Dr. Elaine Cortez represents New Mexico District 62 and is no stranger to hardship. She grew up in a tough neighborhood, and witnessed gang violence, substance abuse, and crime firsthand.
"I had a prostitute who lived across the street, gang members on the other side, and drunks in the backyard fighting their roosters and pit bulls," she says.
Despite her surroundings, her parents instilled in her a belief in hard work and perseverance. "My late Mom and Dad would always say, ‘Lane, you're going to leave your mark on this world, and you're going to go to college, even though we can't afford to pay your way.’”
She was determined to rise above her circumstances. She worked four jobs to pay for her education, and earned an undergraduate degree debt-free before going on to obtain master’s and doctorate degrees. "I knew that at an early age, it was up to me," she says. "You get to choose the life you want by the choices that you make."
Cortez’s journey into politics stems from a sense of purpose. "People say, 'Oh, you're in politics, you must be very ambitious.' But I separate my ambition for a better life from my political calling," she says.
At 26, she says she felt God calling her to serve in office. "I took my late Mom to eat and said, 'I believe God’s called me to politics—I don’t know how or when, but I’ll be in office one day.'"
That vision became a reality in 2022, though not without setbacks. She ran and lost against an oil and gas-backed opponent. "Even after I lost, I went through personal loss—my Mom passed from cancer, I had a miscarriage, and then I lost a public election,” she says. But she adds, “I knew that God had placed this call on my life, so I ran again." This time, she won by just 49 votes.
As a legislator, Cortez focuses on economic relief for New Mexicans. One of her priority proposals is to eliminate personal income taxes in New Mexico. "Inflation is a federal issue, and people in my district are hurting financially,” she says. “People need a life preserver."
With a surplus fueled by oil and gas revenue, she believes tax relief is possible. "Last year, oil and gas funded 49% of the budget. We have the money now; it just needs to be decided where it's going."
She points to what she sees as misplaced spending priorities. "We passed a budget where $3.5 million went to the conservation of beavers—if we can fund beavers, we can cut personal income tax and give money back to New Mexicans."
Cortez also wants to eliminate the Social Security tax. "Most people aren't making bank off Social Security," she says. "They were already taxed in their working years. This is a double tax."
While her push for elimination has yet to pass, she notes that even some Democrats acknowledge the issue. "We’ve done it for lower-income retirees, but it’s worth a broader conversation."
She has also introduced a bill demanding life sentences for fentanyl traffickers. "If you're trafficking fentanyl, you’re getting people hooked and leading to overdoses. You are essentially taking a life and should be held responsible," she says. However, the bill has yet to be heard. "The chair told me I don’t have the votes, but if that’s the case, why not let me present it? What’s so scary about holding criminals accountable?"
She also criticizes the removal of qualified immunity for law enforcement, which makes it easier to sue officers. "They go out and risk their lives for complete strangers, and yet we make it so easy to sue them," she says. The change, she argues, is driving officers out of the state. "We are losing officers to Texas because they protect their law enforcement there. If we are serious about public safety, we need to protect those who protect us."
Despite political opposition, Cortez remains committed to bipartisan cooperation. "People hear me in heated debates and ask if I’m okay,” she says. “I tell them, 'This is just a Tuesday in my house.” Growing up with a military Dad and two older brothers, she likes to tell people, “I’ve got thick skin."
Ultimately, Cortez grounds her legislative work in her faith. "I look at everything through the lens of my faith, the Word of God, and my principles: pro-life, fiscally conservative, less government, and giving people autonomy over their choices," she says. "It’s ironic I’m in government because I believe in less of it, but I’m here to give power back to the people."
