Senior Democrat Smith seeks re-election

“It is an honor to serve as a state senator, and as we navigate through this difficult economy, I believe my deep experience crafting equitable budgets that maximize every dollar will be more important than ever,” he said. “We must preserve our social safety net, lift displaced workers back into stability and preserve gains we have made in early education, K-12 funding and addressing climate change.”

Smith, one of the senior members in New Mexico government, pointed to recent legislation he championed to implement all-day kindergarten, establish an early childhood trust fund, expand early learning, improve transportation safety and mobility and provide capital funds for solar power and other clean energy investments throughout the region as among the priorities to protect and expand in his next term.

“Every day I go to work thinking about how to meet the needs of hard-working families in southern New Mexico,” he said. “We need to make sure we are positioned for a strong economic recovery by continuing to prioritize the needs of our communities — education, transportation and clean air and water are a foundation of our quality of life and allow our families, farms and businesses to stay connected and strong.”

Smith said the coronavirus pandemic has changed both the political landscape of the 2020 election and the way candidates are reaching voters, both officially and in their campaigns.

“I wish I could get out and visit with voters face to face as I have always done, learning and listening to concerns that I can help translate into legislative action,” he said. “I’ll be reaching out through social media and on the phone, but I want everyone to know that they can contact me anytime.”