By Lynn Janes
On October 28, 2024, the candidate forum for the upcoming election on November 5, 2024, took place at the WNMU Besse Forward Global Resource center. The forum had Gabriel Ramos and Chris Ponce facing off. Neither one would be an incumbent. Senator Siah Correa Hemphill withdrew from the race.
Nick Seibel, Silver City Daily Press publisher, moderated the forum. The candidates received questions from the audience, Facebook, and the Press writer Juno Ogle. Each would answer the same question and had two minutes.
Each candidate gave a three-minute opening statement.
Ramos thanked the press for putting the forum on. He had served as the state senator from 2019 to 2020. He thanked his wife and daughter for being in the audience and his son watching on Zoom and thanked them for their help in campaigning. He had been born, raised and educated in Grant County. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in business and public administration. His service started with the Army National Guard at seventeen then he received his degree and went to work as county clerk in 1997. At that time he wad 25 and the youngest clerk ever elected in the state of New Mexico. Ramos had also served on the Cobre School Board, Hurley town council and Grant County commission. "I have the experience to go out and pass bills. I know what it is like to go across the aisle and ask for help to pass bills. I know how to get it started from the beginning."
Ponce thanked the press and everyone for coming to the forum. He has been a lifelong resident of Grant County, born and raised. He has served as the chair of the Grant County Commission for 6 years. Ponce retired from law enforcement after 24 years and then worked with Freeport McMoRan for 10 years. He thanked his wife for being there and supporting him with the campaign and they had just celebrated 38 years of marriage and they have two grown kids. Even though he enjoys being a Grant County Commissioner he decided to give this a shot when the opportunity came up. He could still do great work as a state senator. "There are so many things here we need to work on. We can work with the three counties to improve things." He has learned as a commissioner how things work in Santa Fe. "You have to reach across the aisle and talk to people."
Seibel started with a question from the audience. Without referencing your opponent in any way tell us why you are the best and most qualified for this position.
Ponce thought he would be the best qualified for the position because he currently works in government business as a county commissioner. He stays up to date with the projects and has constant communication with the senators and representatives. "I have experience working with people and am open minded and will listen to anyone. I like ideas, I don't know how to do everything." It helps build a stronger and better community. "I want to work for the people."
I think it is experience, experience, experience. Ramos said he had served on a school board and town council and knew what it takes to find the funding. He had been told a project he wanted to do in Hurley would be impossible, but he had done it. As county clerk and commissioner, he had experience with county government. As commissioner for 8 years, they had done a lot of projects. Being a state senator had been a great experience for 2 years and he said he didn't need on the job training. "I can work for you from day one. I will represent southwest New Mexico."
What priorities do you have for Grant County when it comes to funding projects or platforms?
Ramos said the number one issue in Grant County would be the wastewater plant in Bayard. He had seen the problem firsthand when he worked for the city of Bayard. They needed to come together as a community to help the mining district to help get it running right. It will take about $15 million to do the project. This will ensure the water that comes out will be grade A water and can be used for other things. In the past when he had been commissioner, they had talked about creating a lake at Fort Bayard using the water and let it filter down and increase the aquifer. The number two would be the loop system for water in the mining district. He had been involved in the idea when he served on the Grant County Commission.
Ponce felt the biggest thing that came to mind because he retired from law enforcement would be criminal justice reform. He spoke to the current problem of people not being able to stand trial because they have been deemed incompetent. "Our counties need to feel safe and be safe." Law enforcement has become frustrated because the same people that have been deemed incompetent just continue to commit the same crimes over and over. The other thing he said would be important will be economic development. Seniors have been near and dear to his heart and he would like to see better health care here for them and a better hospital. The senior centers will be a priority, it provides a place for them to be social and would be part of their wellbeing. As a commissioner they had been working to bring in a vocational technical center as an alternative to college. Freeport McMoRan donated 35 acres between Bayard and Hurley for that purpose.
This question came from the audience. Both of you have served as county commissioners. What projects did you work on and are proud of as a commissioner?
The project Ponce said he had been most proud of had been when they had the flooding a few years ago, and it hurt Mimbres, Cliff, Gila areas. "I came up with an idea with our American Rescue Plan funds to use $600,000 of those funds. They used it as a grant and helped the people recover. It fixed roads, irrigation and acequias. They had worked with Santa Fe and received $500,000 for the veterans to put in another building at Bataan Park and put another access road in. Gila Regional had been close to being closed. The commission took over the board of trustees and had been able to save the hospital. "The hospital still needs work, but it is open and financially stable." Those had been the top ones, but he said they had more.
Ramos thanked Ponce for bringing up the veteran's center. As a state senator he had secured $400,000 funding for the project and is a proponent of Bataan Park. The biggest accomplishment made while he had been on the commission would be the Tu Casa Substance Abuse Center. They also revamped the Grant County Veterans Memorial Conference Center. The commission had worked with Santa Clara and did a trail system between Bayard and Santa Clara. While on the commission they had also done the reconstruction of the airport terminal and runway, fire station at Hanover, north Hurley water project and roads and the Wind Canyon fire station. He listed some other projects.
This came for the online audience. The legislature passed a bill last year to keep abortion safe and legal for women in New Mexico. Did you or would you have supported this bill? Why or why not?
Right now, New Mexico has one of the strongest abortion laws in the nation and only one of ten states that have abortion up to birth. Ramos said he wanted to help women and stand for them and offer them every opportunity they could for them to have the babies. Offer them free ultrasounds, back them up and give them alternatives to abortions. "Let them know there are people that care about them and those babies."
Ponce would have supported the bill. The last thing needed would be to have politicians telling our females and families what they can and can't do. "We have to protect reproductive rights."
Ogle had a question for the candidates. She spoke to behavioral health. Hidalgo Medical Services (HMS) proposed to the legislative health and human services committee a regional health care system that would provide crisis services. As a state legislator do think it is feasible and how would you make that happen?
This rural area needs as much help as it can receive. Ponce said they needed to keep working with Santa Fe to obtain that funding and help keep Tu Casa continue its services. He supported a regional behavioral health unit and knew a lot of people in Grant County have been working and advocating on the project. He worried about having enough providers and as a senator they needed to work on ways to bring those people in especially in behavior health to run the centers. He would support it.
Ramos would definitely commit funding and try to do everything he could to partner with HMS and put together a system and building. They would also need 30-day care to long-term care. A bill passed last year that raised the cap on doctors when it comes to the amount they can be sued, and it caused a 30 percent loss of doctors in the state. "I would have fought against that cap." It had created an unintended consequence and been tragic to the state.
The audience had a question. How do you feel about paid family medical leave and how would the state pay for it?
Ramos believed in paid family medical leave and wants to see people helped in that time of need. However, the state must make sure it can be properly funded. Currently the state has a huge surplus and it should be used for the family medical leave act. If they will be taking money out of people's pockets, they should make sure it will be something they want to do and they choose to participate. If it passes they have to make sure to protect the small business owners because the previous bill would have hurt them. The bill would have allowed people to leave to care for anyone. The bill needs to be changed to help everyone. It must be beneficial to everyone.
Ponce would definitely support the family medical leave act. It has been a federal law and currently Freeport McMoRan does that and they have been allowed 12 weeks leave. Ponce had worked in human resources there and said it would not be new. They have systems in place to accommodate the leave. "We do have to take a commonsense approach, and we can't hurt small businesses with family medical leave act." The state had the funding to cover the program. They could support the small businesses to make sure they don't go under. He had a situation with his parents and he had not been able to care for them himself because he had to work. "It was heartbreaking." He said he had not been the only one to face this and more people will be facing it.
A question from the audience. How do you feel about preemption, meaning the legislature taking away control from the counties and municipalities? Do you believe the legislature should do so and in what instances do you think preemption would be warranted?
Ponce disagreed with that being allowed to happen. "It is just not right. As a current elected official people vote to have you represent them." The communities have boards and councils they elect to represent them. He didn't think they could take control of everything. Earlier the situation with PED (public education department) had come up. They had come in and tried to tell them what to do. School Boards have been elected by the local people. The control needs to stay with the local people. "We need to be careful with that because what works for Santa Fe does not work for Grant County." Ponce added "What works for Grant County is your voice and you letting your elected officials know what you think and how we should proceed on things."
Ramos appreciated the question. He wanted to point out something. The county commission had supported not having a CAP entity. It had been a bunch of elected officials that came together to try and make some things happen concerning the water situation. The resolution against the CAP entity and taking local control away from Grant, Hildalgo and Luna Counties. It passed narrowly in the commission. Two didn't vote for it but three did. "I am for local control, and I served on the CAP entity." He spoke to the plans being made for the future of water.
A question from the audience. The last Gila River diversion bill would have cost Grant County taxpayers and average of $30,000 each. As a legislator will you push for another dam on the Gila River?
Ramos said there had never been a dam being pushed. They had been trying to build reservoirs to remove the water from the Gila River during flood stages. It had been what he had supported. They had also planned to put in some big wells that would store water for the future. People saying they wanted to dam the Gila had never been the intent.
Ponce would not push for a dam on the Gila River. This river should be free flowing and means so much to the culture and heritage. It has been one of the biggest things to draw people to Grant County. "We have to protect the river but use common sense on how we protect it."
The audience had another question about behavioral health. Would you support the establishment of a permanent fund in New Mexico to supplement behavioral health service in rural communities?
Ponce would support that because it has been very needed. It could help the providers pay for that insurance they need which had been a big reason for losing health care providers. The fund should be to help bring in providers, help cover their cost of insurance and cost to people who could not afford the care. It would have to be a significant amount.
Ramos said he would definitely support that just like he had supported early childhood education when he had been a senator. They had created a fund of $350 million for early childhood education. It would be great to have those kinds of funds for mental health. The problems with mental health have really messed up the communities. It needs to start with shutting down the border and stopping fentanyl from coming in. The use of drugs leads to burglaries, suicide and sometimes homicides. "The mental health problem has hurt our country and local areas."
This question came from the online audience. District 28 has new boundaries after this election to include Hidalgo and Luna Counties. What are your plans for the new parts of the district?
Ramos had worked in Hidalgo County when he worked at New Mexico Tech. He had top secret clearance and had been able to do some good things, and he wanted to keep supplying them with the funds to keep doing the great work they have been doing to protect the United States of America. He looked forward to funding different projects in Hidalgo County and Luna County and had been speaking with the county commissions in those counties trying find out their needs. Deming has started a project he would like to see in Santa Clara. In the past he had split up his capital outlay by population, so everyone received their fair share.
Ponce felt Luna and Hildalgo Counties had been a little neglected. He would like to hire a staff person in those counties and have office hours so the constituents would have a place to talk with someone and express their needs. As a senator he would spend time in those counties. Ponce would also work with the local people to find the best ways to put the funding available from the different sources to get the best outcomes.
The audience had a question. The women in New Mexico earn 79 cents for every dollar that a man earns. What will you do as a legislator to address the disparity in wages between men and women?
Ponce thought that men and women that preform the same job should have the same pay. Studies and task forces have found this and now they need to take action. Women deserve the same pay men deserve. He referred to the women that fought for their husbands in Salt of the Earth. It had been the women in the picket line. Women have been involved in southwest New Mexico for a long time. Those women had been fighting wage disparity and discrimination. "If a woman or a man is working the same job, they should be paid the same and should be protected and not discriminated against. I would be a big advocate."
Seibel asked him how he would do that as a legislator. He would be talking to a lot of the businesses trying to have them realize and educate them.
Ramos agreed with Ponce on the question. Money disparity should not happen. He felt that women should make the same aa men with the same experience. As a legislator they needed to create a law that will make companies not able to discriminate. "Right now, they have a federal law but maybe they should create a law that puts some teeth in it."
The audience had a question. What would each of you do as legislators to help defend the second amendment in New Mexico?
Ramos would leave it the way it is. He would make sure to create programs for children to learn about guns and hunter safety in schools. It has been done in other states. He spoke about people becoming afraid when they hear AR15. "They are not assault weapons they are just semi-automatic guns, just like a regular rifle." An automatic gun has not been illegal in New Mexico. The public just needs to be educated on the differences.
The second amendment has been a constitutional right. Ponce said as an elected official they must protect the constitution of the United States. "I am a gun owner, and I was in law enforcement." The problem being run into has been the mental illness and illegal use of weapons. He felt the system had been failing in background checks. He agreed with Ramos on the education. "Law abiding citizens will not have a problem jumping another hoop to just make sure they deserve a weapon."
The question came from the audience. How do you plan to work with municipalities and local governments to ensure that needs are met?
As a commissioner Ponce has been proud of working with municipalities and meeting needs. He spoke to the meetings he had with all the mayors to discuss needs. "I am not going to change as a person if I am a senator." He has a favorite Native American proverb. "You never follow a leader that is more in love with power than his people." He would continue to work with the municipalities and governments as he has been doing as a commissioner.
As a state senator Ramos would do what he had done before. He would be meeting with all the municipalities, managers, councilors and commissioners to find out their needs. He would also have to find out what the schools need and now it will be a lot of schools to meet with and help since the district size changed. "There will be a lot of needs through our district." It will be important to have someone who can reach across the aisle and make sure to work together to make things happen.
Ogle had a question for the candidates. Do you think the New Mexico legislators should receive a salary rather than a stipend?
Ramos thought they should receive a salary. They had talked about this when he had been a senator. It might be a good idea because it would open it up for more people to run for office. A lot of people would love to run for office, but they can't leave their business or job. The legislature will be providing assistance to representatives and senators now. They will receive a PERA (Public Employee Retirement Association) salary. This will be a big step and maybe it will be all they need. He suggested a minimal salary for when you must be gone and in Santa Fe for a 30- or 60-day session. He did add not as much as Texas and Arizona pay.
The legislators should receive a salary, and Ponce said it would open it up to more people to run for office. This would allow the opportunity for many more to run because they would have an income to support their family. He would be careful and pay attention to the cost, and if it hurt any of the projects that help the constituents. The last thing he wanted to do would be to hurt them.
As more and more vehicles are becoming alternatively fueled how will you replace the lost infrastructure dollars, we lose from gas taxes? New Mexico roads are terrible and more and more of those expenses have fallen on the municipalities and they obviously can't afford them. Seibel said it had been more about the electric vehicles that don't pay gas taxes but use the roads.
Ponce said that was a tough question. Gas and oil have been about 45 percent of New Mexico's budget. It covers infrastructure and education. Cannabis would replace some but to be honest he needed to think about it. It would be a lot of money, maybe around $13.9 billion a year.
Ramos had been the city clerk of Bayard and the new mayor, Larry Ojinaga, had complained about the electric vehicles not paying their fair share because of the gas tax. He wanted to introduce a bill called the Larry Ojinaga bill. Ramos said with the latest technology they would know what the mileage would be in these vehicles and they could bill them on their mileage. It would be the only thing that makes sense. "We will always need gas and oil because it is used for so many things now, plastic, paint, clothes, etc. He continued with how everything we use every day has been made with petroleum.
A question from the audience. Local governments want reform of the public procurement codes. Will you support reforming those codes?
Ramos wanted to look at the changes being proposed before he could decide if it would be feasible and good for the district. He felt the current code had been good and didn't see a need to change it. Ramos would always look to see if they could put more safeguards on the procurement code.
Ponce would support reform of the code especially for the small communities. "Checks and balances are needed, and the money is utilized how it is supposed to be." He had some examples and said some additional safeguards would be good.
A question from the audience. What are your stances on water standards and water projects?
Ponce said a lot of problems they have right now. "We have $100 million out there that needs to be brought back to southwest New Mexico that had been slated for Grant, Hidalgo, Luna, and Catron Counties." The state needs to go further and map our aquafers and how much water we have. We need to have plans in place to mitigate any future problems such as drought. State agencies and the Environmental Protection Agency have been understaffed and undermanned.
Ramos said they have had some great water projects in southwest New Mexico. He had been surprised by the governor's push against the CAP entity. When he worked for New Mexico Tech the same thing they had been trying to do putting in water wells and reservoirs to capture rainwater had been projects that she had supported at New Mexico Tech. They had some great engineers to look at ways to capture water for the future. Now that southwest New Mexico does not have that money, they can't continue these projects. The loop system being done by the Grant County Water Commission will be a great project and he hoped it would be funded.
Seibel said this question came from the audience. Do you believe Donald Trump lost the 2020 election?
Ramos said, "He is not our president, so I guess he lost."
Ponce said yes, he had lost.
A question came from the online audience. Freeport McMoRan has permits to use 136 million gallons of water per day. How will you ensure Grant County residents have clean drinking water now and into the future?
Ponce said Freeport McMoRan has been providing water to one of the municipalities. Hurley has been that municipality, and they have clean drinking water. "We as elected officials have failed Hurley. Freeport is doing a lot." Ponce said people don't know they have 160 wells around their properties that have been tested religiously to make sure the water has not been contaminated. If that continues the water will be fine.
Ramos grew up in Hurley and the water had been good. As kids they drank out of the hose. "Freeport has made sure the water is clean and meets our needs." The copper industry has been special to southwest New Mexico and has the most stringent environmental rules in the nation. His brother currently works as an engineer at Freeport, and they will do everything to make sure the water stays clean. The state environmental department checks on them all the time also.
This question came from the audience. Given the extreme negativity of this campaign, "if you win how will you bring the community together and get everyone to feel like you are truly representing all of us?"
"Campaigns get ugly and also they can't control what the PACs do." Ramos pointed out that if they speak to the PAC, they would be breaking the law. Both PACs had said negative things. He had reached out to Ponce, which he considers a friend and warned him campaigns can become ugly.
Ponce said, "It is sad what is said and done. America has lost their way being negative." He remembered long ago in politics it had been more about what you would accomplish and do for the people and not the negative. The negative has become so bad it scares many people away from running for office. "The negativity is probably 99 percent junk." Instead of looking at a person for who they are and what they have accomplished in the community, they don't. "One thing that really bothers me sometimes is when you hear people say 'our way of life' because what is happening in our campaigns is not our way of life. Not in southwest New Mexico it is not our way of life." He added that they run for the people and don't get paid. They run because they want to help the people. After the campaign he will cross the aisle because his thing has been to help the people. "We have lost our way in America, and we have lost our way in New Mexico dirty politics."
Seibel wrapped up the forum with the time machine question. If you win and we are back here in four years, what accomplishment would you be most proud of from the past four years?
Ponce would be most proud of being able to work with everyone, listening to the constituents and being open minded. He would be most proud of helping people. He said they would have a regional health center and take care of the housing problem. They will have more school programs and have options for the kids with a vocational school. The teachers need better pay and respect. The parents will be more involved with the schools. Mostly he would be proud of accomplishing the things the constituents want.
Ramos will be proud he worked with Ponce, and they completed a lot of projects. When it comes to education since the state has been 50th in the nation they need to move any direction but there. He hoped to be proud they moved up that scale. He hopes they had moved to not be first in crime. The early childhood program has helped and, in the future, will have catapulted education. The wastewater treatment plant in Bayard will be taken care of and the Grant County Water Commission project will be finished.
Seibel commented neither had been good at saying just one thing.
The candidate gave their closing statements.
Ponce thanked everyone who had attended and knew it had taken a lot of their time. One of the reasons he decided to run had been because Grant County means the world to him. He had been raised and his family is from here. Being a senator a lot can be accomplished for southwest New Mexico. "There's a voice that is needed in Santa Fe and I know I am that voice that is going to matter. I will be that strong voice." He wanted people to remember he would be the party of the majority, and he could pass things easier. "I will be working for you." He asked people to look at his record as a commissioner. He can be reached at
Ramos thanked everyone for coming and the online audience. After all the conversation in this forum Ramos said you could see who had the experience and has already done the job. He said on his time on the commission he had done more projects with less money. Ramos asked why Senator Siah Correa Hemphill had not supported Ponce. Do you want to trust Ponce to represent you when in 2019 he had the opportunity to support the miners, and he chose not to and keep quiet and not vote. "I have a proven record as a councilman, commissioner, senator and county clerk." He said he would appreciate everyone's vote. His phone number is 575-313-2077 and www.ramosfornm.com.
