New Mexico House Speaker Javier Mart铆nez is the only Democrat in legislative leadership being challenged this election. Republican Bart Kinney is running a longshot campaign to oust the five-term lawmaker in the heavily Democratic district in Downtown Albuquerque and the North Valley. He is taking aim at the Speaker鈥檚 approach to public safety and taxes.
'The most vulnerable'
This summer, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham called lawmakers into a special session on public safety. Speaker Mart铆nez said at a news conference ahead of it that he and his fellow Democratic leaders did not agree with the move.
鈥淲e have deep concerns about the potential impact these proposals will have on New Mexicans, especially the most vulnerable among us,鈥� he said.
The session adjourned in a matter of hours with Democrats blocking the bills from being heard. They included expanding involuntary commitment for those deemed incompetent to stand trial and increasing penalties for people convicted of felonies in possession of firearms.
On the campaign trail this week at Cutbow Coffee, a local cafe he said he frequents to meet with constituents, Mart铆nez did not waver in that decision.
鈥淭he proposals were not fully baked,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e cannot pass legislation that can ultimately negatively impact the very people we鈥檙e trying to help, or that we say we鈥檙e trying to help.鈥�
Kinney did not respond to multiple 九色网 requests for an interview, but he did last month. He told Clark that he, his neighbors and several family members had recently 鈥渂een subject to crimes.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檙e the most vulnerable in our district,鈥� he said, referencing Mart铆nez鈥檚 statement ahead of the special session. 鈥淪o, that鈥檚 who I鈥檓 concerned about.鈥�
He accused Mart铆nez of inaction.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think that there鈥檚 any willingness by the Speaker of the House, or anyone who thinks like the Speaker of the House, to address our crime problems,鈥� he said.
Mart铆nez refuted that, saying the Legislature鈥檚 public safety discussions did not start or end with the special session.
鈥淧ublic safety is an issue we will continue to work on, as is addressing the root causes of crime: Housing, drug addiction, mental and behavioral health, poverty,鈥� he told 九色网. 鈥淭hese are all areas that we have been investing in and working in over the last few years and will continue to over the next few years. 鈥�
'Across the board'
Kinney proposes on his website increasing criminal penalties 鈥渁cross the board.鈥�
The Legislature did increase some penalties this year under Mart铆nez鈥檚 leadership, including for second-degree murder and people accused of a second felony while awaiting trial. Last year, Mart铆nez carried to impose penalties for organized retail crime.
鈥淪o, we鈥檝e done 鈥� surgically and strategically 鈥� those types of criminal penalty enhancements,鈥� he said. 鈥淣ow, 鈥渁cross the board?鈥� That is not effective.鈥�
One place Kinney does not want to look to curb crime is restricting gun access. The 2nd Amendment advocate said on his website that the state鈥檚 recent efforts 鈥渄isproportionately burdened law-abiding citizens without effectively addressing the root causes of crime.鈥�
Mart铆nez said Kinney鈥檚 position is out of touch.
鈥淪pouting the Donald Trump position on gun safety is not the way to attract voters in this district or in this state,鈥� he said.
While the Speaker describes New Mexico鈥檚 gun laws as 鈥渧ery strong,鈥� he said 鈥渢here鈥檚 more work to do鈥� if he is reelected.
Tax relief for workers
Kinney characterizes the New Mexico tax code unfair. On his website, he accused the Legislature of not sharing the state鈥檚 historic revenues from oil and gas production with New Mexico taxpayers. He calls for tax policies that, 鈥淧rovide relief to hardworking individuals and businesses.鈥�
That includes reducing and reforming the Gross Receipts Tax. Though, when asked on KKOB, he did not specify how.
鈥淥ther states have figured it out,鈥� he told Clark. 鈥淎nd you go figure out what they鈥檙e doing, how they did it, and look at it, and make sure it makes sense and make sure it鈥檚 easy to implement.鈥�
He told he would like to, 鈥淢ake it a true sales tax levied on the final sale.鈥� While major reforms to that tax have stalled, the Legislature did lower it for the first time in decades in 2022 and again last year.
Mart铆nez sits on the House Tax Committee and reassigned the chairs of the chamber鈥檚 tax and budget committees when he became speaker. He said he is proud of his role in reforming the tax code in recent years, like creating a Child Tax Credit and expanding the Working Families Tax Credit and Low-Income Comprehensive Tax rebate.
鈥淭his is all relief that is targeting working families,鈥� he said.
boosted New Mexico鈥檚 ranking 18 spots into the top 10 for equitable state tax structures based on the recent changes.
Kinney has raised only about 7% as much as Mart铆nez, who is one of the top fundraisers in the state this election,
This was the last story in a 3-part series about Legislative leaders being challenged this election. Previous stories included challenges against the House minority whip and Senate minority whip. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Early voting in New Mexico ends Saturday, Nov. 2.
