In an interview with the New Mexico Sun, newly elected chair of the New Mexico Republican Party Amy Barela outlined her goals for the party and the state as she prepares for 2025. Barela highlighted her commitment to aligning Republican values with meaningful action, addressing legislative priorities, and building a stronger future for New Mexico.
Barela explained that her immediate focus is ensuring that the party's actions reflect its values and priorities, particularly in response to upcoming legislation. She stressed the importance of keeping local governments accountable before their decisions impact citizens financially.
“I think people know me as somebody that does what they say they're going to do,” Barela said. “So what I'm going to do is align our values with action.”
Addressing the challenges facing New Mexico, Barela was direct in her assessment of the state's myriad problems.
“Well, we're last in everything and first in crime. So that should explain itself,” Barela said. “That's education. That's housing, mental illness, health. I could just go on and on about those items that need to be addressed.”
When asked about the challenges facing the Republican Party in New Mexico, Barela pointed to messaging as the biggest obstacle. She stressed the importance of ensuring that the party’s communication reflects New Mexican values while appealing to a broad audience.
“With all the engagement that we do throughout the state, that benefits every single New Mexican, not just Republicans,” Barela said. “That's my biggest obstacle, is making sure that we speak to every single New Mexican.”
Despite the challenges, Barela expressed optimism and gratitude for the opportunity to serve in this leadership role.
“It’s a complete honor to be able to serve in this position, to serve the people that elected me into this position, and bring values back to New Mexico,” Barela said.
In the 2024 general elections, New Mexico reported a voter turnout of 67.13%, with 928,290 ballots cast out of 1,382,761 eligible voters. While Democratic candidates maintained significant political control in the state, the Republican Party made gains in the state legislature, capturing additional seats and preventing a Democratic supermajority.
In 2022, Barela was elected as the Otero County Commissioner for District 2, succeeding Couy Griffin. In 2024, she was elected as the Chair of the New Mexico Republican Party, securing an overwhelming victory over her closest challenger, John Brenna. Barela has a history of grassroots campaigning and leadership within the local Republican Party, having been nominated for Otero County Republican Party Chair in 2015.
