About Us

Our Mission

To increase the number of Democratic women and non-binary leaders from diverse backgrounds in public office through recruitment, training, and providing a powerful network.

Our Vision 

To change the face of power, politics, and leadership in this country in order to have policies that are responsive to all Americans.

Emerge New Mexico is changing the face of New Mexico politics by identifying, training, and encouraging women and non-binary individuals to run for office, get elected, and to seek higher office. Our intensive, cohort-based seven-month training program is unique. As the number of elected Democratic women remains flat or even declines, the need for our work is growing. A pool of highly qualified Democratic candidates is being left untapped. Too often, women do not see themselves running for office—they assume they aren’t experienced enough or they don’t know where to begin.  Emerge New Mexico is changing it!

• Over 400 women and non-binary individuals trained to run for office since 2006;
• Over 60% of our alum are women/non-binary individuals of color;
• More than 100 alums currently serving in public office across New Mexico including:
  • Secretary of Interior Debra Haaland
  • Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury
  • 2 of 5 NM Supreme Court Justices
  • 7 of 10 NM Court of Appeals judges
  • 20 NM State House Representatives
  • 5 NM State Senators;
• 90% win rate in the 2024 General Election; 93% in 2023; 97% win rate 2022
• Ranked 2nd in the U.S., with Democratic women legislators holding 46 of the 60 seats held by women in the NM Legislature

Emerge New Mexico is a state affiliate of Emerge, which has trained more than 4,000 women and non-binary individuals to run for office since 2002. Emerge alum across the country have won more than 1,000 elections to date and hold office at every level of government. There are currently Emerge affiliates in 27 states — Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado,  Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin with plans to expand to more soon. Women and non-binary individuals who graduate from Emerge New Mexico’s training program are plugged into both the state network of Emerge New Mexico alum, as well as the national network of Emerge alum across the country.

Emerge New Mexico has no issue-based litmus test for candidates. Our mission is clear: to recruit, train, and support Democratic women and non-binary individuals who want to run for office.

Emerge New Mexico is committed to a statewide strategy. We recruit and train women and non-binary individuals from across the state who want to run for any level of political office. We are building the bench of well-trained candidates who will run for office for years to come.

Why Women?

• Studies have shown women in elected office overwhelmingly support and push forward democratic principles like equality and fairness.
• When women hold public office they are more actively involved in a variety of gender-salient issue areas, including healthcare, the economy, education, and the environment.
• Women legislators are more responsive to constituents, value cooperation over hierarchical power, and find ways to engineer solutions in situations where men have trouble finding common ground.
• New Mexico has a long history of women in politics, particularly women of color, starting with the election of Soledad Chávez Chacón as Secretary of State in 1922, just ten years after New Mexico became a state.