SIERRA CLUB News:

The Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter released today its slate of endorsements in “one of the most critical elections for the environment New Mexicans have ever faced.”

“This year’s election is critical for putting New Mexico back on a path toward clean water, clean energy and thriving wildlife and public lands,” said Rio Grande Chapter Chair David Coss. “Our members are working hard for these candidates, and I urge New Mexicans to vote for them in the Nov. 8 election.”

The chapter sends questionnaires to new candidates, studies records of incumbents, interviews candidates and then requires a two-thirds vote of two chapter committees to endorse. The Rio Grande Sierra Club’s winning record derives from a grassroots strategy of activating our members to volunteer for environmental champions and communicating our endorsements through earned and paid media. New Mexicans have demonstrated overwhelmingly that they want office-holders who will improve and protect the natural resources that make our planet liveable, and these candidates will work for those solutions.

Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter endorsements:

(Note: Only contested races are listed. For more about these candidates, see riograndesierraclub.org.

President

• Hillary Clinton

U.S. Congress

• District 1: Michelle Lujan Grisham
• District 2: Merrie Lee Soules
• District 3: Ben Ray Luján

New Mexico Secretary of State

• Maggie Toulouse Oliver

New Mexico State Senate

Albuquerque area:

• District 9: John Sapien
• District 10: David Simon
• District 13: Bill O’Neill
• District 15: Daniel Ivey-Soto
• District 18: Bill Tallman
• District 23: Joy Garratt

Valencia and Bernalillo counties:

• District 29: Michael Sanchez

Doña Ana County:

• District 36: Jeff Steinborn
• District 37: William Soules

Eldorado and central/northern New Mexico:

• District 39: Liz Stefanics

New Mexico House of Representatives

San Juan County:

• District 4: GloJean Todacheene

Albuquerque area:

• District 10: Andres Romero
• District 15: Ane Romero
• District 20: Giovanni Alexander Haqani
• District 22: John Wallace
• District 23: Daymon Ely
• District 24: Elizabeth Thomson
• District 29: Ronnie Martinez
• District 30: Natalie Figueroa
• District 31: Bob Scott

Grant and Sierra counties:

• District 38: Mary Hotvedt

Doña Ana County:

• District 33: Bill McCamley
• District 35: Angelica Rubio
• District 36: Nathan Small
• District 37: Joanne Ferrary
• District 39: Rodolpho Martinez (Doña Ana, Grant and Sierra counties)

Los Alamos area:

• District 43: Stephanie Garcia Richard

Santa Fe area:

• District 47: Brian Egolf
• District 50: Matthew McQueen

Los Alamos County Council:

• Peter Sheehey

Sandoval County Commission:

• Alexis Jimenez

Grant County Commission:

• Alicia Edwards
• Marilyn Alcorn
• Harry Browne

To join the Sierra Club volunteer team to elect environmental champions, email riogrande.chapter@sierraclub. org or call Susan Martin at 505.670.3279 or email smartin31@comcast.net.