By Frost McGahey

Photo from Sen. Martin Heinrich's website
Recently the Albuquerque Journal ran an editorial on Senator Martin Heinrich's bill that could make Puerto Rico the 51st State. This would give them two senators and four house seats. Overlooked was the consequence that it would make all current American flags obsolete.

Of concern to the Journal was the 2020 Census in which New Mexico barely kept the 3 House Congressional districts and five Electoral College votes that it has because of the lack of population.

Heinrich's goal of adding Puerto Rico as a state would almost guarantee that New Mexico would lose one House Seat plus one Electoral College vote.

Congressional House Seats are based on population.

The 2020 census showed New Mexico with a population of just over 2.1 million. A congressional district should have 761,169 people. New Mexico is already below the population needed for three full congressional districts. Because of anemic growth, NM is a candidate for losing representation.

Puerto Rico has a population 3.2 million. Besides two senators, statehood would give them at least four seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and four Electoral College votes.

This would happen after the 2030 Census. Puerto Rico's representation would come from other states. This happened after the 1960 census when Alaska and Hawaii received their House members from other states.

Heinrich is the Senate's lead sponsor of the Puerto Rico Status Act.

As reported in the Albuquerque Journal on May 16, 2023: https://www.abqjournal.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-heinrichs-puerto-rican-statehood-bill-could-cost-nm-1-of-its-3-us-house/article_7402044c-066a-11ef-b209-1b29a8761938.html

"It doesn't make sense for a senator from a small-population state to be leading the charge that could diminish his own state's influence in Washington, D.C. A Puerto Rican statehood initiative is indeed a bold move for a senator representing New Mexico; perhaps even foolhardy for someone who was born in Nevada, who grew up in Missouri and who has been a resident of Maryland for much of his two terms in the U.S. Senate, and who is up for reelection this year.

"Heinrich has once again got his head in the clouds while his state struggles to grow and prosper. Our senior senator needs to spend more time on issues that matter to New Mexico — like unprecedented levels of illegal immigration, violent crime, … and less time on banning gas stoves and expanding the number of states for his political party's gain but to his own state's detriment."

Nella Domenici, a daughter of longtime Republican U.S. Senator Pete Domenici, will challenge Senator Martin Heinrich as he seeks a third term.