Around the Roundhouse

Howie Morales served 11 years in the New Mexico Senate and has been lieutenant governor since 2019. In the latest episode of "Around the Roundhouse," Santa Fe New Mexican reporter Daniel J. Chacón speaks to Morales about his role in the Roundhouse working with Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, and his thoughts on a possible run for the Democratic nomination for governor. Morales discusses his decision between a run for governor and applying to be the president of Western New Mexico University, which is in his hometown of Silver City. He talks about what he learned from his previous attempt at running for the Democratic nomination for governor in 2014, and his thoughts on the two candidates that have formally announced their campaigns so far — former U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman. After asking Morales about his opinion on this year's 60-day legislative session and a possible special session, Chacón touches on some lighter topics including Morales' reputation as being one of the nicest people in state politics and his sports background.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A freshman state senator from Rio Rancho, Republican Jay Block made headlines during his first legislative session by introducing a plan to create an office in New Mexico similar to the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency. In 2022, Block was also in the spotlight when he ran to be the GOP candidate in the governor’s race. He recently joined Santa Fe New Mexican state politics reporter Daniel J. Chacón for the latest episode of “Around the Roundhouse” to discuss what lies ahead for his DOGE-like idea and to share his thoughts on the 2026 governor’s race, including if he plans to run again.  The interview includes Block discussing his military background, which spanned more than 20 years as a nuclear weapons officer. He also shares his experience when he volunteered for a combat tour in Afghanistan in 2005-06, which he describes as his best and worst tour in the military.  Block is asked about his thoughts on potential cuts to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, what it was like in his first term as a state senator serving in the minority party, and how he feels about the candidates that have declared for the governor’s race so far.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman formally launched his bid for New Mexico governor Thursday in Las Vegas, N.M. The Albuquerque Democrat joins host Daniel J. Chacón for the latest episode of “Around the Roundhouse” to discuss his decision to join the race and share his vision for the state. Bregman spoke about how he plans to balance his role as DA with campaigning for the state’s top office. Chacón also asks Bregman about former U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the only other person to declare for the race so far, and how he plans to compete with Haaland’s significant fundraising lead. Bregman has been a supporter of stricter penalties for juvenile crime. During the interview, he offers a critical assessment of lawmakers' handling of the issue during the recent 60-day legislative session and talks about how he would try to spur progress as governor. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham recently declared a state of emergency in Albuquerque and said the level of crime in the city warrants the assistance of the New Mexico National Guard. Bregman shares his thoughts on the move and talks about what he thinks it will take to get a better handle on crime in the city.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Mexico was in the national headlines over the weekend as a suspected act of arson resulted in a scorched entryway at the state Republican Party’s Albuquerque headquarters. Local and federal agencies are conducting an investigation into the incident.  Amy Barela, chairwoman of the Republican Party of New Mexico, spoke with Santa Fe New Mexican state government reporter Daniel J. Chacón about the apparent act of arson and the current tumultuous political climate during the latest episode of “Around the Roundhouse.”  Also in the episode, Barela discusses her path to politics and what led her to become the state’s Republican Party chairwoman. The Otero County business owner shares her thoughts on President Donald Trump’s actions so far in his second term and about potential federal funding cuts to the state. Barela also touches on the recent 60-day legislative session and gives her take on what needs to be done to address crime in New Mexico.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2025 New Mexico legislative session is in the books and the politicians, staffers and lobbyists have cleared out of the Roundhouse. On the final day, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Republican legislators were critical of what they said was a lack of public safety legislation to come out of the session. Santa Fe New Mexican columnist Milan Simonich appears on the latest episode of “Around the Roundhouse” to share his take on what went down. Guest host and New Mexican state government and policy reporter Margaret O’Hara chats with Simonich to learn his biggest takeaways. Simonich offers a critical view of Democratic leadership, saying there seemed to be a lack of focus on making progress on some of the key issues that were highlighted heading into the session, including public safety. He says a special session, which the governor and some Republicans have called for, would be a waste of time unless there’s a real strategy that’s been laid out in advance. It wasn’t quite all negative, though. Simonich closes by talking about a couple of positive developments he saw come out of the session.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe, is in charge of steering the ship when it comes to setting the agenda in the chamber and deciding what bills make it to the floor during New Mexico's legislative session. He joined New Mexican reporter Daniel J. Chacón on Thursday morning to offer his assessment on what’s been accomplished in this year’s 60-day session and what legislation may still be considered before the session comes to a close at noon Saturday.  Wirth, who has been the Senate majority leader for nine years, talks about the importance of collaboration in getting legislation heard and passed, and discusses his relationship with Senate Minority Leader Bill Sharer. He also shares how his job as a mediator helps him in his legislative role. Wirth is asked about his level of satisfaction regarding what bills have made it through to the governor’s desk so far, and responds to criticism levied by the governor and Republicans when it comes to crime legislation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nicole Chavez’s life changed forever in 2015 when her teenage son Jaydon was killed in a drive-by shooting. The tragedy and ensuing drawn-out judicial process in prosecuting those responsible for her son’s death sparked her interest in advocacy and politics. The first-term Republican state representative joins “Around the Roundhouse” to share how the experience has led her on a path to fighting for stiffer penalties for juvenile offenders and also for stronger rehabilitation programs so those who are released from incarceration are integrated into society rather than falling back to a life of crime.  Chavez also talks about being a rare Republican representative in the Albuquerque area, why she switched from a Democrat to Republican, and what she’s found surprising while serving in her first term in office. She addresses the crime bills she has sponsored during the 60-day session, as well as her disappointment in what she feels is a lack of progress during the session to produce laws that will reduce crime in New Mexico.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sen. Leo Jaramillo has been in the New Mexico Legislature since 2021 and serves as vice chair of the Senate Rules Committee. He’s had a winding path through his professional career, starting as a TV news writer and producer before becoming a teacher and now a staff operations manager at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Jaramillo joins “Around the Roundhouse” to talk about his journey through life, including how being involved on cheer teams gave him a boost of confidence when he was younger and how a teacher helped inspire him to become involved in politics. He also discusses the current legislative session and the lowrider legislation he is sponsoring. In the second segment, host Daniel Chacón speaks with fellow reporter Margaret O’Hara about potential federal funding cuts and how they may affect Medicaid and school meals programs in New Mexico, and about what state lawmakers are doing to prepare for the potential impact.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stefani Lord and John Block are two of the most outspoken members of the state’s Republican House caucus and have developed quite a reputation in the Legislature. The two lawmakers, who share an office, join the latest episode of “Around the Roundhouse” to discuss their close friendship, how they get along with members of both parties, and whether they think their reputation is warranted.  Lord, R-Sandia Park, and Block, R-Alamogordo, also discuss their thoughts on President Donald Trump’s first weeks back in office. Host Daniel J. Chacón gets their reactions to the federal funding cuts and freezes, as well as the recent layoffs to federal employees. He also asks about their level of concern with LGBTQ+ rights under the Trump administration.  Getting back to New Mexico’s 60-day legislative session, Chacón asks Lord and Block about the Democrat-sponsored bills they dislike the most and about their favorite bills they’re sponsoring. They say that they support more bipartisan legislation than most people might think.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Angel Charley is a mother of three, an advocate, an organizer and the first Native American female to represent Senate District 30. The Democrat from Laguna Pueblo joins “Around the Roundhouse” to speak about her experience through the first 30 days of the 60-day legislative session as she balances her roles as a working mother and first-term senator. Charley provides an overview of the legislation she is sponsoring, including a bill to create a Turquoise Alert system to help locate missing Native Americans in New Mexico and a bill to establish criteria for comprehensive sex education for students from grades 8-12 across the state. The freshman senator talks about her support of fellow Laguna Pueblo member Deb Haaland, the former U.S. Interior Secretary and U.S. Congresswoman, in her run for governor of New Mexico. Charley also shares her thoughts on how the state government can help tribal nations amid potential federal funding cuts under the Trump administration. In the second segment, host Daniel Chacón shares highlights from Week 5 of the session, getting comments from legislators on how they’re feeling at the midway point and chatting with New Mexican reporter Margaret O'Hara about what's been going on with the latest proposal for paid family and medical leave.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fresh off formally launching her campaign for New Mexico governor, Deb Haaland took time to speak with Santa Fe New Mexican politics reporter Daniel Chacón to share why she has decided to join the race. In the latest episode of “Around the Roundhouse,” the former congresswoman and U.S. interior secretary talks about how her lived experiences — including her financial struggles as a single mother — have shaped her politics and helped her relate with people across the state. Haaland, a Democrat who is a member of Laguna Pueblo, spoke about her priority of bringing down the cost of housing in New Mexico and talked about her upcoming tour around the state to speak to people about the challenges they face. She addressed Republicans’ criticisms of her being too progressive and shared her thoughts on Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s tenure. Haaland was also asked whether her position on drilling around Chaco Canyon has changed and about her position on President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From an advocate, to a legislative staffer, to the majority floor leader of the state House of Representatives, Reena Szczepanski has experienced New Mexico politics from a variety of perspectives. The Santa Fe Democrat joins “Around the Roundhouse” to share her story about her path to leadership and her push for representation throughout her career.  Szczepanski shares what it was like to work with former House Speaker Brian Egolf as his chief of staff and how her time as a staffer and advocate has helped her in her current role. She also discusses her biggest priorities for the 60-day legislative session, including improving affordability of everyday life for New Mexicans and working to improve health care access.  The first Asian American to hold a leadership position in the New Mexico legislature, Szczepanski also talks about her role in the effort to bring more women and people of color into state government. She speaks with pride on her time as executive director of Emerge New Mexico, an organization that has worked to increase the number of Democratic women in public office.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's episode of "Around the Roundhouse," host Daniel J. Chacón speaks with Senate Minority Leader Bill Sharer to ask him about his skills at filibustering and his objectives for the Republican caucus for the 60-day legislative session.  Sharer, who is from Farmington and represents District 1, speaks about the challenges and opportunities of organizing a Republican Senate caucus that has 10 new members. He also talks about the struggles the party has had in messaging, saying that Republicans have allowed Democrats to define them to New Mexicans rather than Republicans defining themselves.  The discussion also touches on the state's crime issues, with Sharer saying New Mexico needs to be stronger at the border to rein in cartel activity. The conversation closes with Sharer criticizing the "Clear Horizons" pollution reduction bill in colorful fashion. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the latest episode of "Around the Roundhouse," state Sen. Crystal Brantley joins the show to offer an overview of the legislation she'll be supporting during the 60-day session, including increased penalties for fentanyl dealers and incentives to support schools in efforts to reduce cellphone use in the classroom. Brantley, a Republican from Elephant Butte, shares how having kids spurred her to get involved in politics. She also offers her thoughts on Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's State of the State address, saying she agreed with much of what the governor said but wants to see action from Democratic lawmakers when it comes to passing legislation to combat crime and reform the troubled state Children, Youth and Families Department. Brantley also talks about concerns in her district relating to the U.S.-Mexico border, and tells the story of how her vehicle was broken into during last year's special session that was intended to focus on public safety. After the interview with Brantley, Chacón shares highlights from the first week of the legislative session, focusing on the governor's State of the State address.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the first episode of "Around the Roundhouse," House Speaker Javier Martínez joins host and lead politics reporter Daniel J. Chacón to preview New Mexico's 60-day legislative session. Martínez, a Democrat from Albuquerque, shares a bit about himself including his upbringing along the U.S.-Mexico border, and speaks about how his background influences his perspective as a lawmaker. He also discusses the House Democrats' priorities heading into the session, from a focus on public safety and behavioral health to a reform of the New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department. Martínez speaks about his relationship with Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham following critical words during a short-lived 2024 special session on public safety, and discusses the possible impact of a large crop of new legislators this session.  Following the interview, Chacón shares highlights from separate recent press conferences by House Democrat and Republican leaders in Albuquerque. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.