Ben Montoya
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Articles by Ben Montoya
Both candidates in New Mexico’s swingiest district need Latino votes
According to the Pew Research Center, 45% of all eligible voters in New Mexico are Latino, making it the only state where Latinos are the largest racial or ethnic voting bloc. Earning Latino support in New Mexico is critical for political success, but Latinos in New Mexico aren’t a political monolith; 53% of Latinos are registered Democrats, 24% identify as independent, and 23% are registered Republicans, compared to the national average of about 16%.
New Mexico group seeks to ban all corporate, ‘dark’ money spending on politics
by Patrick Lohmann, Source New Mexico October 2, 2026 A new coalition concerned about money’s growing influence on New Mexico politics is urging state lawmakers to consider legislation this January that would ban corporations from political spending. The newly formed group, Money Out of Politics New Mexico, announced Thursday that it was launching a campaign modeled after similar efforts in Montana and Hawaii.
NM lawmakers secure $10 million to fix nuclear waste transit route
Congressional lawmakers from New Mexico announced $10 million in federal funds to repair roads that connect Los Alamos National Laboratory to the country’s only disposal site for nuclear weapons waste. It’s called the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) and since 1999 it’s where the country’s transuranic waste is permanently disposed of. WIPP is more than 20 miles east of Carlsbad, and carved more than 2,000 feet underground.
New Mexico jury overwhelmingly sides with state, says Facebook violated consumer protection law
by Matt Mondschein, Source New Mexico September 25, 2026 A New Mexico jury on Friday found Facebook willfully violated state law and engaged in unfair and deceptive trade practices regarding collection of user data, misinformation and hate speech on the platform and preferential treatment for government figures. In total, the First Judicial District jury in Santa Fe found that Facebook committed close to 44 million violations of New Mexico’s Unfair Practices Act.
High fuel costs, Iran war take center stage in key New Mexico House race
Diesel prices in New Mexico hit record highs in September, according to data provided by AAA. The costs for diesel and gas have skyrocketed this year after seven months of war in Iran, resulting in a domino effect of inflation and higher borrowing costs identified by the Congressional Budget Office. Democrats on the Joint Economic Committee released a report on Sept.
U.S. Rep. Leger Fernández calls for ‘pause’ on data centers in New Mexico, as Oracle stock falls
by Julia Goldberg, Source New Mexico September 24, 2026 U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) on Thursday issued a call for a “pause” on data centers in New Mexico, and released a set of standards she said such developments should meet before receiving approval. Leger Fernández’s call follows concerns voiced by fellow Democratic New Mexico U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury last month about tech giant Oracle’s Project Jupiter, the data center under construction in southern New Mexico.
Rep. Vasquez, Grant County community rally behind data center pause
After less than a month of community organizing and support from elected officials, Grant County commissioners in southern New Mexico are considering a one-year data center moratorium. The vote on a resolution to pause data center development is scheduled for Sept. 24. If it passes, Grant County will become the fourth county in the state to pause data center development until appropriate regulations can be studied and passed.
Haaland calls for uranium mining moratorium, while Hull says no
Deb Haaland supports a moratorium on renewed uranium mining in New Mexico, she said in an interview with New Mexico In Depth on Thursday. The Democratic nominee for governor — an enrolled member of Laguna Pueblo, the site of what was once the largest open-pit uranium mine in the world — said she’s seen the harms of the last era of uranium mining firsthand. “New Mexico has given enough,” the former U.S. Interior secretary in the Biden administration said. “We had an atom bomb tested in our state.
New Mexico Supreme Court rejects 2 Project Jupiter challenges, allows permitting process to resume
by Joshua Bowling, Source New Mexico September 17, 2026 The New Mexico Supreme Court on Thursday unanimously shot down two environmental groups’ challenges to regulatory proceedings for the Project Jupiter data center under construction in Doña Ana County.
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New Mexico may be famous for desert landscapes, but there are still plenty of trees with autumnal leaves. Here are 10 places to go leaf-peeping in New Mexico.
NM voters have a chance to change the state legislature forever
New Mexico is the only state that doesn’t pay its state legislators a yearly salary. Instead, legislators currently earn a $247 daily per diem for their responsibilities, including annual legislative sessions, serving on committees, and being responsive to their constituencies. But this year’s midterm election could change that.
Trump is at 32% in New Mexico. Greg Cunningham is going to Dallas anyway
The two most competitive races in New Mexico are getting national attention this week: a Republican candidate is going to Texas to speak at Trump’s midterm convention; and Democratic campaigns are welcoming high profile politicians to the Land of Enchantment. The race for New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District, currently held by Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D), has become a high-stakes showdown that could determine the future of the House majority.
New Mexico sues feds over refusing to reimburse state for $61M in wildfire costs
by Patrick Lohmann, Source New Mexico September 8, 2026 New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Tuesday announced that her office had sued the Federal Emergency Management Agency for failing to reimburse the New Mexico National Guard for at least $61 million in costs it incurred fighting a 2022 wildfire that the federal government inadvertently ignited.
Studies Link New Mexico Drilling to Radiation, Air Pollution, Health Risks
This article was produced by Capital & Main. It is republished here with permission. Published on September 4, 2026 By Jerry Redfern A recently published scientific paper ties oil and gas operations in the Permian Basin to radioactive airborne plumes near the small New Mexico town of Loving. An associated study outlines how high levels of ozone pollution in the same area are also the byproduct of oil and gas production in the nation’s most productive oilfields.
New Mexico gubernatorial candidates split on data center moratorium
In a statement to Courier New Mexico, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Deb Haaland said that if elected governor she would support a statewide moratorium on data centers — pausing new projects until the state sets rules for the industry. “People are rightly concerned about data centers and their impact on our communities,” Haaland wrote.
75% of New Mexicans want a pause on data centers, new poll finds
Data centers, and their strain on local resources, have become one of the most important issues for Americans this year. In New Mexico, several counties have already passed temporary data center moratoriums, and on Aug. 23 the New Mexico Supreme Court paused permitting for Project Jupiter, the controversial Oracle and OpenAI data center in Doña Ana County. On Sept. 2, the Albuquerque Journal published a poll conducted by Research & Polling Inc.
New Mexico insurance superintendent approves 24% premium increase on healthcare exchange plans
by Patrick Lohmann, Source New Mexico September 1, 2026 Citing inflation and rising health care costs, the New Mexico Office of the Superintendent of Insurance on Tuesday announced that it had approved a 24.4% average premium increase on BeWell, the state’s health insurance marketplace, established by the 2010 Affordable Care Act. The increase is higher than the nationwide median increase of 15%, according to a statement from the office, and will take effect Jan. 1.
Your New Mexico mail ballot is still safe, despite this Supreme Court ruling
Hundreds of thousands of New Mexicans vote by mail every year. But President Donald Trump’s administration has spent months trying to fast-track major changes to how those ballots are processed and counted. On Aug. 24, the Supreme Court paused a lower court’s ruling that had blocked the Trump administration’s push to overhaul absentee voting before Election Day.
Speaker Johnson visits Albuquerque to boost Greg Cunningham
On Aug. 26, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) came to Albuquerque to campaign for former detective Greg Cunningham running as a Republican with hopes of flipping Rep. Gabe Vasquez’s (D) seat in November. Johnson’s attendance at a private fundraising event and a separate press conference at Rio Bravo Brewing this week signal a new phase in the highly anticipated race that could play a huge role in determining the balance of power in the House of Representatives.
New Mexico Dem governor nominee Haaland touts permitting ‘shot clock’ in visit to housing project
by Patrick Lohmann, Source New Mexico August 28, 2026 Deb Haaland, the former U.S. Interior secretary and Democratic nominee for New Mexico governor, toured a new affordable housing project Thursday in Albuquerque as she touted her plan to help reduce a statewide housing shortage if she is elected governor on Nov. 3. Haaland toured nonprofit housing developer Homewise’s Sombra Del Oeste community, a partially completed 72-home development in southwest Albuquerque.
Politics Archives - Courier New Mexico
“The bottom line is that yesterday’s decision did not impact how voters can participate in the election this year,” NM Sec. of State’s office said in a statement.
Ben Montoya - Courier New Mexico
Ben Montoya (they/them) is the political correspondent at Courier New Mexico. They’ve produced podcasts for legacy media companies (Conde Nast, Audible, PRX, TED), independent DIY productions (Hang Up!), and everything in between. Ben is an adjunct professor at NYU’s American Journalism Online graduate program and a contributing member at 505omatic, New Mexico’s worker-owned independent civic media co-op. Have a story tip? Reach Ben at benmontoya@couriernewsroom.com.
NM Supreme Court temporarily halt Project Jupiter air quality permit hearing
by Joshua Bowling, Source New Mexico August 24, 2026 The New Mexico Supreme Court late Sunday unanimously granted two requests to pause proceedings related to Project Jupiter, the Oracle and OpenAI data center campus under construction in Doña Ana County.
Cameron and Mike Pero: First Miami Father/Son Duo to Both Win MAC Golf Championship
OXFORD, Ohio— When Cameron Pero made his final putt at this year's Mid-American Conference Men's Golf Championship, the celebration that followed carried a weight deeper than any single tournament could contain. It completed a circle more than three decades in the making, crowning the Pero family as the first father-and-son pair in Miami University Golf history to each claim a MAC Championship title.
The Glitched-Out Sound and Spontaneous Rise of 100 Gecs
It would be hard to find a pop music group more polarizing than 100 gecs. Within the first 30 seconds of their 2019 breakout hit “Money Machine,” most listeners formed strong opinions on their genre-mashing, glitched-out, Auto-Tune-infused style. Their music is chaotic and referential, constantly bouncing between nightcore, dubstep, death metal, ska, and emo, all while being catchy as hell.
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