The Attorney General is New Mexico's chief legal officer and the people's advocate in courtrooms, boardrooms, and communities. Their decisions directly affect whether families are protected from fraud and predatory corporations, whether children are safe from online predators, whether our air, water, and rivers are protected, and whether everyday New Mexicans have a voice against powerful interests.
Attorney General's Race
What does the Attorney General do?
The Attorney General is New Mexico's chief legal officer, legal counsel to the state government, consumer advocate, and guardian of the public interest. They serve as head of the New Mexico Department of Justice (NMDOJ).
The AG is a constitutionally elected state executive (NM Constitution, Article V, Section 1) who must be a licensed attorney of the NM Supreme Court in good standing. The AG serves four-year terms with a two-consecutive-term limit. NMDOJ is organized into four divisions: Operations, Criminal Affairs, Civil Affairs, and Policy & Public Affairs.
The Attorney General:
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Protects consumers – Enforces consumer protection laws through the Consumer Protection Division, taking on scams, fraud, deceptive business practices, and unfair utility practices
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Defends New Mexico in court – Represents the state in major litigation, including addressing major cases that involve Wall Street, social media companies, and the tech industry
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Prosecutes complex and specialized crimes – Runs Special Prosecutions (including a Border Violence Unit) and Special Investigations (including an Anti-Money Laundering Unit and an Internet Crimes Against Children Unit)
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Protects Medicaid beneficiaries and seniors – Operates the Medicaid Fraud and Elder Abuse Division, which investigates and prosecutes Medicaid provider fraud and resident abuse, neglect, and exploitation in long-term care facilities
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Safeguards natural resources – Holds polluters accountable, protects rivers and streams (including a dedicated initiative against unlawful stream obstructions), and represents residential and small business consumers in gas, electric, and telecom matters
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Defends democracy through impact litigation – Challenges unconstitutional federal overreach, files major cases to protect state interests
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Leads major child and family safety initiatives – Examples include a formal investigation of CYFD, advocacy for an independent Office of the Child Advocate, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP) Portal
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Promotes transparency – Operates the Open Government Division, issues AG opinions, and conducts Sunshine Law training for state and local bodies on the state's Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA) and Open Meetings Acts (OMA)
Key Issues the Next Attorney General Will Face
Protecting Consumers and Holding Corporations Accountable
Every New Mexican deserves fair treatment from the companies they depend on. The next AG will be responsible for:
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Continuing aggressive enforcement against scams, fraud, and deceptive practices targeting seniors and working families
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Holding utility companies accountable — and pushing back when bills are unjustified or services are unreliable
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Holding tech companies accountable for harming children online, including through ongoing internet safety cases
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Ensuring rural and Tribal communities have a voice against corporate abuse, not just urban consumers
Safeguarding Our Children and Families
Keeping New Mexico's kids safe is one of the most important jobs of the AG. The next AG will need to:
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Continue pursuing online predators through the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit
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Build on the Office of the Child Advocate and ongoing investigation into CYFD to ensure transparency and accountability in the child welfare system
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Expand support for victims' rights and crime survivors
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Operate and grow the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP) Portal, a dedicated resource for Indigenous communities
Defending Democracy and Standing Up for Our Communities
The AG is our state's lawyer for the people. The next AG will be tasked with:
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Challenging unconstitutional federal overreach that harms New Mexico families
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Defending reproductive rights and healthcare access
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Standing up for tribal sovereignty and pursuing justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples
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Enforcing civil rights, consumer protections, and open government laws
Defending Democracy and Standing Up for Our Communities
The AG is our state's lawyer for the people. The next AG will be tasked with:
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Challenging unconstitutional federal overreach that harms New Mexico families
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Defending reproductive rights and healthcare access
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Standing up for tribal sovereignty and pursuing justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples
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Enforcing civil rights, consumer protections, and open government laws
Protecting Our Natural Resources and Public Access
New Mexico's environment belongs to all of us. The AG plays a critical role in:
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Holding polluters accountable for contaminating our land, air, and water
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Defending public access to rivers and streams against unlawful obstruction
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Representing residential and small business consumers in utility regulation matters
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Pursuing environmental justice for communities disproportionately impacted by pollution
What You
Can Do
✅ Research candidates' records on consumer protection, child safety, environmental enforcement, and impact litigation
✅ Ask candidates how they will hold corporations, polluters, and tech companies accountable
✅ Support candidates committed to protecting kids online, addressing the fentanyl crisis, and supporting Tribal communities
✅ Vote in the Attorney General race – the office touches nearly every part of our lives, from utility bills to online safety