The Shifting Landscape of NM Politics Coverage in 2024

This week, I was pleased to host a roundtable discussion with Source New Mexico Editor Shaun Griswold and freelance reporter Justin Horwath. They’re both old friends, and I was eager to chat with them about a piece Justin wrote for New Mexico In Depth under the headline “Progressives going after incumbents in hot Democratic primaries.”

Provocative!

Anyway, Shaun, Justin and I dove into the ideological split emerging in the New Mexico Democratic Party, how the outcomes of several primary races will impact the people who live in this state and where the money’s coming from to fund these campaigns. 

Justin reported that Democrats are extremely likely to keep their huge majorities in both chambers of the Legislature, but there’s a fight brewing during primary season between progressives and moderate incumbents.

Here’s the money shot from Justin’s story: “Because of this one-party dominance, the ideological fault lines within the democratic party have major policy implications on abortion, the environment, education and workplace issues like minimum wage and paid family and medical leave benefits.”

My favorite part of the conversation came at the end, when the three of us explored how news organizations should report on politics in New Mexico in 2024 — what with Democrats strengthening their stranglehold on government here and all.

I hope you’ll watch the segment. These are important races, and that question about how to shift politics coverage to match reality in 2024 is one every journalist in New Mexico should be having. 

And before you watch, I highly recommend you read Justin’s piece on the New Mexico In Depth website. I’m excited to have Justin back reporting on New Mexico politics after a few years away, and I’m certain there will be more stories like this in the coming months.

-Jeff Proctor, Executive Producer