Endorsements for county elections

In Santa Fe County, primary voting is essential for people who want to help choose among candidates for sheriff, county commissioner and magistrate. That’s because Republicans often fail to field candidates given the overwhelming Democratic advantage locally. The primary selects the winner. Here are The New Mexican‘s endorsements for sheriff, county commission and magistrate judge:

Santa Fe County Sheriff

Adan Mendoza is seeking a second term and faces a tough opponent, Santa Fe Police Department Lt. David Webb. Voters should return Mendoza to office. He has the depth of experience and leadership Santa Fe County needs in its elected sheriff. From earning a Bachelor of Arts in criminology at the University of New Mexico to working his way up from deputy cadet in the sheriff’s office to the rank of major, Mendoza has shown throughout his career the ability to solve problems and deliver results.

In his first term, Mendoza began the LEAD program, short for Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion, to provide alternatives to incarceration so people with substance abuse or dealing with mental health issues have an opportunity to get well, not go to jail. The ABLE (Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement) program he started is designed to help deputies learn how to intervene when necessary to stop other officers from causing harm or engaging in misconduct. The sheriff also reviewed policies on use of force, bodyworn cameras and pursuit policies, rewriting them to ensure they complied with state law. This is actual progressive policing, happening now, under Mendoza’s leadership.

Most of all, Mendoza led during the pandemic. When Santa Fe County decided employees needed to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and wear masks to protect the public, Mendoza enforced the mandate. Much has been made of a deputies’ union expressing no confidence in the sheriff’s leadership. Besides the union leader being a cousin of Mendoza’s opponent, many deputies did not want to be vaccinated or wear masks. That’s why some quit. Mendoza showed he could make tough decisions — always putting the public first. That’s the kind of sheriff Santa Fe County needs and deserves. For sheriff, The New Mexican endorses Adan Mendoza.

Santa Fe County Commission

District 1: Three candidates are vying to replace outgoing commissioner Henry Roybal, who can’t run again because of term limits. The New Mexican appreciates the energy and ideas of these three candidates, all of whom want to serve their neighbors. This district covers the northern portion of Santa Fe County, the Pojoaque Valley and small tribal and rural communities. To represent such a diverse area, the right commissioner needs to understand the needs of varied constituents — including small farmers, business entrepreneurs and area governments.

Of the three, Orlando Romero best fills the bill. He has served as constituent representative for Roybal for five years, but before that, had a stellar career in government service at the state level. Orlando Romero also has interacted closely with tribal governments, including working in land use and planning for Pojoaque Pueblo. That combination of experience and knowledge, including a depth of understanding of the job of county commissioner, makes him the right choice. For County Commission, District 1, The New Mexican endorses Orlando Romero.

Voters in the County Commission District 3 have two outstanding candidates from which to choose. City Councilor Chris Rivera is running, facing community advocate and educator Camilla Bustamante, among others. She is retired as a dean from the Santa Fe Community College, while Rivera is a former Santa Fe Fire Department chief. Both have long records of service to their community, the south side of Santa Fe and traditional agricultural communities south of town.

Bustamante brings a breadth of work and community experience, including expertise in managing water resources and creating affordable housing. Because of her jobs at SFCC and before that, Northern New Mexico College, she also understands how colleges can serve local workers to they individuals have better employment opportunities and boost the economy for all. She has proved

to be a solid listener, promising to work for better youth activities — the kind that take kids away from drag racing in rural Santa Fe County and into fun that isn’t dangerous and noisy. For District 3, The New Mexican endorses Camilla Bustamante.

Magistrate Court

The four candidates seeking to replace retiring Judge George Anaya Jr. all have strengths — and a fierce commitment to serve. Our choice is lawyer Dev Atma Khalsa. He currently works as an assistant district attorney, where he found money to start a drug court program in the Española Magistrate Court. He promises to innovate at Santa Fe Magistrate Court, too, where he believes a domestic violence specialty court would help reduce violence in our community by catching offenders early. Under state law, magistrates do not have to be lawyers, but as Santa Fe grows and cases become more complex, having judges who know the law from study and practice only makes sense. For Magistrate Court, The New Mexican endorses Dev Atma Khalsa.