By Lynn Janes

On May 16, 2022, the candidate forum for the primary took place at the Western New Mexico University Besse-Forward Resource Center. The forum had Rodolfo (Rudy) Martinez and challenger Karen Whitlock face off for New Mexico representative district 39 Democratic nominee. Whoever wins the primary will face off with the Republican incumbent Luis Terrazas for the election in November.

Nick Seibel, Silver City Daily Press publisher moderated the forum. The candidates received questions from the audience, Facebook and the Press. Each would answer the same question and had two minutes.

Seibel asked each candidate to tell the audience a little bit about them. They each had three minutes for the introduction.

Whitlock thanked everyone for coming and the press for hosting the event. She said she is a proud resident by choice. “I love Grant County and want to be part of making it better for education, health care, environment and jobs.” She said she had the energy and passion for change and progress. Whitlock graduated from WNMU with a degree in social work. She currently works as a lobbyist at the New Mexico legislature for the National Association of Social Workers and is an adjunct professor at WNMU in the school of social work. She worked sixteen years in the environmental field. Those jobs include government, mining, Phelps Dodge corporate office, and the Tyrone office. She said her number one priority has been education. It is the first way out of poverty. Health care and specifically rural places second. GRMC needs resources. Behavioral health care should be part of that. Jobs come in third; they include film, green jobs, new jobs, small businesses and home-based businesses.

Martinez thanked the press for hosting the event and everyone for coming both in person and online. He served for 11 years as district 39 representative in the past. He went on to say he came from a diverse background. His father came from Mexico and worked in the mines and only went to the second grade. His mother had been a seamstress and only went to the sixth grade. He told everyone he had been “born in space,”a term used for people born in Santa Rita before the mine took over the land. He grew up in north Hurley, attended Cobre and then graduated from WNMU . Martinez worked as a journeyman electrician at Phelps Dodge for 25 years. He said his priorities included education. He said: “You cannot succeed in life without it.” He had used his time and could not finish.

The press has a question for the candidates. Seibel pointed out they both had run for the house of representatives before but had run in different districts. Recently the districts had been redone and they now fall in the same district. What are your thoughts on the new districts, and does it help or hurt for a democrat to regain the seat?

Martinez said it will be an advantage for the Democrats having this redistricting. It now encompasses almost the entire county of Grant and a portion of Hidalgo and Catron counties. “We have many small communities, and they need resources.” I have the advantage in this race because of my experience with both state and local governments.” He said he had been appointed by the governor to serve on the Adult Long-Term Aging as an advocate for seniors.

Whitlock said the old district had been heavy Republican in some areas and now it would be primarily Democrat. She said the nonpartisan redistricting committee kept hearing throughout the county they wanted it to be one district. So now the district is very heavy leaning Democrat. She said she is the better candidate because of her being a social worker and very active in the community. She holds the title of board secretary with the Community Partnership for Children, senior warden at the Episcopal Church and sits on the steering committee for the Grant County Health Council. “I see every day what Grant Countians need.”

Siebel redirected the questions. He said prior to the redistricting they had been separated for decades. Does it help or hurt to have them all in one district now?

Whitlock said it will be helpful and give Grant County more of a voice. She said she had plenty of relationships with the legislature to help get what they want. Having Lieutenant Governor Howie Morales and Senator Siah Correa Hemphill will also help.

Martinez said with the new districting Democrats had a slight advantage. He pointed out having Hemphill and Morales would be an advantage also. He said his experience would be helpful and the district had many needs especially in the mining district and small communities. Martinez said he had also been part of the congressional delegation and worked with Senator Martin Heinrich. He said he knew the process and there’s a great need for water, jobs and the environment. Behavioral health also is a need for the county. Martinez ran out of time.

A question posed by the audience. They asked what set the candidates apart and why they should be on the ballot.

Martinez said his experience set him apart. He has dealt with the state on congressional officials giving him the assets to bring the resources needed. Talking about health care, specifically behavioral health. “We have excellent resources, Border Area Mental Health, Tu Casam and private providers.” He said they did need more providers and needed to be worked on. There needs to be higher reimbursement rates to attract those people to the area.

Whitlock said her experience is also very valuable. She brought up being a lobbyist for the National Association of Social Workers which has given her experience with the Legislature. She said she had been working with Senator Hickey for two years to bring mental health parity, a federal law into the state to provide increased provider rates. There are several providers, but more are needed and decent reimbursement rate. This would allow the behavioral health unit at GRMC to reopen. The prisons cannot be used as mental health facilities. She pointed out she had plenty of relationships in the Legislature. She said she worked closely with them on several issues including repealing the 1969 abortion ban.

The audience asked how they would retain primary care physicians in the community once the rural internship program ended?

Whitlock said one of the great things they had done in the community had been recruiting rural residencies. The hospital and HMS (Hidalgo Medical Services) need more diagnostic equipment. The county needs better advertising to attract people to the community. “Give then incentives like loan repayment help; they come here with a tremendous amount of debt from school.”

Martinez said he had several ways to address it, beginning with the opportunities for young children to open them up to health care opportunities. There is also the residency program being used across the state and has a seventy percent rate for staying in the community. Increasing the reimbursement rates must be part of it.

The press had a question. Siebel said several years ago the county commission made the decision to build Tu Casa treatment center it had been predicated on a three-legged stool, Tu Casa, GRMC behavioral health and what used to be the substance abuse treatment center at Fort Bayard medical center. Some say Tu Casa has been underutilized. As a representative what would you do to restore the other two legs?

Martinez said Tu Casa has been a good idea. Turquoise Lodge at Fort Bayard needs to reopen. They all need to come together to provide the needs for the community. The jails cannot keep providing mental health; they don’t have the capacity to do it.

Whitlock said she could not agree more. When Yucca lodge got moved it caused a great loss to the community. One of the original uses for Tu Casa provided in-patient services but the funding didn’t materialize, and they also had been going to partner with the GRMC Behavioral Health Unit. The biggest problem has been the reimbursement rate which got raised a few years ago but still didn’t provide enough. She brought up the mental health parity act she and Senator Hickey had been working on, as a partial solution.

The audience had a question. What are the needs of municipal governments in Grant County and how do you intend to work with them as a state representative?

Whitlock said the municipal governments are very important. “They provide essential funding and services to our county. Bayard, Hurley, Santa Clara and Silver City town councils are all extremely important. They pay for all our local services on the local level. We need to make sure they get the funding they need to provide those services.” She said she had gone to the Bayard town council recently, and they had been talking about the wastewater treatment plant. They don’t have the funding to fix it properly. They are facing a possible catastrophic failure. The state legislature needs to help.

Martinez said: “Let’s talk about the community and their needs. When I was in office, I provided a significant amount of money for their programs.” The Bayard wastewater treatment plant is invaluable, it covers not only Bayard but Santa Clara and Hurley. He said they built it in 2008 and he had been part of it, but things wear out. Hurley has a great need for water and need the appropriate funds for the project.

The audience had another mental health question. Due to GRMC Behavioral Health Unit closing, it falls on all the others and they don’t have the resources. How do you plan on addressing this need?

Martinez said he had been listening to a program with the NIH (National Institutes of Health). They had budgeted $100 million for mental health to cover the whole country. When broken out between the states it doesn’t leave much. The legislature needs to provide the funding to reopen these facilities. Sustainability and reimbursement rates must be looked at. Tu Casa needs more staff. The jails are not appropriate for mental health.

Whitlock said they need to work with the state legislature to be able to increase the reimbursement rates. She said she has also been working with the National Association of Social Workers. One of the problems with Yucca Lodge had to do with licensing. They had only been licensed to be a boarding center and not for substance abuse and could not get an upgrade, which caused less funding. “We need the behavior health unit back at GRMC.” She had another point but ran out of time.

A question from the audience. El Refugio shelter has the DVOTI program (Domestic Violence Offenders Treatment and Intervention). Do you know about this program?

Whitlock said she didn’t know what the acronym meant but El Refugio provides services to people who have been involved in domestic violence. The state has a huge problem with this. It does need funding.

Martinez said domestic violence is an awful thing but unfortunately the problem happens across the state and country. The community has been fortunate to have El Refugio. Again, they don’t have adequate funding. Offenders need to be educated to know what they have done is wrong. He said he had been with the Bayard fire department and had to respond to the domestic abuse calls, and it was horrible to see what it did to the kids. The kids need help for the trauma.

The audience had a question about schools. What programs or help do you have for the schools to provide more support for the children and families?

Martinez said he helped start the K-12 program and it seems to be working and they are getting a quality education. $500 million had been appropriated for the program. Maybe some more qualified teachers would be needed. All the districts need to continue the program. “Investing in our children is important.”

Whitlock said, “I am so glad you asked this question.” She said as part of the health council she has been a coordinator to attract community schools to the area. They have been working with Silver Schools currently. Community schools are what the community needs. “You look at the community as a whole and ask the families what they would need.”

[Note to readers, community schools are a local engagement strategy that creates and coordinates opportunities with its public school to accelerate student success.]

She said they already have in place local school-based health centers but have been looking to expand to the whole family. Some counties have hot spots on the school busses. “I have worked hard to provide early childhood care.” Children grow fastest from 0-5 years of age.

The audience asked a question. What is the single highest contribution made to your campaign and who made it?

Whitlock said herself personally in the amount of $18,000.

Martinez said himself personally in the amount of $15,000.

Siebel redirected the question and asked who contributed the largest besides you and how much did you receive.

Martinez said he had received several $2,000 contributions. By law you can only contribute that amount.

Whitlock said $5,200 is the highest amount for the general and $2,000 for the primary. She said she received several for $2,000, one being the American Federation of Teachers, and $1,500 from Emily’s List.

This question came from the press. This question has to do with Roe vs Wade which will possibly be overturned. A law recently put no restrictions on abortion in New Mexico. That will leave New Mexico between two states that it will be illegal. What does that mean for the state, and should there be any restrictions?

Whitlock said, “I have been endorsed by Planned Parenthood and Emily’s List.” Both organizations are pro-choice. “I believe abortion needs to be safe, accessible and legal for all.” She said she has a niece that should be able to get an abortion specifically if she has an ectopic pregnancy which runs in the family or if she has been raped. She should have access to abortion services. She said she had been part of the lobbying to remove the 1969 abortion ban in New Mexico. “We need to make sure these rights are never limited in our state.”

Martinez said he had voted for the abortion bill, but the subject brings a lot of controversy. “I am not capable of telling a woman what to do.” It is a woman’s choice not the church or the legislators. If abortion stops, there will be back-alley abortions and women will die. This has to do with women’s health care.

What does that mean for the state? Do the legislators have any responsibility?

Martinez said it goes back to choice, no matter where the person comes from. The doctors have a choice also which the bill includes. Abortion is a right not a privilege. The abortion should be done whether the doctor believes in it or not. The number of abortions is very small in New Mexico.

Whitlock said this would be a new frontier. The legislature currently has been looking at the issue. She said the neighboring states will not be allowing abortions in situations of rape, incest, or ectopic pregnancies.

The audience had another question. What will you as a legislator do to help GRMC get back to functioning as it should? Should it remain with the county commission or go back to a board of trustees?

Whitlock said: “As a legislature we need to get the funding to make it become a viable hospital. The county commissioners should not be running the hospital ultimately in the long term. It needs to be given back to a board of trustees to run. However, since the county took it back it has been in the black for the first time. I don’t think the county should be in the business of running a hospital.”

Martinez said the legislator’s duty is to provide the necessary funding. GRMC has received funding to keep it afloat in the past. The county commissioners have other duties, and the hospital should have qualified people to make the necessary decisions on health care. The challenge is big, but the Legislature needs to be involved.

A question from the audience. Outdoor recreation should be a priority for the state. What would you do to increase it and what experience do you have?

Martinez said the state has a great opportunity that needs to be addressed. “This area has a lot to offer right in our backyard. An example would be birdwatching. Advertise to get people here needs to be done. This would be great for small businesses. “

Whitlock said: “Right now we have a program through the chamber of commerce called Co.Starters program. They promote small businesses and help start businesses by providing a business plan. The service costs them $25. They get complete education on how to start a business, how to do a business plan, and get grants. The program is funded. A glamping (camping) business has already started using this program.”

A question from the press. What can or should the New Mexico legislature do to improve or address the perception of election security?

Whitlock said that New Mexico is the most secure in the country but maybe could be made better. There are lots of studies that show the elections have been secure. “We need better voter access. We have the most secure elections; I want to emphasize that.”

Martinez said we have the best secretary of state in the nation. Elections have been secure and available to everyone. He pointed out that people might not know that a felon can now vote. The elections are secure and do not have fraud.

Seibel asked who won the 2020 presidential election.

Martinez said Biden

Whitlock said Biden had been duely elected in the “safest election in the country and world. “

A question from the audience. What single reason do you have that voters should vote for you?

Whitlock said she has been very active in the community. “I understand a lot of what people are going through.” She said she is already working on many of the issues to help the community.

Martinez said his experience would be the main reason. He said the discipline he learned in the military as another reason alone. Also, he had family values. He said he had respect for everyone and the asset of being open, honest and sincere.

The audience had another question. It has been sad to see all the issues that Grant County has had, murders, gang violence, drugs, domestic violence, graffiti, etc. How would you make it safer?

Martinez said it comes back to family values. Some families work two or three jobs and don’t have time to provide direction to their kids. There’s misinformation out there that Democrats are trying to take away guns. “We are trying to make sure that individuals with mental health issues are not eligible to purchase guns. Law enforcement needs to be provided with the adequate funding.” He said he had introduced bills to help with funding law enforcement.

Whitlock said by the time the crime gets committed, it’s too late. Prevention needs to be worked on. Grant County has multigenerational poverty. New Mexico needs to provide quality education and provide support to the families so they can live a life without crime.

The press asked a question. Do you support the constitutional amendments on ballot in November?

Whitlock said the land grant fund would provide and increase in education money using a small amount of interest from the fund. It would not touch the principal and she strongly supported it. She said she had worked for the past eight years to get this. The fund comes from the income to the state for sales of oil and gas.

Martinez said he supported the increase for education using the land grant fund. New Mexico has one of the largest funds in the nation.

The last audience question. The question goes back to the redistricting going from two representatives to one in the area. Every time they redistrict Albuquerque gets more representatives. How will you work with urban legislators to educate them about the differences in services, resources, and community needs that may require greater funding to have equity?

Martinez said he had experience with this in the past. He fought the state in the past when they tried some years ago. He said he would not call it a disadvantage but a challenge.

Whitlock said she had been working on a workforce study to see what the disparities are in the different areas of the state. It will look at behavior health care and other groups. Some of the data has been coming back. The rural areas have started banding together. “I would continue and expand what I have been doing.”

Seibel has a question from the press. He said there is a perception among the more rural communities, particularly farming and ranching, that Democrats are not interested in representing them or their way of life. “The think the democratic party is woke.” How would you speak to those communities?

Whitlock said her in-laws are ranchers and she has been aware of the concern. The issue must be looked at like a three-legged stool, jobs, overall economic importance, and environmental concerns. Ranchers are important and provide needed services. “We need local meat packing places. The laws have been structured for the large meat packing plants and need to be changed to help the small local plants open and survive. They provide a valuable service.”

Martinez said his family have been farmers and ranchers but in Dona Ana County. “The idea of supporting our farmers and ranchers needs to be kept. They unfortunately must fight the Forest Service. I completely support the farm and ranch community.”

Seibel posed the time machine question. If you win and we are sitting here two years from now, what will you be most proud of?

Martinez said working with human services and providing the money needed for the health care providers that is sustainable and equitable.

Whitlock said for education instead of the state being number 50 in the country that in two years it rose to low 40’s.

Closing statements.

Martinez said he had a website: rudymartineznm.com. “It has all my contact information.” Since 2008 Martinez said he had been working on a four-lane road from Bayard to Deming. He said he has kept tabs on it, and it should be happening in spring of 2023. The highway will provide a way for Grant County to grow with a road that is not as dangerous.

Whitlock said she wanted to thank everyone, and she could be reached on her website, karenforhd39.com or cell phone 575-519-4426. She restated her three top issues, education, health care, jobs, and environmental issues.