Swanson, Black seek NM House District 51 seat

The race for State Representative District 51 seat is a rematch from 2018 between incumbent Rachel Black, R-Alamogordo, and Jeff Swanson, D-Alamogordo.

In 2018, Black, won the seat by about 2,400 votes.

Black, 47, is Otero County Chief Deputy Treasurer. She worked for the county treasurer’s office for 14 years prior to her eleciton.

“I find it really important that we have representation in Alamogordo and Otero County that represents our beliefs,” Black said. “Not the Santa Fe way.”

Swanson, 70, is the head of the Democratic Party of Otero County and is a rancher and retired U.S. Air Force chaplain.

Swanson has never held a political office but has volunteered for 29 years as a police chaplain.

“Otero County is poised on the brink of opportunity for economic and infrastructure roles for the well-being of our citizens and I have the skills and the leadership to bring people together,” Swanson said.

Economic development

Black sees eliminating some of the steps small businesses have to take as a means of helping economic development in District 51.

“The biggest thing is it seems that our small businesses are really strangling (in red tape),” Black said. “I feel like if we could get rid of some of that that it would help our economy.”

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Swanson said he would work with local entities such as the Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce and with the county’s extractive industry leaders, ranchers, small business owners and economists to support economic development in District 51.

Swanson said that if elected, he would also work hard to bring big business to Otero County as well as work with Holloman Air Force Base.

Part of that work includes the community providing public schools that are attractive to military families.

 “We’ve fixed major problems in our school system,” Swanson said. “We need to continue to provide top-notch education. I will work for funding, for standards to support competent leaders in our school board, school district, families so that we offer the military community here a high quality of life.”

Rural broadband expansion

Expanding rural broadband into rural communities is something that needs to happen, Black said.

“I’ve been trying to keep up with it, it’s been a big topic with the interim committees,” Black said.

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Due to COVID-19 public health restrictions, state legislative committees are meeting virtually; and Black said that she is trying to keep up with the rural broadband conversation.

Swanson thinks that rural broadband expansion is important and is a necessity for future growth, he said.

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“This is the information age,” Swanson said. “We’ve got to use the best technology for communication of our data, our communication between people, for sharing our ideas, for education and rural broadband enhancement is a necessity.”

COVID-19

COVID-19 public health restrictions have been in place since March and have changed as the number of COVID-19 cases has fluctuated from lower cases causing the economy to be opened back up somewhat to the tightening restrictions as case numbers soar.

“We’ve got to get our economy going again,” Black said. “We’ve got to open back up. Social distancing is the key in that… All our businesses in Alamogordo are very aware and are doing their best and they don’t want anybody to get sick, nobody does. I feel like we’ve got to move on… If you’re sick, stay home. If you’re afraid, stay home. If you’re not then wear a mask, go out. Move on, live life.”

There are some things that Black would like to have seen done differently including better communication between the governor and the legislature.

“(Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham) has not talked to the legislature. She has not talked to our leadership on either side (about COVID-19 health restrictions),” Black said.

This means that when Lujan Grisham delivers new public health orders, the legislators find out when the public does rather than getting a brief on the matter prior to the public announcement.

More:New Mexico breaks daily COVID-19 record with 577 new cases

“I get the same briefing you did at the same time,” Black said about the orders. “I would gather to guess just from sitting in several different interim committees that there’s people on both sides of that. We’re all feeling the same way. We’re frustrated that she’s not communicating with us what her plans are. It’s unfair because were the ones taking the calls.”

Swanson wants Lujan Grisham’s orders to have more input from the public such as those who run and work in small businesses especially from those in the restaurant and hospitality industries.

“We should be able to figure out how to keep our economy going and to have our people maximize safety,” Swanson said. “What do we need to do to maximize our economic opportunities and be safe? That’s the central question that should be asked.”

Communication between people, business owners and scientists with the politicians is needed so that policies have more public buy-in and less angst, Swanson said.

“We owe our small business entrepreneurs a debt of extreme gratitude,” Swanson said. “If we allow these businesses to go under- to go broke- or to give them loans and that charges them even 3.575 interest rate for those loans, we’re going to enhance the acceleration of them going broke and I don’t wanna do that.”

Swanson would like to see the current loans and their interest rates forgiven.

Nicole Maxwell can be contacted by email at nmaxwell@alamogordonews.com, by phone at 575-415-6605 or on Twitter at @nicmaxreporter.