As New Mexicans, we were taken aback by the recent editorial suggesting we look to Zohran Mamdani for inspiration. The thought of importing the dangerous policies of a New York politician who openly embraces socialism is not only impractical but insulting to hardworking families.
The irony is also hard to miss. For almost 100 years, one political party has held near-total control over New Mexico. If progressive ideas were the cure to our challenges, we’d already be leading the nation in prosperity, safety, and opportunity. Instead, we remain at or near the bottom in education, crime, and economic growth. But rather than taking responsibility for this record, progressives want to double down, this time by embracing socialism.
The editorial’s praise for Mamdani’s model reveals something troubling: that some progressives believe New Mexico is not ‘far left’ enough. Apparently, decades of one-party rule and government expansion haven’t satisfied them, so they see socialism as the next logical step. In their eyes, New Mexico’s struggling economy, failing schools, and rising crime are not signs of policy failure, but signals that government control hasn’t gone far enough.
The dangers of socialism are not theoretical. Historically, socialist policies bring economic stagnation, drive out investment, and suffocate innovation. Mamdani’s proposals in New York, including city-run grocery stores, wealth redistribution schemes, and ever-expanding bureaucracy, are precisely the types of policies that collapse under their own weight. They strip individuals of opportunity and replace common-sense solutions with bureaucratic dictates. I think most would agree that the Land of Enchantment should not serve as the next testing ground for failed socialist experiments.
What makes this debate even more frustrating is that New Mexicans are still waiting for real solutions to real problems. The editorial praised abstract ideology but offered nothing concrete to fix our broken systems.
Let’s do what it failed to do—offer a path forward.
First, judicial reform. Crime is spiraling out of control, and our citizens are paying the price. Soft-on-crime policies and a dysfunctional bail system have emboldened career criminals while leaving families vulnerable. We need tougher sentences, stronger prosecution, and reforms that deliver both fairness and deterrence. Communities cannot thrive when lawlessness reigns, and New Mexico deserves a judicial system that actually delivers justice.
Second, education reform. For decades, we have poured more money into public education only to see stagnant or declining results. Parents deserve the right to choose the best education for their children. This means ensuring that funding follows the child, not the system, so families can choose the best fit, whether that’s a public, charter, or private school, or homeschooling. School choice empowers parents, fosters competition, and drives excellence, ensuring every child in New Mexico has the chance to succeed.
Third, tax reform. New Mexico’s hardworking families shoulder one of the heaviest tax burdens in the region. Yet instead of using historic surpluses to ease that burden, state leaders keep expanding government programs that rarely deliver. It’s time to simplify and lower tax rates, eliminate regressive taxes, and return money directly to the people who earned it. By easing the tax load, we can attract investment, grow small businesses, create jobs, and give families the breathing room they need to thrive.
New Mexicans deserve better than the hollow promises of socialism. What we need is more freedom, accountability, and opportunity. We should reject the call to embrace Mamdani’s failed socialist vision and instead pursue reforms that will improve lives: judicial reform to restore safety, education reform to empower families, and tax reform to unleash prosperity.
That is the bold, practical, and forward-looking vision New Mexico deserves.
Steve McKee is a local businessman, author, and speaker from Albuquerque. Vince Torres is a local businessman and pastor from Santa Fe.
