Republican candidates for Doña Ana County Sheriff joined Speak Up Las Cruces for a forum on leadership, transparency, public safety, and the future direction of the sheriff’s department. Candidates discussed their backgrounds in local, state, military, and federal law enforcement while outlining different approaches to accountability, officer wellness, recruitment, training, and community trust.
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Democratic candidates for Doña Ana County Sheriff joined Speak Up Las Cruces for a forum on public safety, leadership, transparency, and the future of the sheriff’s department. Candidates discussed their professional backgrounds in local, state, federal, and military law enforcement, along with differing views on the performance of the current administration and the relationship between the sheriff’s office and county government.
The primary elections, the "disastrous" state of the transfer portal in collegiate athletics, and traffic etiquette at local intersections were among the key topics discussed by Peter Goodman and Walt Rubel in the opening segment of Speak Up Las Cruces.
Incumbent County Assessor Eugenia "Gina" Montoya Ortega and challenger Shannon Reynolds joined Walt Rubel and Nancy Baker for a candidate forum on the Doña Ana County Assessor Democratic primary. Montoya Ortega, who is seeking a second term, described her work to correct long-standing inequities in how properties are valued across the county and her ongoing effort to complete a countywide reappraisal project - a statutory obligation she said has been complicated by staffing shortages and friction with the County Commission over funding. Reynolds, a former County Commissioner who resigned to qualify for this race, argued the assessor's office could play a broader role in addressing affordable housing and business recruitment through tax assessment policy, and proposed phased increases for commercial property reassessments similar to the 3% cap that protects residential homeowners. Montoya Ortega pushed back, arguing that commercial property assessment operates very differently from residential and that a cap on commercial values would hurt the state's tax base. (Rubén Reyes, a third candidate, will appear on a future episode.)
Mariel Nanasi of New Energy Economy and rate case expert Rocky Bacchus joined Walt Rubel and Nancy Baker to discuss El Paso Electric's proposed 73% rate increase, which could push average residential bills from around $240 to over $400 a month this summer. Bacchus, who has been involved in previous El Paso Electric rate cases, argued that many of the utility's capital expenditures are unjustified and that professional expert testimony before the Public Regulation Commission is urgently needed. The conversation also touched on Project Jupiter's switch from gas turbines to Bloom Energy fuel cells, which both guests acknowledged as an improvement driven by public pressure but still falling short of a fully renewable solar-and-battery solution. Both called on the city, county, and state legislature to take a more active role in ratepayer advocacy, including creating a PACE zone to help homeowners go solar.
Angela Rowe Garcia and Daisy Maldonado joined Walt Rubel and Nancy Baker for a candidate forum on the Doña Ana County Commission District 1 Democratic primary. Rowe Garcia, CEO of the Toy Box Early Learning Centers, emphasized economic development, small business support, and youth safety, drawing on her decade of advocacy in early childhood education. Maldonado, a community organizer with experience working in colonia communities, focused on economic mobility, creating a county economic development strategy, and strengthening the relationship between county government and state agencies. Both candidates addressed Project Jupiter, expressing concerns about accountability and the county's track record with private entities, and both weighed in on Memorial Medical Center's breach of its indigent care contract, calling for stronger enforcement and oversight. The winner of the June 2 primary will face Republican Samantha Barncastle Salopek in the general election.
Walt Rubel and Nancy Baker opened the show with thanks to listeners who supported KTAL during the Community Foundation's Giving Day before turning to a packed news discussion. They extensively criticized the Justice Department’s second indictment of James Comey, labeling it a dangerous weaponization of law against political rivals. The discussion broadened to include the longest government shutdown in history, high gas prices fueled by the Iran war, and the FCC’s expedited license review for ABC following a Jimmy Kimmel joke. Locally, the hosts examined the gubernatorial primary between Deb Haaland and Sam Bregman, and the New Mexico Supreme Court’s decision to reinstate Rebecca Dow to the ballot. Finally, they addressed the challenge voters face in choosing among judicial candidates who are ethically constrained from discussing their positions.
Lori Martinez and Tilli Villalobos joined Walt Rubel and Jamie Bronstein fto discuss their campaigns for the open House District 37 seat being vacated by five-term incumbent Joanne Ferrary. Martinez, a social worker and nonprofit executive who runs Ngage New Mexico, emphasized healthcare including the possibility of a state single-payer system, paid family medical leave, and a cradle-to-career approach to education. Villalobos, a former federal prosecutor who left the Department of Justice after Trump took office and now defends immigration clients, focused on addressing the affordability crisis, consumer protection against corporate price gouging, and early intervention to reduce juvenile crime. Both candidates spoke in depth about the Young Park shooting and the importance of after-school programs, community schools, and mental health resources for youth. Both also expressed support for the constitutional amendment on November's ballot that would create a paid professional legislature. The winner of the June 2 primary will face Republican Isabella Solis in the general election
Incumbent Rep. Ray Lara and challenger Juan Fuentes joined Walt Rubel and Jamie Bronstein for the first candidate forum of the 2026 primary season, discussing the issues facing House District 34, which spans Santa Teresa, Sunland Park, Chamberino, La Mesa, and a large rural agricultural area along the southern border. Both candidates focused heavily on the arsenic contamination in the area's drinking water, economic development and job creation relative to the booming Texas side of the border, and the challenge of accessing health care in a region where many residents rely on El Paso facilities. Lara, who chairs the House Democratic caucus and is seeking a fifth term, emphasized his record of capital investments and legislative work on behalf of the district. Fuentes, a lifelong Sunland Park resident with nearly 30 years of experience in local government, argued the district needs stronger advocacy for infrastructure and economic opportunity. The winner of the June 2 primary will run uncontested in the general election.
NMSU English professor Michelle Granger joined Walt Rubel and Jamie Bronstein to discuss the inaugural meeting of Higher Education Labor United, a new statewide coalition bringing together faculty, adjunct, and staff unions from across New Mexico's higher education institutions. Granger explained that the coalition's first priority is winning the 80-20 health care premium split that other state employees now receive but higher ed workers do not, with NMSU faculty currently paying as much as 40% of their premiums. She also discussed the NMSU faculty union's ongoing contract negotiations, the challenge of retaining faculty who leave for better pay elsewhere despite NMSU's growing enrollment, and federal cuts to university research funding. The conversation also touched on AI in the classroom, the impacts of NIL on college athletics, and the role of higher education in New Mexico's economic development.
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