By MERILEE DANNEMANN
Triple Spaced Again
© 2026 by Merilee Dannemann

In this gubernatorial primary, Sam Bregman’s campaign has done something noteworthy. It is worth looking at.

Posted on his website, bregmanfornm.com, is an in-depth document of his policy priorities including a large number of specific action items. It is by far the most detailed such document I have seen on a campaign website.

“Sam’s Blueprint” runs 198 pages in big type. It’s designed as a single PDF document so readers can download it. Most of the statements are easy-to-read bullet points.

This is not an endorsement of Bregman for governor. I am not endorsing anybody. But it is a suggestion that this level of detail can be a model for what New Mexico should expect of candidates for major offices.

Candidate Deb Haaland’s website (debhaaland.com) also contains substantive content about her issue priorities. It’s not nearly as comprehensive as Bregman’s and it’s in a format that cannot be downloaded as a single document, but it’s still a good place for voters to find out what matters to her and what she plans to do.

Candidate websites, when well done, are a superior source of information. A website provides a way to express beliefs and priorities in as much depth as the candidate chooses and can focus on policy and avoid the sensationalism of other media that have to compete for viewer attention. Voters can take time to read the content at their convenience.

You, the voter, can compare what the candidates say with your own concerns and priorities. You can see whether the candidate mentions the issues that concern you the most. You can evaluate the proposed solutions, see if you agree with them and whether you think they are realistic and feasible.

This source of information is especially important in light of the nasty advertising by both Democratic campaigns, supplemented by even nastier messages by independent PACs. In this primary election, where independent voters can choose to vote in either the Democratic or the Republican primary, that advertising may have inclined independents to ask for a Republican ballot.

Of the three Republican candidates for governor, only Greg Hull has substantive policy information on his website (gregghull.com). Under his “issues” tab, you can find four featured issues and then by scrolling down the page you will find a dozen more. Each issue gets a page or so. His choice of issues is a little different from the two Democrats, including such topics as small business and regulatory reform. He has gotten my attention as a retired state employee with an entry for public pensions.

Republican candidate Duke Rodriguez (runwithduke.com) has taken a different approach to informing voters. There’s just one page on his list of priorities, but he has created a Substack and the website posts a link to it. It appears that he is continuing to add entries. That’s a creative approach to informing voters but it’s inconvenient to access and it does not make it easy for voters to find what they might be looking for.

Candidate Doug Turner’s website (turnerfornm.com) is so minimal (unless I am missing something) that I almost believe he is not serious about running for governor. His issues page has a couple of paragraphs each about Jobs, Education and Public Safety. That’s it.

We are quite close to the primary election now and you may have already voted by the time you read this. Here is something for thoughtful voters to do. Regardless of who wins, take a look at all these websites and find which ideas make sense to you. If an idea came from a losing candidate, pass it on. Then request that the primary winners provide all the information you want for voting in November.

Merilee Dannemann’s columns are posted at www.triplespacedagain.com. Comments are invited through the website.