Liberal groups start effort to target 'corporate' Democrats

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A coalition of liberal groups has begun a campaign to target critical moderate New Mexico Senate Democrats who have blocked some liberal proposals.

The coalition calling itself the No Corporate Democrats community coalition said Monday it will work to unseat five Senate Democrats they say oppose more spending on early childhood education.

The senators have stopped proposals aimed at dipping into the state’s largest permanent fund to pay for the expansion of early childhood programs.

The Democratic senators targeted in the campaign are Senate President Pro Tem Mary Kay Papen of Las Cruces, John Arthur Smith of Deming, Clemente Sanchez of Grants, George Muñoz of Gallup, and Gabriel Ramos of Silver City.

The five Democrats also voted against an unsuccessful abortion rights measure in 2019. The bill would have repealed a 1969 anti-abortion law.

Muñoz, vice chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, told the Albuquerque Journal that he cares about the people in his western New Mexico district, regardless of their income level.

Opponents “can put a label on me,” Muñoz said, “but at the end of the day, it’s the people of my district that I listen to.”