SPECIAL REPORT: NM SECRETARY OF STATE CANDIDATE PLEDGES TO PROTECT ABORTION-BUT IS THAT THE JOB?

AFNM says Planned Parenthood’s mailers redefine the Secretary of State race around abortion instead of the office’s core election administration responsibilities.

By Bud Shaver,

​ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Abortion Free New Mexico (AFNM) is extremely concerned about recently distributed Planned Parenthood Votes New Mexico Independent Expenditure Committee mailers supporting Secretary of State candidate Amanda López Askin.  The mailers raise significant questions about the office of the Secretary of State and about the agenda she is planning to support and promote if elected.

PLANNED PARENTHOOD MAILER'S

Mailers obtained by Abortion Free New Mexico

Rather than focusing primarily on election administration, campaign finance transparency, business services, or the constitutional responsibilities of the Secretary of State, the mailers emphasize abortion and national partisan politics—even though the Secretary of State has no authority to enact abortion laws or regulate abortion providers. ​​

One of the mailers also prominently features a public endorsement from current Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver, raising broader questions about ethics, impartiality, and professional conduct. 

AFNM is asking whether the use of the sitting Secretary of State’s endorsement constitutes a reportable in-kind contribution or other support under New Mexico campaign finance law, and whether such participation is consistent with the neutrality expected of New Mexico’s chief elections official.

Separately, Tara Shaver, a leader with Abortion Free New Mexico, recently filed an ethics complaint alleging Amanda López Askin failed to disclose approximately $2,291.44 in Planned Parenthood-funded in-kind support as required under New Mexico campaign finance law. According to AFNM, the complaint raises additional questions about transparency in a race for the very office responsible for overseeing campaign finance reporting and administering New Mexico’s elections.

AFNM notes that these concerns also influenced its decision to file the campaign finance complaint with the New Mexico Ethics Commission rather than the Secretary of State’s Office. Given the Secretary of State’s public endorsement of Amanda López Askin, AFNM sought review by an independent body.

New Mexicans deserve confidence that campaign finance laws are enforced impartially, regardless of political affiliation or public endorsements,” said Tara Shaver. “When the office responsible for administering elections publicly endorses a candidate seeking to succeed the current officeholder, questions about impartiality are inevitable. That’s why we asked an independent body to review our complaint.”

• FULL REPORT: FOLLOW THE MONEY: AFNM EXPOSES PLANNED PARENTHOOD'S $1.08 MILLION POLITICAL MACHINE IN NEW MEXICO​

Beyond campaign finance records, AFNM’s investigation examines voter participation and political engagement in New Mexico, arguing that election outcomes are often determined by relatively low voter turnout combined with substantial spending by well-funded political organizations.

A Broader Look at Political Influence

According to a previous article by AFNM, New Mexico had approximately 574,000 registered Democrats, 444,000 registered Republicans, and 390,000 Declined-to-State (DTS) voters during the 2026 election cycle. Primary turnout remained relatively low, with approximately 30% of Democrats, 21% of Republicans, and 9.5% of Declined-to-State votersparticipating. Among DTS voters who cast ballots, approximately three out of four participated in the Democratic primary.

AFNM argues these figures illustrate how a relatively small percentage of voters—combined with significant independent political expenditures—can have a substantial impact on election outcomes.

New Mexicans are repeatedly told these policies reflect ‘the will of the people,’ but the numbers tell a more complicated story,” said Tara Shaver, leader with Abortion Free New Mexico.

“When only a fraction of voters participate in primary elections, powerful organizations spend more than $1 million influencing who gets elected, and ethics complaints raise questions about undisclosed political support, we should honestly ask: Who is really steering New Mexico’s future? Is it the people—or the special interests financing the political machine?”

Referencing Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham's recent “Pink is Power” slogan, Shaver concluded with a challenge to New Mexicans.

"If ‘Pink is Power,’ New Mexicans should ask what that power represents—and who benefits from it,” Shaver said. “Political power belongs to the people—not to well-funded special interests. We believe New Mexico’s future should be shaped by informed citizens exercising their constitutional right to vote, not by organizations with the deepest pockets or the greatest political influence. The people are the power.”

AFNM encourages New Mexicans to review campaign finance reports, independent expenditure filings, election turnout data, ethics records, and campaign messaging for themselves. An informed electorate is essential to transparent government, accountable public officials, and public confidence in New Mexico’s elections.

​This report comes as Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has repeatedly promoted the slogan “Pink is Power” while celebrating New Mexico’s abortion policies. AFNM says the slogan raises a broader question: Who actually holds political power in New Mexico—the people, or the special interests financing political campaigns?

AFNM recently documented that Planned Parenthood-affiliated political committees spent more than $1 million influencing New Mexico’s 2024 elections, helping elect candidates who continue advancing one of the nation’s most expansive abortion agendas. ​

For supporting documentation, investigative reports, campaign finance analysis, and ethics filings, visit AbortionFreeNM.com.

Disclosure:  This report was independently produced by Abortion Free New Mexico and was not funded or commissioned by any candidate, campaign, political party, or political committee. Campaign mailers are reproduced solely for news reporting, commentary, and public-interest analysis.

RELATED REPORTS: ​

• FOLLOW THE MONEY: AFNM EXPOSES PLANNED PARENTHOOD'S $1.08 MILLION POLITICAL MACHINE IN NEW MEXICO
• PINK IS POWER? GOVERNOR RESPONDS TO SCRUTINY WITH NEW “MORE THAN 11,500” CLAIM AS TRANSPARENCY QUESTIONS GROW
• MEDIA SILENCE: MAJOR NEW MEXICO NEWS OUTLETS IGNORE DOCUMENTED ABORTION INDUSTRY INVESTIGATIONS​
• AFTER DECADES OF POLITICAL CONTROL, NEW MEXICO IS STILL WAITING FOR RESULTS