The next governor inherits the investments

New Mexico has made historic investments in children. But investments are promises, not outcomes — and the next governor will inherit both.

New Mexico has taken a bold approach to investing in children and families. The state now provides free school meals to every public school student, has expanded Medicaid, made childcare available without income limits, increased funding for public education, and used its extraordinary public resources to help protect families from rising costs.

Those achievements matter. But passing a policy and funding a program is only the beginning. For a child, governance is not a budget line or a political talking point. It is a hot meal when they are hungry. A doctor when they are sick. A classroom where they can learn and belong. A childcare provider their family can actually access. A safe and stable home when they are in state custody.