MAYBE THE WRONG MOVE.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, WE REALLY DIDN'T CAPTURE A LOT OF THOSE FOLKS THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO CAPTURE.

WHETHER IT WAS INDEPENDENTS OR MODERATE REPUBLICANS, OR WHOEVER THE TARGETS WERE THERE.

SO, I THINK THAT THERE WILL BE A LOT OF DECONSTRUCTING, A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, THEY CALL IT AUTOPSIES, WHATEVER METAPHOR YOU WANT TO USE THAT'S NOT TOO CRASS.

BERNIE SANDERS JUST PUT OUT A PRETTY HARD-HITTING CONDEMNATION OF THE STRATEGY, WHICH IS WE LOST THE WHITE WORKING CLASS.

BECAUSE WE'RE NOT SPEAKING TO THEIR ISSUES.

WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE BREAD AND BUTTER ECONOMIC ISSUES, POCKETBOOK ISSUES FOR WORKING FOLKS.

THAT WAS BORNE OUT IN THE GROUPS THAT MOVED TO TRUMP, MOVED FROM HARRIS TO TRUMP, OR MOVED FROM BIDEN TO TRUMP, RIGHT?

I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO A SOUL-SEARCHING.

NEW MEXICO IS A LITTLE BIT OF A BLUE ISLAND NOW.

WE HAVE A STRONG MAJORITY IN BOTH HOUSES AND PRETTY MUCH EVERY STATE OFFICE IS IN DEMOCRATIC HANDS.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S RIGHT NOW.

IF THIS TREND CONTINUES, I THINK, AS OTHERS HAVE SAID, WE MAY HAVE TO DO SOME TACTICAL CHANGES IN MESSAGING AND IN PRIORITIES, AND WHO WE'RE TALKING TO AND WHO WE'RE TAKING FOR GRANTED.

WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT LATINO MEN.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TALK ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THEY OVERWHELMINGLY, INCLUDING IN NEW MEXICO, BUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY, MOVED TO TRUMP.

I THINK THAT'S THE BIGGEST QUESTION IN THE MIND OF MOST FOLKS, LIKE, WHAT HAPPENED THERE?

INCLUDING FIRST-GENERATION, SECOND-GENERATION IMMIGRANT HISPANIC AND LATINO MEN, LIKE, WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT?

AGAIN, I THINK IT ALL BOILED DOWN TO POCKETBOOK AND ECONOMIC ISSUES.

I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF SOUL-SEARCHING TO BE DONE AT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AT ALL LEVELS FROM THE TOP DOWN TO THE LOCAL LEVEL.

>> Lou: OKAY.

I'LL GET TO SOME OF THE LOCAL STUFF IN JUST A SECOND.

I WANT TO STAY ON THAT, ON THE LATINO MEN.

BERNIE SANDERS' STATEMENT, HE DID TOUCH ON THOSE WORKING-CLASS VOTERS, MINORITY WORKING-CLASS VOTERS MOVING AWAY FROM THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

IT WASN'T JUST THE PRICE OF EGGS THAT DID THIS.

IT'S ALSO HOW PEOPLE MEASURE THEIR WORTH IN A CAPITALIST SOCIETY IS WHAT KIND OF MONEY THEY'RE MAKING FOR THEIR FAMILIES.

SO, HOW DID THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY FAIL IN THAT REGARD?

AND IS IT AS EASY AS CHANGING MESSAGING IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS AHEAD OF THE MIDTERMS TO FIX THAT?

>> Griego: WELL, I THINK THERE HAS TO BE.

IT HAS TO BE MORE THAN, YOU KNOW, FRAMING AND CHANGING THE NARRATIVE AND DOING WHAT ALL THE MESSAGING EXPERTS TALK ABOUT.

THAT'S IMPORTANT.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE A CLEAR MESSAGE, BUT I THINK IT'S A POLICY CHANGE.

I DON'T THINK WE HAVE LEANED IN ENOUGH AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL TO SOME OF THESE BASIC WORKING CLASS MESSAGES.

BERNIE SANDERS, WHEN HE RAN, IT WAS A CENTRAL PART OF HIS MESSAGE.

ALSO, ELIZABETH WARREN, IT WAS REALLY ABOUT WHAT ARE WE DOING FOR WORKING FAMILIES.

NOT AS A CAMPAIGN CLICHÉ, BUT WHAT ARE THE TANGIBLE POLICY OPTIONS WE'RE DOING.

THINGS LIKE PAID FAMILY LEAVE.

THINGS LIKE RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE.

NOT MARGINALLY, BUT DRASTICALLY.

THINGS LIKE REALLY HOLDING CORPORATIONS MUCH MORE ACCOUNTABLE FOR NOT JUST ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, BUT FOR WORKING STANDARDS AND SO ON.

THINGS LIKE SUPPORTING THE RIGHTS TO COLLECTIVELY BARGAIN AND SO ON.

I THINK THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF WORK.

TO BE FAIR, BIDEN TRIED TO DO A LOT MORE OF THAT.

I JUST DON'T THINK IT CAME CROSS.

I JUST HAVE TO SAY, HONESTLY, WHEN YOU HAVE ELON MUSK, AND YOU HAVE THE RUSSIANS, AND YOU HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS HELPING YOU PERPETUATE THIS MESSAGE IN SOCIAL MEDIA, WHICH I THINK NOBODY IS TALKING ABOUT AT LEAST LOCALLY.

THAT WAS A BIG, BIG FACTOR.

MY DAUGHTER SHOWED ME SOME TIKTOKS, I WAS, LIKE, HOW IN THE WORLD -- IT WORKED WITH YOUNGER VOTERS.

THAT WAS ANOTHER GROUP THAT, SHOCKINGLY, VOTED FOR TRUMP.

BECAUSE THAT VERY PERSONAL, RATIONAL, ECONOMIC CHOICE THAT WE ALL, LIKE, HOW AM I DOING IN MY JOB, HOW IS MY FAMILY DOING, AND ALL THIS OTHER NOISE, PERSONALITIES, ALL THE ANTI-IMMIGRANT, ALL OF THAT REALLY BOILED DOWN FOR A LOT OF FOLKS.

HISPANIC MEN, YOUNGER VOTERS, OTHERS, WHITE WORKING-CLASS VOTERS, HOW AM I DOING.

HOW AM I PAYING THE BILLS AND HOW IS MY LIFE.

THAT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE.

IT'S THE ECONOMY, STUPID.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT FOR YEARS, BUT I THINK IT JUST REALLY, THIS ELECTION, REALLY UNDERSCORED SOME FAILINGS IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

>> Lou: DAN, FURTHER DOWN THE BALLOT, THERE ARE ISSUES THAT FEEL LIKE THEY'RE WITHIN VOTERS' CONTROL.

FOR EXAMPLE, IN ALBUQUERQUE, VOTERS SUPPORTED CONSERVATION EFFORTS OF THE CIUDAD SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT.

WERE THERE ANY OTHER LOCAL BALLOT ISSUES THAT STOOD OUT TO YOU AROUND THE STATE?

>> Boyd: ONE THAT WAS INTERESTING TO ME, OBVIOUSLY, THE STATE BONDS PASSED.

FOUR PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS PASSED.

THERE WAS ONE THAT WAS PRETTY CLOSE ABOUT WHETHER THE UNM LAW SCHOOL DEAN CAN APPOINT A NOMINEE TO THE JUDICIAL COMMISSION.

THAT ONE ONLY NARROWLY PASSED.

I'M NOT SURE IF THERE WAS SOME BEHIND-THE-SCENES ISSUES GOING ON THERE, BUT ALL THE OTHER ONES THAT I SAW PASSED BY A LARGE MARGIN.

AND I DID JUST WANT TO RETURN, BRIEFLY, TO THE TURNOUT ISSUE THAT ERIC WAS TALKING ABOUT.

ONE THING, YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING WAS EVEN SAME-DAY REGISTRATION WHICH THE STATE JUST IMPLEMENTED RECENTLY.

A LOT OF REPUBLICANS WERE OPPOSED TO IT WHEN IT PASSED.

BUT IN THIS ELECTION, WE ACTUALLY SAW MORE REPUBLICANS WHO USED SAME-DAY VOTER REGISTRATION THAN DEMOCRATS, SO MAYBE SOME OF THOSE ECONOMIC BREAD AND BUTTER ISSUES LIKE ERIC WAS TALKING ABOUT ARE ATTRACTING YOUNGER VOTERS.

BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, IN THAT AREA, REPUBLICANS WERE ABLE TO -- THEIR GROUND GAME WAS MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN DEMOCRATS.

>> Lou: OKAY.

MERRITT, I ASKED THIS QUESTION OF DAN A LITTLE BIT EARLIER IN THE SHOW.

AS WE GET CLOSE TO WRAPPING UP HERE, I WANT YOUR TAKE ON WHERE THE GOP SITS IN NEW MEXICO RIGHT NOW.

WHAT DOES THE PARTY HAVE TO DO TO CONTINUE THE MOMENTUM THAT WE SAW IN THIS ELECTION, AND WILL IT ALWAYS BE TIED TO TRUMP?

>> Allen: IT'S SO FUNNY THAT YOU'RE ASKING ME THIS QUESTION.

SINCE THE LAST TIME I WAS ON THIS SHOW -- I'M AN INDEPENDENT.

I READ THE 2024 REPUBLICAN PLATFORM AND I SAW MYSELF NOWHERE IN THERE.

THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS NO LONGER CONSERVATIVE.

THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS POPULIST.

IT'S CO-OPTING A LOT OF VERY COMMON, WHAT HAVE BEEN TYPICAL, DEMOCRATIC THEMES.

SO, THAT'S WHY I THINK WHY I THINK THIS ELECTION WAS SO CONFUSING IS BECAUSE HARRIS AND TRUMP WERE KIND OF SAYING THE SAME THING, IT WAS JUST WHO DID YOU BELIEVE MORE.

WHO DID YOU FIND MORE COMPELLING.

SO, RPNM, I THINK, IS PERHAPS STRUGGLING WITH THE SAME MESSAGING, AND IT'S STRUGGLING WITH THE SAME IDENTITY CRISIS.

WHO ARE WE, AND WHAT DO WE STAND FOR?

AND WHO ARE WE GOING TO SUPPORT?

SO, I THINK THE REAL QUESTION THEN BECOMES WHAT COMES AFTER TRUMP?

IS MAGA DEAD?

BECAUSE, PARTICULARLY IN SOUTHERN AND MORE RURAL AREAS, MAGA IS FAIRLY POPULAR IN NEW MEXICO.

IT'S NOT ME, BUT THIS ISN'T ABOUT ME.

WE SEE, NATIONALLY, THE PEOPLE LIKE ROMNEY, OTHER FOLKS LIKE THAT, WHO DECLINED TO ENDORSE.

AND YOU CAN TELL THEY'RE WAITING FOR THIS TO ALL BE OVER AND THEY'RE GOING TO GO BACK AND FIX THE PARTY, RIGHT?

I'M NOT SURE THAT THE PARTY IS GOING TO STILL BE THERE FOR THEM TO FIX THE WAY THEY WANT TO.

I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE A LOT OF WATCHING AND WAITING AND TALKING AND LISTENING AND FINDING OUT WHAT VOTERS WANT.

SO, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS BECOME, OR IF I'M GOING TO WANT TO BE PART OF IT, BUT I THINK THERE HAS TO BE A NEW MESSAGE FOR VOTERS.

AND I THINK THERE HAS TO BE AN APPEAL TO VOTERS THAT MOVES BEYOND TRUMP AND MOVES BEYOND A SINGLE INDIVIDUAL AND AN IDENTITY-BASED INDIVIDUAL.

AND THEY HAVE TO GET A BRAND AND A VALUE SYSTEM THAT CAN ENDURE FOR THE NEXT FIVE OR SIX DECADES.

>> Lou: UNDERSTOOD.

IT WAS REALLY GREAT TALKING TO ALL OF YOU.

DAN BOYD, CAPITOL BUREAU CHIEF OF THE "ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL."

MERRITT ALLEN, VOX OPTIMA PUBLIC RELATIONS, AND FORMER DEMOCRATIC STATE SENATOR ERIC GREIGO.

THANK YOU, GUYS.

>> Jeff: THANKS TO LOU AND ALL OF OUR GUESTS.

AND THANKS TO EVERYONE ELSE WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THE SHOW.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

>> FUNDING FOR NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS IS PROVIDED BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU.