Ronchetti, Thornton, Trujillo, and Herrell Are Out of Touch Extremists Who Are Dangerous for the Future of New Mexico
Today, the Democratic Party of New Mexico released a new video exposing the extremists on the New Mexico GOP midterm ticket. The video highlights Republican candidates Mark Ronchetti, Ant Thornton, Audrey Trujillo, and Yvette Herrell’s record sympathizing with alt-right groups, pushing election misinformation, endorsing homophobia, spreading antisemitic conspiracies, and opposing public education. These GOP candidates pose a direct threat to abortion access, a clean climate, gun reform, voter rights, and everything that New Mexico Democrats are fighting to achieve. From inexperience to downright bigotry, this Republican ticket threatens freedom in New Mexico across the board.
This November, we must get out the vote to keep New Mexico blue. The right to marry freely, have bodily autonomy, protect our land and residents, and vote for our leaders, will be threatened and ultimately destroyed if we do not show up and elect Democratic candidates this fall. Watch the video to see why we must keep New Mexico blue.
Read the full transcript of the video below:
Have you met the extremists the New Mexico GOP is running in the midterms?
There’s Mark Ronchetti, the inexperienced TV weatherman who has never held elected office, or even a managerial position at a business. That’s right—he has much less experience than the manager at your first job. Ronchetti is also a failed reality TV star that owned a vacation mansion bigger that most people’s first homes, making him completely out of touch with average New Mexicans.
Ronchetti also has a range of far-right beliefs like… he doesn’t believe in climate change. He sympathizes with the Proud Boys, 3 Percenters, Oath Keepers, and other extremist groups. He has promised to restrict abortion—which he calls a “barbaric practice” and wants to pass laws that would punish women and criminalize their doctors—and he has attacked his opponents for their support of Plan B or emergency contraceptives. He even wants to defund public education in New Mexico.
Then there’s Ant Thornton, Ronchetti’s running mate. Ant thinks gay marriage should be illegal—and he also thinks that people and businesses should be able to discriminate against members of the LGBTQ community. That’s right, Ant Thornton endorses homophobic discrimination. Ant also opposes abortion with no exception, even in the cases of rape, incest, or when the mother’s life is in danger. Thornton also opposes all public lands, including New Mexico’s national parks.
Then we have Audrey Trujillo, the GOP candidate for secretary of state. Audrey Trujillo is a Q-anon believer who has spread multiple conspiracy theories and misinformation, in addition to posting incredibly antisemitic graphics on her social media. She believes the 2020 election was, in her words, a “coup” orchestrated by President Biden and she supported Otero County’s refusal to certify New Mexico’s 2022 primary election results.
Then, you might be familiar with her—New Mexico’s only Republican federal representative. Congresswoman Herrell made a name for herself by voting AGAINST certifying the 2020 presidential election, accepting donations from Trump’s phony electors, and pushing Ivermectin and other dangerous COVID misinformation.
Together, Ronchetti, Thornton, Trujillo, and Herrell make up the GOP ticket. They represent what the New Mexico Republican Party has become: far right extremists who are out of touch with the majority of New Mexicans. This ticket is dangerous. It’s time to start paying attention.
Paid for by the Democratic Party of New Mexico, nmdemocrats.org. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.
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