Leo Jaramillo is a Democratic candidate running for State Senator in District 5. Courtesy photo

By LEO JARAMILLO
Democratic Candidate
NM Senate Dist. 5

For those of you who may not yet know me, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself.

I’m a native son of the Española Valley and a proud alumnus of Española Valley High School. Upon high school graduation, I attended the University of New Mexico, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication and Journalism and a Master of Arts in Education/Curriculum Design and Instructional Leadership from the College of Santa Fe.

​Since 2003, I have been employed at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) where I have served as a professional staff assistant, communication specialist, training specialist, recruiter, financial analyst, and most recently, chief of staff/administrative officer.

​I have always had the desire and passion to give back to my community and have done so wholeheartedly throughout the years with integrity and compassion. My life has always been guided by my passion for service and ethical leadership.

I’m excited and honored to be running to be your District 5 State Senator so that I can continue to advocate for northern New Mexicans.

​Here are my thoughts on some of the issues facing our district:

Economic Recovery

• We must work at rebuilding and strengthening New Mexico’s economy after COVID-19.

​Affordable Housing

• Los Alamos, Rio Arriba and Santa Fe Counties have a housing shortage which needs to be addressed to meet the housing demands.

​Mutual Domestic and Acequias

• We must continue to honor the legacy of our acequias in our communities and work closely with counties on ordinances that protect acequias.

​Education

• As a former educator, I understand the importance of adequate funding for public schools and increasing teacher salaries (pre-k – 12) to ensure we keep certified teachers in the classroom while also building a career pipeline for Education Assistants (EAs).

​Agricultural Lands

• Our agricultural heritage must be protected. We must ensure that the State will work closely with the Counties to support the protection and restoration of our agricultural heritage – our querencia and increase funding to explore new markets for our agricultural product.

To learn more about Jaramillo and his stance on the issues, visit www.leojaramillo.com.

Editor’s note: Jaramillo is running against Democratic incumbent Richard Martinez in the June Primary Election.