New Mexico Republican Party chairman Steve Pearce told Breitbart News in an exclusive interview Thursday that the New Mexico First Congressional District special election will serve as a “referendum” on President Joe Biden’s administration.
Pearce spoke to Breitbart News ahead of the New Mexico First District special election to replace Deb Haaland (D), the secretary of the Department of the Interior. State Sen. Mark Moores (R) hopes to defeat State Rep. Melanie Stansbury on June 1.
The New Mexico GOP chairman said the election will largely serve as a referendum on Biden’s administration, especially given Biden’s closing of oil permits, a rise in crime, and the president’s failure to close the country’s porous southern border.
“I think it’s one of the most significant referendums Joe Biden is going to face this year,” Pearce said. He added that Moores has a strong name ID in the state that could make him the victor in two weeks.
Moores told Breitbart News this week that if Republicans turn out, they will win this special election.
Peace said the race could have a significant impact on Democrats’ retaining their razor-thin House majority during the 2022 midterm elections.
The New Mexico GOP chairman said Biden’s inability to secure the southern border and the coronavirus lockdowns have caused less enthusiasm among Democrats ahead of the pivotal special election.
He said, “The result is all going to be on turnout, and we’ve got our program going now that is going to turn out our votes. Democrats are pretty lackluster, and they’ve shown up in huge numbers in the last election out of sheer hatred of Trump, but it looks like they have a little bit of a letdown going on there, and the policies being pushed by Joe Biden and his administration are very destructive to New Mexico. So those elements are playing out. And the overall dissatisfaction out of school for a year, this state has been locked down more than most and seeing the border, just seeing the chaos, at the border for our state, all of those things are causing a lack of enthusiasm on the part of the Democrats, and so, we think that we’re going to turn out, and we think the race is definitely winnable.”
He also said that Biden’s closing of oil permits and the recent crime spike in New Mexico play a strong role in policies that would advance law and order in the state.
“I think the oil and gas issue plays a key part because it’s a key part of our state’s budget. That’s going to hurt our schools, and a major factor and the border is very upsetting,” Pearce explained.
He said many New Mexicans see America’s open borders, “catch and release, and nobody is being tested for COVID and being checked to see if they have a criminal background, and that causes a deep unsettlement. The crime is obviously a huge issue here in New Mexico and that Albuquerque area, and some of the crime areas of this overall feeling of dissatisfaction, and I think it’s a combination of all of the policies coming out of Washington and the way the governor is handling the pandemic.”
Pearce also said the New Mexico GOP has continued to activate Republican turnout ahead of the special election.
He said, “In the last race, 2020, one million knocks and two million phone calls and [we] turned out 85,000 more Republicans than in 2016. We’re implementing those same tactics to get our voters out.”
Sean Moran is a congressional reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMoran3.
