Hi Friends,

For over a decade, I’ve had the honor of hosting the Local Flavor radio show on KURU and last year, I brought back the Serenata Mexicana show, started by the great Bill Acosta in 1968. For decades, I have emceed community events, hosted fundraisers for local nonprofits, and coached youth sports. I’m a veteran with 45 years experience working at the Assessor’s office. I've always said that in our corner of New Mexico, we are all familia—and basically, I’ll do anything I can to help la gente of New Mexico. That’s just how I was raised. My dad and grandfather were both proud union members at the Chino Mine. Raised on 13th and Durango in Silver City, we were dirt poor. But my parents taught us that helping others was the most important thing you could do, regardless of what you had in your pocket. My parents already had five kids in our little three-room house but they still adopted two family members who had just lost their father. That’s just what you do for your neighbors. 

I served two stations of active duty in the United States Navy on the USS Howard W. Gilmore AS-16 and the USS Dixon AS-37, both submarine tenders. I joined the Grant County Assessor’s office in 1981 and was elected as Grant County Assessor in 1999, serving four terms there. I now serve as Chief Deputy in the Assessor’s Office, helping residents and seniors navigate their property taxes and protecting their hard-earned dollars.

My life has also been shaped by unimaginable heartbreak. In 2013, my son, Raul III, was shot in the back of the head and stuffed into a trunk. The woman who took his life got off with manslaughter, serving only 4 years in prison. Having to swallow that kind of injustice changes a person. I don’t talk about it much, but it’s his memory that drives my love for our community and that gives me the ganas to keep trying to make things better for everyone. 

After Raul III was killed, he was buried right here in Silver City, at the same place we all go to bury our loved ones – the funeral home owned by my opponent. Because like I've always said, New Mexico is a small town, and that’s the kind of close-knit community we live in.

But right now, our community is hurting and the people we elected to protect us are turning their backs.

Recently, my wife Billie got sick and we were forced to travel to Arizona to find a specialist who could actually treat her. Hours in the car, to and from the doctor, worried about how we were going to afford to keep this up. Knowing that we had no other option.

And I’m not alone. So many people in our community are struggling with where to find medical care. People have tons of debt, can’t afford health insurance, and then get hit with huge bills for prescription drugs. It’s crazy.  But here’s the thing - it doesn’t have to be that way.  

That’s why I’m running for State Representative. 

I really hope you’ll join me. We have a campaign to run! ¡Cuento contigo!

You can always reach me at campaign@raulturriettafornm.com.

I hope to earn your vote,

Raul