Candidate forum for District 39 October 2, 2026, hosted by Silver City Daily Press

By Lynn Janes

On October 2, 2026, the Silver City Daily Press held its candidate forum for New Mexico District 39 with the election being held on November 3, 2025. It took place at the WNMU Besse Forward Global Resource center. The forum had incumbent Representative Luis Terrazas and his opponent Raul Turrieta facing off.

Nick Seibel, Silver City Daily Press publisher, moderated the forum. The candidates received questions from the audience, Facebook, and Press writer Juno Ogle. Each would answer the same question and had two minutes.

They started out with a three-minute opening statement.

Turrieta started with saying he had served with the Navy and was the son of a hardworking miner. He had worked 46 years in the assessor's office and had helped property owners and understands the details to protect them. He said he had started the veterans' exemptions since 1981. He reflected on the forum the previous night held by the Grant County Beat and described it as interesting. "I know I'm not a polished politician, you know. I've just got to say that I'm a hardworking individual. I'm more of a public servant more than anything else." He said that Terrazas would say he had kept his promises and does not bankroll on oil and gas. He said, "We have read the bills, and we know what the bills are. I have read them four times, and I know what the bills are, and I understand them."

Turrieta said he wanted to look at the real issues, rising costs, finding doctors, and community safety.

Terrazas said that debating would be important and felt humbled to be the representative for the past six years. It had been an honor to go to Santa Fe and support initiatives of the district and state. He said for those that didn't know him he was born and raised here and had raised his family here. His dad had been a miner, veteran and three-tour veteran to Vietnam. Grant County has been all about veterans and thanked them for their service. His daughter currently serves in the Air Force. "This is my home. This is the place that I live. We drink the water. We enjoy the same forest. We live and eat at the same restaurants and go to the same schools that everyone else does."

"What is important to all of us is our health care." He had supported Medicare at $2.6 billion and leveraged with federal funds of $30 billion. The cost of living has been an important and has talked about it since he has been in office. People have been living paycheck to paycheck and people on fixed incomes have been struggling to make ends meet. He has spent a lot of time looking and dissecting the legislation that comes to him to make sure it does not affect peoples' checkbooks.

He and his opponent do receive money, and his opponent has received money $57,000 from the speaker of the New Mexico house. All of this information can be seen on the Secretary of State website.

Siebel had a question from the audience. Be positive. What specifically do you plan on doing as our legislator?

Terrazas said he has been positive and has been all the time. One thing has been to be open for the public to be able to ask questions and be friendly. People need to feel comfortable when they come to talk. They have established an office in Silver City at the First American Bank, so people may come and speak. Being straight forward has also been important.

"You have to have honesty in how you vote and sometimes that is not as easy as people think because the titles are one thing but as you dissect it, as it goes through the motion of where it starts to where it ends, you may be supporting something when you start. As it goes through the committees it changes and when it goes to the floor, it can be something you disagree with. We've seen add-ons of tax or other regulations that's very intensive and causes issues for our constituents with the cost of living."

Turrieta said one of his objectives will be health care. The county has seen a surge of elderly. They need good doctors locally, so they don't have to be hitting the highways. He asked that people check his record and whenever you will be at the legislature you have to listen to people because you don't know all the answers and have to stay on top of things. Whenever amendments will kick into bills you must ask questions and listen. "One other thing is look at where we're at right now with the economy. Affordability. My gosh, man, you're looking at $6 a gallon. We've got to do something about that. $5 for a dozen eggs; we've got to do something about that." He said he hoped the Republicans and Democrats could come together and help, maybe raise wages so people would have more money.

Siebel had a question from the audience. Can you talk about your community involvement and not just showing up for events but being involved in the planning etc.

Turrieta said it would be more than showing up at events. "I attend a lot of town council meetings and county commissioners meetings. I attend the chamber of commerce meetings off and on." He had attended a meeting about La Plata Mobile Manor to see what could be done to save these people from losing their homes. They have had a 70 percent increase in their rents. Checking on zoning will be important along with the community and market rent. "I have to make sure I have the pulse of Grant County, and I have been doing that for many years."

Terrazas said he has always volunteered on boards and been involved in the community for years and cited some of them. As a businessman, he talks to a lot of people and supports them. The schools asked for funding, so he has been talking to people all along learning what they need. As a legislator he constantly attends meetings and likes to because it provides the opportunity to learn and listen to the constituents.

Terrazas brought up the Grant County Water Commission and its attention to the water infrastructure of the county. Some of the meetings have been behind the scenes. He constantly has been talking to families and people about their needs and concerns.

Siebel had a question from the audience. Do you clearly identify your political party in your campaign advertising? Why or why not would that be important?

Terrazas thought this was a good question. He often thought when in committees or on the floor if they did not have any affiliation and you could hear people based on value and what they would be saying and doing would be better. People have perceptions when a label of Republican or Democrat has been attached.

Turrieta said when he goes to meetings or sits on boards where they don't have Rs, Ds or Is. He has done a lot of door-to-door campaigning on his moped and said a lot of people think Terrazas is a Democrat. "I tell them he is a Republican and they say it is not on his signs. I think it is important because I am proud to be a Democrat. It is important that we have our brand and label."

The audience had a question that started with, do we live in New Mexico or New America? Can you reach across the aisle and get things done as a legislator?

Turrieta said he plays softball in El Paso and Tucson, and they make fun of the New America, and he says, "I don't think so. There is no way our president, the Republican, is going to change the name." It has been New Mexico for well over 140 years and would stay that way.

Terrazas said, "I think things are really simple, I look at the constitution and no president could change the name of a state." It would have to pass the house and senate then go to the voters. "I was born in New Mexico; I love my state."

Siebel pointed out they had missed the important part of the question about working across the aisle.

Terrazas said you have to work across the aisle especially when in the minority. They only have 26 Republicans, and it takes 36 votes to pass a bill. He has worked across the aisle to have legislation he has introduced to pass. He and the governor had passed a bill together and he had the photo op. "You have to work together."

Ogle brought up that Turrieta had spoken to the La Plata Mobile Home Park. As a state legislator what could you do to help protect homeowners that own their home but not the land underneath?

Terrazas said people have been struggling to make ends meet and one of those would be rent. In the past five or six years they had seen a tremendous increase in rent and people need help. He agreed with the first right of refusal. They did have a bill for this, but it had not been ready, because it did not guarantee their rent would not increase. "It is important that the intent be met and that had been to maintain the cost and not have an increase." He said the bill will come forward again

Turrieta said he had read that bill four times and his opponent had voted no. He did not call them mobile homes and said that term would be politically incorrect, and they should be called manufactured homes. People have been barely able to afford these homes and when rents increase, they can't do anything about it. The first right of refusal to buy the property underneath them would be very difficult. "It is very expensive because I know how much these manufactured home parks are being sold for. They are very, very expensive. It is good income for the individual that buys them."

Siebel had received several questions about behavioral health, and he combined them into one. What is your plan for upgrading behavioral health services in Grant County?

Turrieta said the last Republican governor had dismantled behavioral health. If they could see what these individuals have been going through. The state needs to spend more money on staffing and counseling to help the people with these disabilities. It must be a major priority. "It was sad to see the governor destroy it. Thank goodness our Democrat governor has been putting it back together."

Terrazas said behavioral health and substance abuse has been a big problem and it is sad to see people living on the streets. Sadder has been seeing the youth addicted to substance abuse. This was serious, not just here, but across the country. He has worked with a lot of nonprofits to support different types of clinics. When working on the budget,Terrazas had supported $6 billion and matched it with federal funds that will be shared throughout the state. "We have to continue to give them tools." They've been having meetings in his office concerning the different avenues to take. Sometimes it took working with the district attorney, because sometimes some of the people don't necessarily need to go to jail but need treatment. "I've supported this tremendously."

A second question from the audience went the other direction on behavioral health. New Mexico has destroyed victims' rights when the perpetrator has mental health issues. What can be done to restore actual justice in the state?

Terrazas said working with the district attorney's office on ways to handle these issues. Some people need treatment rather than jail. If they will not be sent for treatment you don't just let them loose. If they don't follow through with treatment, they need some kind of responsibility to come back before the judge.

Turrieta said to begin with they need a lot of evaluations of these individuals that commit these crimes making sure they would be able to stand trial. They need to work with the district attorney and judges. He added, "It seems like any time somebody has a good home and good job when something happens from one of these individuals they go after the individual that has the money." Bottom line they need evaluation making sure they could stand trial for the things they have done.

Siebel asked what could be done to increase the chances of keeping the young people in Grant County after they grow up?

Turrieta said now kids graduate from high school and attend college right away. He talked about having Western New Mexico University (WNMU) and an objective would be to have vocational schools. "A lot of kids are really not for college." He added how hard it has been to find plumbers, electricians and mechanics. Vocational schools would be fantastic at WNMU.

Terrazas said he had been working on a vocational school for the area. It did need to start in the high schools also. He brought up the capital outlay dollars that have gone to education and suggested legislation to require some kind of giving back to the community maybe for two years. He talked about the many vacancies and how the kids obtain their education in the state and leave.

Seibel had an audience question. Merritt Hamilton Allen wrote a column in the Daily Press about corruption in the state capitol involving primarily lawyers who managed to keep us from having malpractice reform. If elected would these failures be of concern and what would you do to institute reforms?

Terrazas said they had to have ethics, especially as elected officials. He had seen all the unethical things happening in Santa Fe. The Democrat majority leader took millions of dollars and one running around without clothes in a hotel. That should be presented to ethics. "We have a chairwoman who is misappropriating funds right now and is under investigation. Unfortunately, they are all my collogues on the other side." When it comes to transparency they must build on those ethics, even for lobbyists. "We must be held to a higher standard than everyone else."

Turrieta brought up the Santa Fe ring, talking about ethics and corruption. They now have an ethics committee. He thought it has been sad all the lawsuits. "There is a lot of money flying around up there and in my 46 years, I can honestly say I am your man because I am the most honest in the whole state."

Ogle had a question for the candidates. We have had a data center proposed in Grant County and the county has a proposal for a moratorium. What would you support at the state level for the development of data centers within the state?

Turrieta had been glad to see a moratorium done right away and spoke to Project Jupiter and how great it would be but kept reiterating they needed to have guard rails and not regulation. "They want to take our water and our land." They will need to have stringent guardrails and let them know they will be responsible for the energy and environment.

Terrazas said first thing is they cannot cost the residents a dime, and the elected officials have to make sure that the resources will not be depleted. He said his opponent has been funded by the speaker of the house in the amount of $62,000 and they had received $46,000 from Project Jupiter. All this information can be found on the Secretary of States website. He added his could be viewed also and encouraged people to do so.

Seibel had a question from the audience. What can a legislature do to address climate change?

Terrazas said they obviously needed to watch emissions, but they should be proud of a lot of things New Mexico has done. Oil and gas has been the biggest sector of business within the state and comes with a lot of jobs and funds to support the state. They have been the biggest funder of the state. New Mexico has the highest environmental standards than any other state. "Each barrel produced is cleaner than the Middle East and Texas." Oil and gas has been the biggest funder of education and capital outlay. It would be important to embrace it. "I have worked on some environmental standards for clean energy in the amount of $2 billion. New Mexico needs to be fair and make sure the taxpayers will not be stuck cleaning up any abandoned alternative energy site."

Turrieta said clean air and energy would be very important. Oil and gas should be responsible to make sure everything has been taken care of. Since New Mexico has 365 days of a beautiful sun they should be utilizing solar energy because it would help climate change and emissions. He thought they needed to start investing in more electric cars because of emissions. "We can get a handle on climate change. It is not too late."

Siebel had an audience question. Back when he had been on the town council the problem of not being able to prohibit fireworks had been a problem during drought. Only the legislature could ban them. Would you support either banning them outright or passing legislation that would allow for local control?

Turrieta said he loved fireworks, but they had tried to do this a long time ago but one of the biggest fireworks industries had been in New Mexico. He thought it would be a good idea to keep the choice locally so if they had a drought, it could be banned to keep from burning the 3.3 million acres of national forest. There would be other ways to celebrate the fourth of July. Now some places have done drones.

Terrazas said he loved fireworks also and brought up memories of being a kid and spending time in the Gila and then coming in to see the fireworks. He did want to see them done by professionals, but local communities should have the control. He had seen drone shows and said they had been beautiful.

Siebel had a memory he shared from when he served on the town council. Everyone had been upset then about the fireworks, and he visited with the then Senator Benny Altamirano and all he said, "The lobbyist for the fireworks is a great guy."

Siebel had a question for the audience. If you have publicly opposed certain groups, members of the other party or the LGBTQ community how will you represent those groups equally in the senate?

Terrazas said they have groups that don't align with the community and culture of our area and mentioned the Sierra Club. They do not embrace mining, and this has been a mining area, and it moves the economy. The loss of mining would affect the schools and budget for the county. It would affect all of the people working in those mines. "We have to have balance, which doesn't mean we can't listen to them. Not every group understands and sees it from a macro level and not sees what the community means."

Turrieta said he knew a couple of miners that have been part of the LGBTQ. "I know quite a few of them so it's great." He had emceed a pride event and had been the first to open up their show in 2016. "We are all in it together. It's all unconditional love. It does not matter what color, race or transgender. We will work together with everybody." He said everyone is a human being, and he would work with them and everyone should respect one another. "Let's respect each other."

Siebel had a question from the audience. They asked the candidates to say something positive about their opponent's record of public service.

Turrieta said he and Terrazas had been friends and hung out together. He had been there when Turrieta lost his son and helped him on a lot of things he had to go through. They had joined hands when doing the Walk for Heroes, the veterans. Terrazas buys plaques for the event, and they stand together. It did not matter if people had been Rs or Ds. They have worked together for the veterans, and he does it every year. Turrieta added the next one would be October 17, 2026.

Terrazas said he had never had a cross word before and said Turrieta has been a wonderful person and thanked him. He loved that he goes to all these events and supports the people and makes sure that he attends a lot of these things. "People appreciate that and it's a good thing." He brought up his coming up to his truck in the Fourth of July parade on his roller blades. Terrazas said he hoped to see the community come together and they should not be so divided. They should listen to each other. "I hope that all of us come together and recognize the importance of us as a community and remember, we are the examples to our children and our grandchildren."

They shook hands and a lot of applauding happened.

Siebel wrapped up the questions with the one he always asks. Every forum Siebel poses a time machine question. He asks if they win and four years from now, they come back to this forum and will be running again for the second term. What is your single biggest accomplishment on the council in your first term?

Terrazas said they all needed to come together and hoped to see balance in the legislature. It takes all perspectives to pass legislation. It has been important for him to find ways for the legislature to help people afford to live. He wished he could make taxes go away and it would put money back in the pockets of people. "We need to come together and not be concerned with people being Republican or Democrat. We all breathe the same air and go to the same places." That would be his goal to all be working together and put more money in people's pockets.

Turrieta said he had been working on a lot of tax bills for his affiliate and had a couple Republicans asking him questions. He didn't care if they had been Republican and it didn't bother him, and he hoped to continue that. He had always worked with the sheriff, county commission and county manager. Bottom line, "Let's just have a conversation. That's what it is all about."

Closing statements

Siebel had cut the forum to one hour due to a family engagement. He said he had received a lot of great questions. He asked the candidates if he emailed them the questions if they could answer them so they could be included in the publication on Tuesday. They both agreed to do that.

Terrazas thanked Siebel for putting the event together. "Debate is important and for the people to ask questions." He asked people to come to him with questions and welcomed them to come to their office in First American Bank. "It's time for us to work and come together." He said it would not be about his priorities but the priorities of the community. Phone number 575-313-4262.

Turrieta said he would be happy to leave on a positive note. "I have known Luis for many, many years." When it will all be said and done, he hoped they could still join hands. He said he knew that some people supported the other side but asked for them to not be angry with him because of him being a Democrat and vice versa. "We are all in it together and in a small community. I just want peace, and peace is what it is all about and love is the answer." He said it had been bad times and if they could sit together maybe they could help the people with the economy and bringing down gas prices."