Condemning Political Violence and Standing Up for New Mexico

As leaders in the New Mexico House and Senate, Democratic Majority Leader Peter Wirth and Speaker of the House Javier Martínez strongly condemn acts of political violence that make all of us less safe. The recent assassinations and brutal murders of public figures, including the assassination of Charlie Kirk and the murder of Minnesota Democratic state legislator and Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, represent an unconscionable escalation of targeted political violence in the country. This trend also affects New Mexico, with orchestrated shootings at Democratic lawmakers' homes and bomb threats directed at the House and Senate leadership that forced the evacuation of a school.

Key Takeaways:

• Peter Wirth and Javier Martínez condemn all acts of political violence in New Mexico and across the country, citing the recent assassinations and murders of public figures.
• The leaders experienced violence firsthand in their own state, including orchestrated shootings at Democratic lawmakers' homes and bomb threats directed at the House and Senate leadership.
• Wirth and Martínez emphasize that political leaders and their families should not become targets simply for their beliefs or service, threatening the safety of every American who engages in public life.
• The duo understands that they cannot allow political violence to stifle debate, weaken democracy, or prevent them from standing firm in their values and fighting for the needs of New Mexicans.
• New Mexico Democrats will stand up against federal funding cuts that threaten the well-being of their families and communities.
• Wirth and Martínez will deliver immediate relief and take steps toward long-term stability for working families, rural communities, and vulnerable populations across the state in the Oct. 1 special legislative session.
• They will protect access to affordable health care coverage by expanding premium assistance eligibility and safeguard New Mexico's rural health care system by providing emergency stabilization grants to rural providers.
• The duo will empower the state Department of Health to make science-based decisions and address the devastating impact of federal SNAP cuts that threaten New Mexicans' access to food.

Statistics:

• 450,000 New Mexicans are threatened with SNAP cuts that could make it harder to put food on the table.
• 8,000 children could lose access to vital nutrition education programs due to federal SNAP cuts.
• The special legislative session aims to address New Mexicans' immediate concerns with specific, targeted legislation that has already been thoroughly vetted and evaluated.

Sources:

• Peter Wirth and Javier Martínez, authors