PODCAST · government
Around the Roundhouse
by The Santa Fe New Mexican
The Santa Fe New Mexican’s weekly podcast hosted by state government and lead politics reporter Daniel J. Chacón features the policies, politics and personalities at the state Capitol during New Mexico's 2025 legislative session.
Episodes
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State Sen. Carrie Hamblen, discusses concerns around Project Jupiter.
One of the biggest stories of the year in New Mexico has been the construction of Project Jupiter, a controversial hyperscale data center in Southern New Mexico. In the latest episode of The New Mexican’s Around the Roundhouse podcast, hosted by politics reporter Daniel J. Chacón, state Sen.…
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‘Worse than I expected’: New Mexico immigration lawyer discusses impact of ICE raids on communities
Allegra Love is an immigration lawyer who for nearly 20 years has been on the front lines of Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity by providing legal assistance to immigrants in Santa Fe and across New Mexico. On the latest episode of the “Around the Roundhouse” podcast, Love joins Santa…
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New Mexico's new Senate Majority Leader Linda Trujillo says affordability will be focus of caucus
Linda Trujillo was elected New Mexico’s new Senate majority leader Sunday by the Senate Democratic caucus, becoming the first woman to hold the position. She will take the place of fellow Santa Fe Democrat Peter Wirth, who served in the role for a decade before announcing earlier this year that…
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Michael Roybal makes his case for Santa Fe County magistrate judge
Michael Roybal has worked in the courts for more than a decade, spending time at both the Santa Fe County Magistrate Court and the First Judicial District Court. He’s served as a court clerk, court monitor and a pretrial services officer, and now he’s vying to earn a spot in a judge’s seat.…
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Discussing possible gas tax increase, axing personal income tax with Rio Grande Foundation president
Paul Gessing has spent the past 20 years working to shape policy in New Mexico as president of the Rio Grande Foundation, an Albuquerque-based think tank focused on promoting “individual freedom, limited government and economic opportunity,” according to the organization’s website. In the latest...
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‘We’re not renaming New Mexico’: State historian pushes back on Trump’s ‘New America’ pitch
New Mexico was in the national spotlight earlier this week as President Donald Trump sent out multiple social media posts indicating a desire to rename New Mexico “New America.” The posts prompted backlash from New Mexico’s congressional delegation and others who didn’t appreciate the suggestion....
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'This was never a legit job’: Jacob Candelaria rips Rep. Romero's DA Office role, files complaints
Before resigning from the state Senate nearly four years ago, Jacob Candelaria changed his party affiliation from Democrat to decline to state. Being unencumbered by partisan loyalties “was liberating,” Candelaria said, and working as an attorney, he says he fights for the people of New Mexico...
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Forward Party candidate Harry Montoya discusses run for Santa Fe County magistrate judge
Harry Montoya has been a Democrat and a Republican. The former Pojoaque School Board member and Santa Fe County Commissioner says he doesn’t feel like he fits into the mold of either party anymore and is now running as a member of the newly formed Forward Party in his campaign for Santa Fe County...
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Republican Ramona Goolsby shares her priorities in campaign for N.M. secretary of state
Ramona Goolsby has been a family nurse practitioner, an officer in the U.S. Army Reserves, a staff accountant for a CPA firm, a small business owner and manager of a ranch. She says she’s not a politician, but she hopes her varied experiences will appeal to voters as she campaigns to be New...
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From opioid settlement transparency to banking deserts, think tank CEO talks policy issues in N.M.
Patrick M. Brenner is founder, president and CEO of the Southwest Public Policy Institute, a New Mexico-based public policy think tank with a stated mission to deliver data-driven research, advance government transparency and safeguard consumer choice across the Southwest. In the latest episode…
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Former game warden Michael Perry touts decades of experience in campaign for state land commissioner
Michael Perry grew up in Roswell with an interesting aspiration for a child — he wanted to be a game warden. One of his grandfathers was a director with the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish and took Perry quail hunting all over the state. After studying wildlife science at New Mexico State...
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New Mexicans to decide if state legislators will receive salary; proponent says ‘now is the time’
New Mexico is the only state in the country with an unpaid Legislature, but that could change come November. Voters in the upcoming general election will consider a constitutional amendment that would pave the way for state lawmakers to receive a salary for the first time in New Mexico’s history....
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State Sen. Jay Block praises Hull, belittles Haaland in N.M. governor's race
In the same interview where he discussed his friendly interactions with current Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, Republican state Sen. Jay Block’s words regarding the Democratic candidate running to replace her weren’t quite as cordial. A strong backer of GOP candidate Gregg Hull, Block said “my dog...
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On Trinity Test anniversary, downwinders advocate Tina Cordova continues fight for New Mexicans
The world’s first detonation of a nuclear weapon took place on July 16, 1945, in the Jornada del Muerto desert southeast of Socorro, New Mexico. In the decades since the Trinity Test explosion, thousands of New Mexicans have been plagued by illness and cancers related to their over-exposure to...
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Santa Fe County sheriff looks back on ‘Rust’ case, discusses DEA controversy and future of AI use
A local who was elected Santa Fe County sheriff in 2018, Adan Mendoza’s eventful two-term tenure has included efforts to improve staffing, managing the department through the COVID-19 pandemic and multiple stints under the national media microscope. Mendoza’s time in office will concluded at the...
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'So horrific': NM Epstein truth commission member speaks on breadth of potential crimes, support for survivors
Even before legislation was passed to form New Mexico’s “truth commission” to investigate the activities and potential crimes of Jeffrey Epstein in the state, Marianna Anaya said she spent time digging through the publicly released files related to the financier and convicted sex offender. With a...
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GOP Lt. Gov. nominee David Gallegos talks governor's race, Trump and bringing balance for rural NM
State Sen. David Gallegos won a three-man race for the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor earlier this month and will be the running mate for gubernatorial candidate Gregg Hull on the GOP ticket in November’s general election. A longtime resident of the town of Eunice in the Permian...
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Sen. Peter Wirth discusses decision not to seek reelection and reflects on legislative legacy
Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe, made headlines Tuesday with the announcement that he will not seek reelection in 2028 for a sixth term in the Senate and that he will relinquish his position as floor leader. “An important part of leadership is knowing when to hand the baton to the...
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NM CD2: Republican Greg Cunningham on the border, Trump, and big money in the race
All eyes will be on the midterm elections come November as control of Congress is up for grabs, and a national spotlight will once again be on New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District. Republican Greg Cunningham is vying to unseat incumbent Democrat Gabe Vasquez, who defeated Yvette Herrell in...
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Republican nominee Gregg Hull says 'we've got a message for everybody' in race for N.M. governor
From slinging newspapers, to shipping solar cells for the International Space Station, to leading the third-largest city in New Mexico, Gregg Hull’s professional experiences in the state have run the gamut. The former three-term mayor of Rio Rancho is now eyeing New Mexico’s highest office. Hull...
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'I'd like to see more hope': GOP write-in U.S. Senate candidate Larry Marker shares vision for New Mexico
A self-described “America First” candidate for U.S. Senate, Larry Marker first has some work to do to get on November’s general election ballot. The Republican with roots in Hobbs and Roswell needs to get at least 2,531 voters to write his name on the June 2 primary ballot to advance as his…
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Secretary of state candidate Amanda López Askin touts experience combatting election deniers in N.M.
New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District has been one of the most hotly contested seats in the country, drawing a national spotlight in recent races to fill one of the state’s three seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Amanda López Askin says she experienced that increased attention…
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Sen. Harold Pope Jr. says ‘it’s about the people’ in race for N.M. lieutenant governor
A U.S. Air Force veteran and the first African American elected to the New Mexico Senate, Harold Pope Jr. is pursuing a new avenue of leadership as he seeks his party’s nomination for lieutenant governor. The Albuquerque Democrat is running for statewide office for the first time in a race…
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'Is this just a gotcha?': Rep. Rebecca Dow speaks after Supreme Court ruling keeps her on ballot
Earlier this week, the New Mexico Supreme Court ruled in favor of state Rep. Rebecca Dow when it reversed a state district court ruling that had disqualified Dow’s nominating petitions and would have kept the Republican from Truth or Consequences off the ballot in the June primary. In the latest...
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In run for secretary of state, ‘election nerd’ Katharine Clark says she’ll fight against overreach
Katharine Clark’s third day in office as Santa Fe County clerk was January 6, 2021, the day the U.S. Capitol was attacked by supporters of Donald Trump in an effort to overturn the presidential election. Clark said the election denialism spurred by Trump has defined an era of being an election...
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How Epstein exploited New Mexico land leases: Commissioner says ‘there were people protecting him’
Stephanie Garcia Richard took over as New Mexico state land commissioner in 2019 and later that year put an end to a decades-long lease that allowed Jeffrey Epstein to use over 1,200 acres of state land around his Zorro Ranch property south of Santa Fe. Epstein, though his company Cypress Inc.,...
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Juan De Jesus Sanchez III seeks to bring long-term vision to New Mexico's State Land Office
A 13th generation New Mexican with a 5-month-old daughter, Juan De Jesus Sanchez III says he’s running for state land commissioner with an eye toward the future. The farmer and conservation advocate who lives in Valencia County was the first candidate to announce an intention to succeed Stephanie...
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Retired FBI agent on Epstein ‘truth commission’ hopes New Mexico can deliver closure for victims
With 24 years of experience in the FBI and well over 30 years in law enforcement, New Mexico state Rep. Bill Hall has spent much of his life in the pursuit of justice. Now, the retired FBI agent is part his home state’s investigation into criminal acts of abuse that took place at Jeffrey…
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‘Very truly a cover-up’: Epstein files ‘mismanagement’ by Bondi, DOJ ripped by New Mexico congresswoman
U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury has been a vocal critic of U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and the U.S. Department of Justice over the handling of millions of files related to the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking investigation. This week, she joined U.S. Rep Summer Lee in filing articles of…
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Fighting to stay in the primary, Jonas Moya says he'd champion rural New Mexico as state land commissioner
Jonas Moya has a lot of work to do and not a lot of time to do it. Over the weekend, the Democratic Party of New Mexico held its pre-primary convention where party delegates voted to designate candidates for the June ballot. Candidates needed to receive at least 20% of the vote to earn a spot on...
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Epstein's Zorro Ranch: New Mexico radio host discusses email he received alleging buried bodies
Albuquerque-based radio host Eddy Aragon has spent several years looking into what went on at Jeffrey Epstein’s Zorro Ranch and has received calls from listeners who he says have provided insight about the workings of the property south of Santa Fe. In 2019, Aragon received an anonymous email...
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'New Mexico was basically the worst,' Epstein survivors told lawmaker of abuse at Zorro Ranch
An opportunity to connect with survivors of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein prior to the State of the Union address Tuesday had a powerful impact on Andrea Romero, a New Mexico state representative who co-sponsored a resolution to create a so-called “truth commission” to investigate...
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Rep. Derrick Lente discusses getting creative to fund raises for state employees at end of session
The 2026 30-day legislative session came to a close Thursday with Democrats largely touting it as a success following an overhaul of the state's medical malpractice law, the funding of universal child care and more. One of the bigger news items to come out of the final full day of the session was...
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Rep. Gail Armstrong shares a Republican’s view on the good, bad and ugly of the legislative session
With just over a week left in New Mexico’s 30-day legislative session, a handful of bills have been passed and signed into law but there’s still a lot up in the air for lawmakers. Some of the bills passed so far have had bipartisan support, but others have faced strong opposition by the…
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Universal child care: New Mexico official discusses setting a blueprint for the nation
New Mexico made national headlines last year with Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s announcement that it would be the first state in the country to offer child care to all families at no cost. Elizabeth Groginsky, secretary of the state Early Childhood Education and Care Department, was at the...
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Gen Z lawmaker Cristina Parajón discusses her path to the Roundhouse and early legislative wins
Cristina Parajón’s first day at the Roundhouse as a lawmaker got off to a bit of an awkward start when the sergeant-at-arms initially wouldn’t let her in her seat in the House chamber because he thought she looked too young to be a legislator. With some notable early legislative successes, the…
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Sen. Jeff Steinborn pushes for lobbyist transparency, more oversight for data center microgrids
During his years serving in the Legislature, state Sen. Jeff Steinborn has championed and passed a wide variety of legislation including the creation of an independent ethics commission, setting campaign contribution limits and banning the storage of high-level nuclear waste in New Mexico. This...
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Sen. Linda Trujillo talks interstate licensing compact, child care funding and more as session nears
Residents in communities across New Mexico have felt the impact of a physician shortage that has led to patients facing long wait times and a struggle to schedule appointments. A bipartisan group of state legislators has been working to help improve access to health care through the Interstate...
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LFC Chair Nathan Small discusses budget priorities, child care funding ahead of legislative session
New Mexico’s 30-day legislative session is less than two weeks away and the Legislative Finance Committee just released its budget proposal for fiscal year 2027. The committee’s $11.1 billion spending plan is similar to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s but doesn’t fully fund the governor’s free...
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‘I’m going to ignite a conversation’: Duke Rodriguez discusses his run for New Mexico governor
Duke Rodriguez officially launched his candidacy for governor of New Mexico earlier this month by making the announcement in newspaper advertisements across the state. A former state human services Cabinet secretary who is now among New Mexico's most successful cannabis entrepreneurs, Rodriguez…
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Shel Neymark advocates for New Mexico’s rural libraries to receive greater funding
Shel Neymark helped found the Embed Valley Library in Dixon in 1992 and, over the years, has seen it become a cornerstone of the small community. It’s a place to not only check out books, but also serves as a gathering place and a link to connect residents with resources that support their...
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Legislative Finance Committee Director Charles Sallee addresses drop in New Mexico’s revenue projections
Economists with the state of New Mexico delivered what Rep. Nathan Small, chair of the Legislative Finance Committee, called a “very sobering" revenue forecast to lawmakers Monday, with projections of total new money being revised down to $105.7 million from an August projection of $484.8…
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'We lock up our deodorant but not our criminals’: State Sen. Nicole Tobiassen speaks on crime issues
While running a business coaching firm with her husband in Albuquerque, Nicole Tobiassen said she often hears complaints from her clients that it’s becoming harder and harder to be a business owner in New Mexico. Part of her coaching involves encouraging clients to be part of the solution, advice...
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Fireman, substitute teacher Cam Crawford working to strengthen Democrats’ position in New Mexico
A fresh face in state politics, Cam Crawford was elected vice chair of the Democratic Party of New Mexico in April and is working to build momentum for Democrats in an already blue state. On the latest episode of the “Around the Roundhouse” podcast, the 20-something firefighter and substitute...
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Former Democrat Patricia Salazar looks to revive Republican Party in deep blue Rio Arriba County
The Republican Party has been dormant in Rio Arriba County for years, with Democratic candidates frequently running unopposed in local races and the number of registered Democrats dwarfing the number of Republicans in the county by well over a 2-to-1 margin. A former Democrat is looking to change...
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‘A holistic type of leadership’: Santa Fe Mayor-elect Michael Garcia discusses plans for City Hall
Michael Garcia earned a decisive victory in Santa Fe’s crowded mayoral race Tuesday night and has made a commitment to voters to improve transparency and accountability at City Hall. He’s already making moves to prepare to take the reins, putting in place members of a transition team and…
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‘We’re gearing up for a public health crisis’: New Mexico food bank leader addresses potential SNAP freeze
New Mexico has the highest rate of SNAP participation in the country, with over 450,000 people receiving support through the federally funded food assistance program. The federal government has told states the benefits will run out in November if the federal shutdown persists, leaving local and...
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Ken Miyagishima speaks on medical malpractice reform, other top priorities in run for N.M. governor
Ken Miyagishima has run in 14 elections and won 11 of them, including being voted mayor of Las Cruces for four consecutive terms that he served from 2007-2023. The self-described political moderate has an uphill battle to translate his election success to the statewide level as he faces two...
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Carmen Lopez on increasing trust and transparency in New Mexico’s elections
New Mexico’s No. 1 ranking in MIT’s Election Performance Index that was released last year is something state election officials have proudly touted, but many are working to improve the state’s elections even further. Observe New Mexico Elections (ONME) is a nonpartisan observation effort that…
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Letitia Montoya says collecting shopping carts around Santa Fe helped inform her run for mayor
Letitia Montoya says collecting stray shopping carts dispersed throughout a city is a great way to understand a community and its issues. That’s what she’s been doing with her husband, Michael Segura, since June of 2023 through their company, Nebula Advisers LLC. The company is contracted by the...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
The Santa Fe New Mexican’s weekly podcast hosted by state government and lead politics reporter Daniel J. Chacón features the policies, politics and personalities at the state Capitol during New Mexico's 2025 legislative session.
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The Santa Fe New Mexican
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Around the Roundhouse have?
Around the Roundhouse currently has 86 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Around the Roundhouse about?
The Santa Fe New Mexican’s weekly podcast hosted by state government and lead politics reporter Daniel J. Chacón features the policies, politics and personalities at the state Capitol during New Mexico's 2025 legislative session.
How often does Around the Roundhouse release new episodes?
Around the Roundhouse has 86 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Around the Roundhouse?
You can listen to Around the Roundhouse on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Around the Roundhouse?
Around the Roundhouse is created and hosted by The Santa Fe New Mexican.
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