Commentary from Rich Guay, Albuquerque
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How about we stop playing identity politics by propping up any and all feel-good candidates and we start recruiting candidates that make our communities feel-good, heard, and safe.
Before the results of Nov 5th I would have confidently said the 2026 gubernatorial contest would have been won in the Democratic primary. However, Trump’s victory proved that New Mexico has not been held-harmless from national political convulsions. With that, rest assured the Republicans will shovel national resources in here as they will view New Mexico as “in play.”
In 2020 Biden beat Trump in New Mexico by 10.7 points. This year Harris beat Trump by 6 points. Harris was rejected by primary voters but checked the identity box and wound up our nominee to fend off another Trump presidency…she failed. While she won New Mexico her six point victory exposed two realities: first, playing identity politics is an increasingly risky business, and secondly the progressive’s vice-grip on New Mexico politics and Trump’s populist rhetoric has put New Mexico in play for national Republicans.
Democrats followed a losing strategy which had them talking to voters about societal problems in an patriarchal and academic space. The left chooses to ignore a large portion of the electorate who prefer pragmatic approaches over theoretical.
When the left chose hills such as civil war statues, The Cleveland Indians, and CRT to die on they missed the point that we can have those discussions while addressing the frustration New Mexico citizens have simply getting deodorant and toothpaste out from locked cages at their local Target.
Of course the rights of the LGBTQ community and undeniable climate repercussions should be discussed at the highest levels but New Mexicans are capable of multi-tasking and Democrats need to get on board with the fact that the electorate saw more pressing issues than those promulgated by the left.
Social justice should remain active in all our consciouses but Democrats must address economic issues (real or manufactured), and runaway medians simultaneously with BLM and reparations.
Voters get it; Republicans have historically swooned at the chance to allow corporations lax regulations and billionaires tax shelters. Republicans are quicker to invite populist and isolationist rhetoric. What they don’t get is the progressive’s utter inability to get command over the age-old adage that voters need someone to blame for their own confusion. Many Republican supporters sit ready at every occasion to dismiss their demigod’s racists and misogynistic tweets because he better explains how he can fix the problems they see in real time. Progressives ask voters for more and more time to legislate fairness. In short, Republicans are good at fanning that confusion into a conflagration of fear and hate while progressives lean on their old vanguard…systematic racial change. An honorable platform but sells poorly to voters who watch hapless politicians fail to address lawlessness in their streets.
Republicans are better at convincing the people of New Mexico they hold court over law and order. Voters actually get duped by this last one. Democratic administrations in New Mexico can and have been stewards over periods of lower crime rates. According to date compiled by the FBI (Uniform Crime Reports) property crime, aggravated assault, and robbery were all down under Democrat Governor Bill Richardson compared to his Republican successor Susana Martinez.
As the party struggles to pivot from an aloof cadre of elites and shed its parochial skin it would be wise to learn how to communicate with a large part of the electorate that believes a policy of noblesse oblige and civic pride are not mutually exclusive.
While the next Trump administration is promising to keep the “clown car” out of the Oval office, Democrats need to learn how to operate with multiple balls in the air. Otherwise the progressive’s infatuation with identity politics will continue to offer diminishing returns