New Mexico Republican Governor nominee?
$32.9K
JUN 9, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleFormer Governor
PartyRepublican
Political ideologyConservative Republican
Age66 years old (Jul 14, 1959)
GenderFemale
Show moreShow less
LocationNew Mexico
BackgroundAttorney
EducationUniversity of Texas at El Paso (BA)
Notable personal detailsSusana Martinez is an American attorney and Republican politician who served as the 31st governor of New Mexico from 2011 to 2019. Before becoming governor, she worked as a prosecutor and served as district attorney for Doña Ana County. She earned a BA from the University of Texas at El Paso and a JD from the University of Oklahoma College of Law. She was married to Chuck Franco, who served as New Mexico's first gentleman during her tenure as governor.
SourcesShowHide
Positions
Economy & Taxes
Supports cutting business taxes and reducing government spending, vetoed proposed tax increases while governor, and promoted comprehensive tax reform to lower the cost of doing business. Emphasizes balancing the budget without raising taxes and reducing regulatory burdens to spur job growth.
Healthcare
As governor Susana Martinez accepted and implemented Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act and took executive and policy steps to increase Medicaid funding and expand the primary-care workforce and rural/telemedicine access. Her record shows support for expanding government-provided coverage and strengthening public health workforce capacity rather than pursuing full privatization or repeal of the ACA.
Show moreShow less
Immigration & Border
Supports strong border enforcement and cooperation with federal immigration authorities, rescinded sanctuary protections for criminal suspects, backed ending driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants, and supported deploying National Guard resources to the border. Has expressed support for strict enforcement measures including backing the federal "zero tolerance" approach that led to family separations in 2018.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Susana Martinez identifies as pro‑life and has received endorsements from pro‑life organizations. As governor she said she would consider signing legislation intended to protect fetuses but did not prioritize or sign sweeping new abortion restrictions while in office. Her public record and endorsements indicate support for restrictions on abortion rather than unrestricted access.
Climate & Energy
Supports the energy sector and policies to ease regulation on oil and gas while prioritizing economic growth and diversification; her administration rolled back or opposed certain environmental regulations and was skeptical of aggressive climate regulations, vetoing some renewable/clean-energy incentives. Positions emphasize market-driven development and managing energy industry regulations rather than adopting aggressive emissions targets or Green New Deal–style policies.
Public Safety & Guns
As governor Susana Martinez signed bipartisan legislation (HB336) requiring New Mexico courts to report relevant mental-health and other records to the federal NICS background-check system, strengthening background-check reporting while maintaining respect for gun ownership. Her record shows support for expanded reporting to prevent prohibited persons from obtaining firearms.
News
Susana Martinez is being discussed mainly in the context of New Mexico politics and the 2026 midterms. Recent coverage centers on Republican messaging around crime, costs, healthcare, immigration, and voter rules, with the party trying to sharpen its appeal in a state that remains politically difficult for Republicans. Other reports focus on election-law changes and voter registration issues that could shape turnout and campaign strategy. The broader backdrop also includes New Mexico-specific economic concerns, including student loan defaults and possible revenue gains from higher energy prices.
Energy prices surge as Strait of Hormuz disruptions threaten global oil and gas supply
Federal distrust prompts some Democratic states to protect polling places, election records
New Mexico needs leadership that puts families first on crime, costs and health care
Map Shows States With Most Student Loan Defaults
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Polls
- Endorsements
- Fundraising