The cards run from where they differ most to where they agree most, and compare how each would do it. Cates answered our questions on Oct. 19, so her side of several cards is in her own words. We sent Prior the same questions on Oct. 15 and asked for a reply by Oct. 21.
Kathleen Cates
Democrat
State representative since 2023, for Corrales and parts of Rio Rancho and Northwest Albuquerque. Answered our questions on Oct. 19.
Answered our questions
Adam Prior
Republican
Local general contractor.
Where they differ
Housing
Differ
What they said
Cates: “The country and New Mexico has a shortage of affordable housing.” Her site says permits can also require that “60% of owners must occupy the home so units are not purchased by investors”. Prior would “reduce the gross receipts tax burden built into the cost of constructing attainable housing”.
Water
Same goal, different approach
What they said
Cates: “We must protect our water.” Prior would “increase reliable support for acequias, community ditches, and local water infrastructure”.
Crime
Same goal, different approach
Cates
Would work to fund more officers; credits police for a drop in violent crime
Source · Answers to the Ledger
Prior
Would target repeat violent offenders; focus fentanyl penalties on traffickers and expand treatment
What they said
Cates told the Ledger: “I believe that we need more officers and we will work on increasing funding to accomplish that.” Prior would “target repeat violent offenders while protecting constitutional due process” and “focus fentanyl penalties on traffickers and expand treatment and recovery capacity”. Asked about homelessness too, Cates didn’t address it.
Data centers
Same goal, different approach
What they said
Cates told the Ledger she and other legislators are working on legislation “that would prohibit data centers from creating any net loss of water and that would require them to pay for and provide their own electricity.” In the Albuquerque Journal’s candidate questionnaire, Prior said: “I oppose a blanket statewide moratorium but support enforceable water limits based on local supply.”
Only one has said
The PNM sale
Only Cates
Cates
Notes the PRC decides; if it approves, she'd want guarantees for ratepayers and the buyer paying for big infrastructure
Source · Answers to the Ledger
Prior
Hasn’t said — we asked
What they said
Cates said the Public Regulation Commission makes the call. If it approves the sale, she said she “would want to extract guarantees that ratepayers would be protected and that significant investments in infrastructure were made at the buyer’s cost.”
Flock cameras
Only Cates
Cates
Says no nongovernmental group should have access to drivers' personal information; is looking at legislation
Source · Answers to the Ledger
Prior
Hasn’t said — we asked
What they said
Asked about Flock and who can see its data, Cates said “a nongovernmental entity should not have access to drivers’ personal information.” She said, “We are looking at legislation to accomplish that.”
Campaign money
Only Cates
Cates
Says individuals are her largest group of contributors, at 37%; would step aside on a bill that would benefit her personally
Source · Answers to the Ledger
Prior
Hasn’t said — we asked
What they said
Cates didn’t name her largest donors. She said “My largest category of contributors is from individuals (37%)”, with companies, professionals and labor unions among the rest. She said: “If I saw a clear conflict, I would recuse myself from voting on legislation that would benefit me personally.”
What the job takes
Only Cates
Cates
Says the job runs well past the yearly session: interim committees, constituents and district events
Source · Answers to the Ledger
Prior
Hasn’t said — we asked
What they said
Asked what most voters don’t know about the office, Cates said: “One can make it a part-time job, but for me, it is more than a part-time job.”
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