[See also how Democrats make life better for New Mexicans]
Our Democratic lawmakers and administration have supported New Mexicans in healthcare, education, affordability, and expanded opportunities.
1. Established Free Childcare for All
Childcare costs in the United States are skyrocketing at a rate faster than inflation. Childcare alone can cost a family over $15,000 annually. A typical household in the United States earns just $3,400 more than their basic costs per year: The lack of childcare means that many families cannot to make ends meet.
Starting November 1, 2026, New Mexico becomes the first state in the nation to offer no-cost universal child care. Thanks to Democrats, families have access to childcare, regardless of income, and can save an average of $12,000 per child each year.
Read more to learn how New Mexico Democrats are solving this major problem.
→Need childcare? Apply for services here.
2. Expanded Medicaid to Include More New Mexicans
Medicaid was expanded under the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and included additional people who could not afford to pay for their insurance. A new group included were Native Americans who for the first time were eligible to receive Medicaid. Because of this expansion, around 840,00 New Mexicans are currently enrolled in the state’s Medicaid program. More than 70% of all births in NM are covered under Medicaid.
Alarmingly, Congressional Republicans have passed regulations to be implemented after the mid-terms, which will drop tens of thousands from Medicaid rolls. Thanks to Republicans, as many as eight hospitals in New Mexico could close within 18-24 months! This will cause significant hardship to the most vulnerable among us.
Limiting or reversing the destructive legislation passed by greedy Republicans, who work for billionaires and not for us, is another reason to vote for Democrats!
→Need help with healthcare? Apply for services here.
—References—
New Mexico and Medicaid: https://www.hca.nm.gov/2023/12/18/new-mexico-medicaid-ensures-continuous-health-coverage-for-children-from-birth-to-age-six/
FEDERAL MEDICAID CUTS WILL REDUCE ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE IN NEW MEXICO: https://www.hca.nm.gov/wp-content/uploads/HR1-Medicaid-Impacts_Sept-2025.pdf
- House Bill 2 gives state officials broader authority to protect residents’ health coverage if future federal actions reduce access to Medicaid or marketplace insurance. The emergency legislation is estimated to cost $17.3 million in the current fiscal year. The funding is included in House Bill 1. Read more here.
- NM Democrats are trying to help people navigate Medicaid cuts. Read more here.
3. Protected New Mexico’s Insurance Marketplace (BeWellNM)
Read how NM Democrats protected healthcare from Republican destruction: https://www.sandovaldemocrats.org/new-mexico-democrats-saved-our-health-care/
→Need help navigating the insurance marketplace? Visit BeWellNM.
4. Strengthened Early Childhood Education
The Early Childhood Education and Care Department is working to ensure that all New Mexican families and young children have equitable access to high-quality early childhood opportunities.
Learn more here about the early childhood services and opportunities NM State government offers you.
5. Invested in Free School Lunches
In March 2023, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed Senate Bill 4, establishing the Healthy Hunger-Free Students Bill of Rights Act to provide universal free breakfast and lunch for all K-12 students in New Mexico starting in the 2023-2024 school year. The initiative, costing approximately $30 million annually, includes specific requirements for healthy meals and food waste. Additionally, the state budget allocated $20 million to upgrade school kitchen infrastructure to better support scratch-cooking. This legislation aims to eliminate childhood hunger and support student success by ensuring all children have access to nutritious meals.
—References—
6. Provided Tuition-Free College
On March 4, 2022, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed Senate Bill 140, permanently establishing the New Mexico Opportunity Scholarship Act. The law made tuition and fees free for most eligible New Mexicans attending in-state public colleges and universities.
First launched in 2020, the program serves recent high-school graduates, returning adult learners, and part-time students pursuing career certificates, associate degrees, or bachelor’s degrees, including summer courses.
→Interested in tuition-free college? Visit https://hed.nm.gov/free-college-for-new-mexico
—References—
https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2022/03/04/governor-signs-legislation-making-college-tuition-free/
https://www.reachhighernm.com/
New Mexico’s Democratic accomplishments are getting noticed
But the one place where leaders have avoided labels and have done more than perhaps any other is New Mexico. New Mexico made childcare free statewide, regardless of income level, and when Congress failed to extend the enhanced ACA tax credits, the state stepped in and used their own funds to replace the lost subsidies. Several other states offset some of the lost funding but only New Mexico replaced it.
Read Drew Altman’s article on NM’s achievements in healthcare and childcare, Doing More and Defying Labels in New Mexico.