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Most candidates in contested local primaries support minimum wage raise

Posted on Jun 07, 2016
Posted in GAAR News, Local News

(2 min read)

By Marissa Higdon, Editorial Intern of Albuquerque Business First:

Despite the major parties' presidential candidates looking more or less decided, New Mexicans head to the polls Tuesday for state primaries.

Bernalillo County has five contested primary races; four between Democrats and one involves Republicans.

Albuquerque Business First contacted the candidates to find out their stance on something our readers are always curious about: minimum wage. Statewide minimum wage bills are passed by the state Legislature, so the opinion of legislators could really matter when lawmakers return to the Roundhouse in December.

All of the candidates, except for one, support some kind of increase in minimum wage. The tendency toward upping minimum wage may be explained by the number of contested Democratic primaries.

Currently, the statewide minimum wage is $7.50 an hour, and in the city of Albuquerque’s minimum wage is $8.75.

We were able to contact most of the candidates. For the three that we couldn’t, we're citing information from their candidate profiles in the Albuquerque Journal.

Check out the list below to see how Bernalillo County candidates stack up on minimum wage:

State Senator District 17: Mimi Stewart (D) supports a gradual increase up to $15 an hour. Shannon Robinson (D) supports an increase to $15 an hour immediately.
State Senator District 23: Joy Garratt (D) supports a gradual increase up to $15 an hour. Joe Chavez (D) wants an initial increase to $10.50, and then to $12.50.
State Rep. District 21: Idalia Lechuga-Tena (D) supports a gradual increase to $15. Debra Sarinana (D) supports raising the minimum wage to at least $10,according to the Albuquerque Journal. Amanda Kinkaid (D) would like to raise it to at least $9 an hour, according to the Albuquerque Journal.
State Rep. District 24: Christina Hall (R) supports a gradual increase. Ryan Boyle (R) opposes raising the minimum wage.
State Rep. District 25: Christine Trujillo (D) supports an increase to $12.50 and then eventually $15. Chris Berkheimer (D) supports a general increase, according to the Albuquerque Journal.