While touring New Mexico, Mark Ronchetti says he feels people are frustrated with how the state is run.
In particular, they believe their government is disconnected from the taxpayers who fund it.
“You get up every morning in the state of New Mexico and the state records, records, records and they don’t answer anyone,” Ronchetti said in a recent interview with the Roswell Daily Record.
The 48-year-old former television meteorologist and Republican who lives in Albuquerque is trying to harness that populist energy to become the state’s next governor.
He faces current Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Libertarian challenger Karen Bedonie in November.
In 2020, Ronchetti made his foray into the world of politics as the Republican nominee in an open race for the US Senate. Ronchetti lost that race to Democrat Ben Ray Lujan by six points. But Ronchetti believes this year is different.
“There’s definitely more change,” he said.
Polls show Lujan-Grisham is between three and four points ahead of Ronchetti, well within the margin of error.
Republicans at the national level have started pouring money into the race. Will Reinert, regional press secretary for the Republican Governors Association, says groups associated with his organization, which aims to put Republicans in governorships across the country, have already poured $1.5 million into the race.
Much of that money goes to TV ads trying to debunk what they call lies about Ronchetti’s records, which were being circulated by Lujan Grisham’s allies.
“Mark Ronchetti, like so many other local parents, recognizes that this election could be the last opportunity to turn New Mexico around and ensure a bright future for his children,” Reinert said.
He added that Ronchetti’s fame as a television meteorologist — and his surprisingly close result in the 2020 US Senate race — make Ronchetti a strong candidate.
Ronchetti attempts to portray Lujan Grisham as a divisive figure more interested in imposing a left-leaning agenda than addressing the key issues confronting New Mexicans.
“What she’s doing is getting up and signing everything she can to be in the stands,” he said.
“I just think if you look at where we are as a state, the main issues that we have are crime, education and the economy,” Ronchetti continued.
Economically, New Mexico has its lowest unemployment rate in over a decade at 4.5%, but one higher than almost any other state.
Earlier this year, the governor approved a bill to cut the state’s gross receipts tax by 0.25%, the first cut in the tax in four decades.
But Ronchetti likens the cut to an election-year gimmick.
In an eight-point plan published by Ronchetti, he calls for the state’s gross receipts tax to be cut by 1/8 to half annually, depending on available revenue. He would also require local governments raising their GRTs to seek voter approval first.
He also proposes exempting individuals with incomes of $10,000 or less and married couples with incomes of $20,000 or less who file taxes together from paying income tax.
Prices for those earning more would also go down. However, individuals earning $210,000 or more and married couples earning $315,000 or more would remain at 5.9%, the state’s top tax rate.
Another element of his plan would give each New Mexico a $100 check for every billion dollars the state brings in in oil and gas revenues.
Ronchetti insists any proposals would be funded from excess revenue and would not require budget cuts or tax hikes. He insists the plan will help New Mexicans who are in economic distress in ways that help the broader economy.
“If we put another $1,500 in your pocket, you’re going to spend that money,” he said.
However, Democrats in the Legislature have defended the GRT reduction they have made as responsible, which would allow for adequate government reserves and allow for additional investment in education and other services.
“Responsible budgeting is much more than making promises that cannot be kept. Heads of state need to have a clear picture of both expected revenue and expected budgetary needs,” said Camille Ward, a spokeswoman for the New Mexico House Democrats, when asked for comment.
Ronchetti has also attempted to make crime a hot topic.
“We didn’t take the crime seriously enough in terms of the legislature and this governor,” he said.
Among the changes he would seek are tougher penalties for those who use a gun to commit a crime, as well as tougher penalties for those who commit lower-level crimes like shoplifting.
In the last legislature, Lujan Grisham urged lawmakers to pass legislation that would require individuals charged with certain crimes to remain in custody pending trial unless they can show they pose no danger to the community. The bill didn’t go through.
Ronchetti said he also supports such legislation but blames Lujan Grisham for not trying hard enough to get it through.
Lujan Grisham’s team dismisses the characterization.
Delany Corcoran, a spokeswoman for Lujan Grisham’s re-election campaign, pointed out in a response that the governor signed legislation last term increasing penalties for some crimes. It also delivered 17% pay increases for state police and committed $100 million to improve local law enforcement recruitment and training.
She added that the governor will continue to ask the Legislature to approve legislation to hold those suspected of violent crimes in custody pending trial and looks forward to signing it.
The Ronchetti campaign was also embroiled in controversy over his stance on abortion.
Lujan Grisham portrays Ronchetti’s stance on abortion as outside the mainstream.
Ronchetti has said he supports a ban on abortion after 15 weeks, except for victims of rape, incest or the life of the mother.
Democrats have pounced on Ronchetti’s comments to Albuquerque pastor Steve Smothermon that he wanted to ban all abortion in the state but needed to moderate his views in order to be elected.
Ronchetti told the Roswell Daily Record that he considers himself hostile to life, but there’s little chance the state’s Democratic-controlled Legislature would pass such legislation.
Instead, he presented his stance as an attempt to find consensus on a contentious issue. Something he says governors should do more of.
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