Maggie Toulouse Oliver

Provide a short bio of yourself and tell us how you got into public service?

My name is Maggie Toulouse Oliver, and I am New Mexico’s 26th and longest-serving Secretary of State. I am a graduate of Highland High School and earned my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science at the University of New Mexico.

I have nearly 20 years of experience in county and state-level government, serving as Bernalillo County Clerk for 10 years before being elected to my current role. I have been involved in New Mexico politics since 1994, working for Senator Jeff Bingaman, serving as president of a New Mexico chapter of EMILYs List, and as director of the New Mexico chapter of the League of Conservation Voters. I am also a proud mom of two, and an advocate for women’s health and reproductive rights.

The lieutenant governor’s formal duties are limited — how would you define the job beyond presiding over the senate?

The lieutenant governor not only presides over the Senate, but also sits on several boards and committees, including the Board of Finance, the Children’s Cabinet, and the Youth Alliance. The role is also a senior advisor to the governor.

With nearly 20 years in county and state government, I will be ready on my first day to help the next Democratic governor implement bold priorities. I have years of experience taking policy from idea to implementation. I believe my role is to be a force for good governance, transparency, and bringing people together to implement a bold agenda. 

What is one issue you would take ownership of in this role—and how would you move it forward without direct executive authority?

My top priority is lowering the cost of living for our families. Skyrocketing prices are making life even harder for New Mexicans. The current Administration is ripping health care, food assistance, housing security, and energy security away from working people.

I will work with the next Democratic governor and the Senate to support legislation that protects earned benefits, closes gaps in federal funding, and taps into New Mexico's wealth to invest in our people.

Personally, I am strongly in favor of implementing paid family and medical leave. I believe both candidates for the Democratic nomination share this ideal - and I would be fully prepared to work with them using my decades of experience with the legislature and state government to get it done.

It also means showing up in communities across the state and listening, lifting up lived experiences, and making sure those voices are driving the policy conversation.

I would also use the visibility of the office to build public momentum because when people are organized and engaged, policy follows. This is how we lead without direct authority: by showing up, setting the agenda, and making sure government is focused on delivering real relief for working families.

How would you handle a disagreement with the governor from your own party—and can you give an example of where you might diverge?

Throughout my time in public office, my guiding principle has been trust, communication, and transparency. I have made reforms to that effect during my time as Bernalillo County Clerk and Secretary of State. While no two people will agree on everything, my role is ultimately to help the governor enact their agenda, and to implement the best possible policies. There may be areas where a compromise result does not go far enough - but I plan not to let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

Presiding over the senate requires neutrality—how would you balance that with being an advocate for your own policy priorities?

I have cultivated positive working relationships with senators from across New Mexico over decades of work in politics. I will be a Lt. Governor who listens to legislators and keeps an open door. I fully respect and will honor the need for neutrality in presiding over the Senate - rules and procedures being followed builds trust and bipartisan cooperation, as all legislators can count on fair and equal treatment.

Systemically, I support modernizing the legislature with paid salaries at the median earning level for New Mexicans. This will allow legislators to focus on their work without worrying about financial insecurity, while opening the door to public service for more young and working-class New Mexicans.

If you had to point to one measurable outcome you would deliver in four years as lieutenant governor, what would it be?

An enduring reduction in the percentage of New Mexicans living in poverty would be a guiding data point with countless inputs - income, child well-being, hunger, education, and more. The cost of living has become so unsustainable that people cannot get by even on median salaries. I believe affordability will be a major challenge to overcome these next few years, and I hope I can work with the next governor to tackle it head-on.