Women now have a slight majority of seats in the New Mexico Legislature after the recent elections, with men still holding the majority in the Senate. Angelica Rubio, the New Mexico director of Vote, Run, Lead, a nonprofit that trains women to run for office, emphasized that although progress has been made, challenges still exist for women entering politics.
Rubio spoke about her own experience in the legislature and noted the shift in culture with more women holding positions of power. However, she highlighted barriers such as the lack of professionalization in the legislature and the financial strain of working without a salary. She also mentioned the societal expectations on women as caregivers, making it difficult for them to take on the additional responsibilities of being lawmakers.
Despite these challenges, Rubio pointed out that the recent conservative shift in national politics could motivate more women to run for office at the state level. She emphasized the importance of women stepping up in response to anti-woman, anti-LGBTQ, and anti-trans policies from the Republican party.
Overall, Rubio sees a potential resurgence of women entering politics in response to the changing political landscape. With more women in elected positions, there is hope for a culture of collaboration and progress in New Mexico’s legislature.
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Photo credit nmpoliticalreport.com
