Thursday, April 28, 2022
Media Contact: Jennifer Abbots, Communications Manager
Animal Protection Voters
(505) 280-4287 | jennifer@apvnm.org
Voters urged to support strongest pro-animal candidates
Santa Fe, N.M. – Animal Protection Voters (APV), New Mexico’s leading political and legislative advocacy organization for animal protection, announced its endorsement of 39 candidates facing contested races in the 2022 New Mexico election.
Every election has profound implications for animals and APV endorsements provide guidance for voters looking to elect candidates that share their humane values.
Incumbents won endorsements for consistently demonstrating strong animal advocacy positions through votes, bill sponsorship, and other actions over the course of their tenure. New challengers and candidates for open seats received endorsements based on past personal and professional activity as well as their responses to a questionnaire on a broad range of animal welfare issues including:
- Criminalizing bestiality
- Wild horse humane management and protection
- Amending domestic violence laws to ensure animal abuse can trigger protections and animals can be added to protective orders
- Setting a cage-free minimum standard for eggs produced and sold in the state
- And wildlife conservation
Many candidates proactively seek endorsement in the hopes of adding APV to their list of supporters. Candidates running unopposed were not included in this endorsement process.
“New Mexicans care about animal protection issues and seek out policymakers who value the role animals play in our lives. We are delighted to endorse a diverse, bipartisan slate of candidates who will represent the animal protection values of their constituents,” said Jessica Johnson, Chief Government Affairs Officer for APV.
The endorsed candidates are:
State House Races
District Candidate
HD 5 D. Wonda Johnson (D)
HD 6 Eliseo Lee Alcon (D)
HD10 G. Andrés Romero (D)
HD 11 Javier Martínez (D)
HD 12 Melissa Armijo (D)
HD 14 Miguel Garcia (D)
HD 15 Dayan Hochman-Vigil (D)
HD 17 (dual endorsement) Darrell Deaguero (D) & Cynthia Borrego (D)
HD 18 Gail Chasey (D)
HD 19 Colton Dean (D)
HD 20 Meredith Dixon (D)
HD 24 Elizabeth Thompson (D)
HD 26 Eleanor Chavez (D)
HD 27 Marian Matthews (D)
HD 28 Pamelya Herndon (D)
HD 29 Joy Garratt (D)
HD 30 Natalie Figueroa (D)
HD 33 Micaela Lara Cadena (D)
HD 35 Angelica Rubio (D)
HD 36 Nathan Small (D)
HD 37 Joanne Ferrary (D)
HD 38 Tara Jaramillo
HD 39 (dual endorsement) Karen Whitlock (D) & Rodolpho Martinez (D)
HD 41 Susan Herrera (D)
HD 42 Kristina Ortez (D)
HD 44 Kathleen Cates (D)
HD 46 Andrea Romero (D)
HD 52 Doreen Gallegos (D)
HD 57 Jason Harper (R)
HD 68 Charlotte Little (D)
HD 70 Anita Gonzales (D)
Statewide Races
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (D)
Lt. Governor Howie Morales (D)
Attorney General Brian Colón (D)
Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard (D)
Congressional Races
CD 1 Melanie Stansbury (D)
CD 2 Gabriel Vasquez (D)
CD 3 Teresa Leger Fernandez (D)
Animal Protection Voters issues endorsements based on candidates’ records and positions on animal protection issues and not based on party affiliation.
