Why Jeff Apodaca and not Michelle Lujan Grisham for Governor

People in the political world often forget that I am not a progressive or conservative democrat. I am very much in the middle taking sides on issues and not candidates. I vote on the grounds of how candidates come down on issues. I look at what they want to achieve for our state and the people who live in it. I always side on what I think will work for my college level students in the fields of education and jobs. I want someone who is strong when it comes to women’s rights and the fair and decent treatment of women in general. 

I also feel very strongly about candidates spending time with normal people who cannot afford to give large sums of money to support a campaign. I feel that ever since the court ruling on Citizen’s United that normal people have no voice with candidates. Candidates that spend all of their time in private parties and debates never get to know the voters. They claim that parades are their public events but there is no time spent just talking to the people.  They feel no connection or friendship with average people. People that can afford to spend $50, $250, or $500 to spend time in private with a candidate don’t have the same world views or struggles as a single mother trying to make ends meet.

Michelle Lujan Grisham

Now as far as Michelle Lujan Grisham is concerned I have a number of reasons why I will not vote for her. 

She promised a public event in Albuquerque but no one from her campaign ever even bothered to contact me. Then she cancelled debates in this city.

She took money from Senator John A. Smith and calls him her friend while she hates to even spend 5 minutes talking to me about any issue. 

She is unwilling to understand that foreign trade with Mexico could have problems if the President starts a trade war with that government. Yet most of her jobs plan was based on that issue. This approach has not worked in the past and will most likely not work in the future by itself. 

Some of the biggest donors to her campaign are people we don’t want our governor being friends with such as Big Pharmaceutical Companies. The same companies that promote pain killers that are now causing a drug problem in our state. 

I have told Michelle many times that I don’t like how much money she takes from these big donors and she feels that it is the only way that she can win a race. She spends the money on fancy ads and mailers. Paying for staff to run her campaign and other types of items to sell herself to the public but all the public wants is time to tell a candidate what type of issues matter to them. I acknowledge that candidates have to do some private fundraising events but it should not take all of their time away from the voters. 

Jeff Apodaca

Now as far as Jeff Apodaca is concerned I like his stands on issues and his desire to make positive changes for our state. I like that he is willing to lead and not be a follower when it comes to issues.

Yes, the man is angry at how the current system has failed our state. And he is willing to call other candidates out for behaviors that should not be happening. I try to get him to tone this down some and focus on his own issues but at the same time I completely understand the frustration he is feeling. 

 I love that he goes around the state making as many free events as he can afford just so that he can talk to real people and so that he can listen to their concerns. We have not had a candidate who cared about these individuals in years and it has harmed our state.

Yes, Jeff is willing to stand his ground on issues that he has strong feelings about but he will listen to you if you have other ways of dealing with those issues that are grounded in reality. And that I feel is all you can ask of a government official. This makes him come off as abrasive at times but once you get to know him then you understand that it is just that he cares. 

Jeff Apodaca and I are the same age, we speak the same language of business very well, and we have many of the same behaviors. Which makes him an easy person to understand and to support. He can be a little glib at times but so can I when provoked. In other words, I get as good as I give when it comes to this candidate. 

I would never tell another voter who to vote for but I can tell you who I like and why I like that candidate. This year I will be voting for Jeff Apodaca for New Mexico Governor.

Candidate Endorsement for Governor of New Mexico 2018

After much soul searching, thought, and careful study of the candidate’s positons on difference policies, I have made my decision of who to endorse for governor. I am not saying that the other candidates are bad but one has to come above all the other for the state primary. I find that I must pick the best candidate for the office of Governor. Our state needs a great governor. 

I choose Jeff Apodaca!

1. I love his stand on education and his desire to protect the children of this state.
2. I love his stand on investment in our state’s economy.
3. I love his stand on protecting the environment through the usage of Green Energy.  

I find myself agreeing with his views on many issues. I can see that he is sincere about his positions on issues. I find that his wife Jackie will support him and work hard to promote his issues with the public. I love that he is accessible to the voters and has open free public events across the state. This is not a man bought out by corporations. He is not a pay-for-view candidate. 

He will make this state a great governor. He is an honest hardworking man of his word. He has the brains and the abilities to make New Mexico successful going forward. It is not normally my practice to endorse early. But in this case I feel the I can no lone listen to the requests of the other candidates. Some times after going through all the material and talking to all the candidates you just know what the right decision is for a race.

Educational Event Held by Jeff Apodaca

Candidate Apodaca and his wife Jackie Apodaca held a meet and greet for educators yesterday near the Hotel Albuquerque. The topic was education and what their plans were for the future.

Jackie Apodaca shows a very well developed base of knowledge of the educational system. She along with her husband were both products of the New Mexico educational system. Jackie has twin boys that are presently in the public school system. Jackie is a strong supporter of coding courses at the K-12 level. My 22-year-old daughter who is very into computers and a four-year college graduate loved the idea. She says that it would be great for all students to come out of high school with that type of knowledge no matter which field they enter.

Jeff Apodaca has a well throughout educational plan that anyone can read on his website: Educational Plan

• \3% Cost of living increases for teacher pay annually.

• Removing the PARCC test
• Getting rid of the A – F grading system for schools
• Paying teachers more and special education teacher even more highly.
• Paying for Pre K education
•   Making schools into activities for the families of children attending with rap around services for children.
• A return to much needed vocational education for students that don’t wish to attend four year colleges or universities.  

      These are just a few of the items listed in his plan. 

I was disappointed by the behavior of one of his supporters and volunteers who misrepresented himself at the event but Jackie assured me that neither her or her husband tolerated that type of behavior. 

I understand that some people are put off by Jeff Apodaca’s straight forward behavior but in all honesty I find it refreshing to be able to speak with a businessman that has passion for what he sees as a vision for the future of New Mexico. His well-developed understanding of how to handle large sums of money would pay off for the state and his firm stand on issues would work well for him in the roundhouse. I can see why some state senators are already supporting his opponent since they see real change for the state’s approach on many different issues that would benefit voters more than lobbyists.  

Someone asks Jeff Apodaca about the gun issue during the event. He told them that he was a hunter and gun owner. He is a strong supporter of second amendment rights. He like most parents first reaction was to protect his children after the last school shooting but after talking with local students understands that the children do not want to attend school in a prison.  He does support a ban on bump stocks, high powered guns that are mostly used in war, and high capacity animation loaders. He supports local control of how the schools protect their children but does not support teachers carrying guns in the classroom. He says that he will support funding for methods to protect children in school. Apodaca does support the Democratic Party’s stand on this issue.