Around the Roundhouse

• Sen. Leo Jaramillo gives the lowdown on his lowrider legislation and Española roots

  Sen. Leo Jaramillo has been in the New Mexico Legislature since 2021 and serves as vice chair of the Senate Rules Committee. He’s had a winding path through his professional career, starting as a TV news writer and producer before becoming a teacher and now a staff operations manager at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Jaramillo joins “Around the Roundhouse” to talk about his journey through life, including how being involved on cheer teams gave him a boost of confidence when he was younger and how a teacher helped inspire him to become involved in politics. He also discusses the current legislative session and the lowrider legislation he is sponsoring. In the second segment, host Daniel Chacón speaks with fellow reporter Margaret O’Hara about potential federal funding cuts and how they may affect Medicaid and school meals programs in New Mexico, and about what state lawmakers are doing to prepare for the potential impact.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• Stefani Lord and John Block speak on their radical reputations and Trump's first weeks back in power

  Stefani Lord and John Block are two of the most outspoken members of the state’s Republican House caucus and have developed quite a reputation in the Legislature. The two lawmakers, who share an office, join the latest episode of “Around the Roundhouse” to discuss their close friendship, how they get along with members of both parties, and whether they think their reputation is warranted. Lord, R-Sandia Park, and Block, R-Alamogordo, also discuss their thoughts on President Donald Trump’s first weeks back in office. Host Daniel J. Chacón gets their reactions to the federal funding cuts and freezes, as well as the recent layoffs to federal employees. He also asks about their level of concern with LGBTQ+ rights under the Trump administration. Getting back to New Mexico’s 60-day legislative session, Chacón asks Lord and Block about the Democrat-sponsored bills they dislike the most and about their favorite bills they’re sponsoring. They say that they support more bipartisan legislation than most people might think.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• A conversation with freshman Senator Angel Charley of Laguna Pueblo

  Angel Charley is a mother of three, an advocate, an organizer and the first Native American female to represent Senate District 30. The Democrat from Laguna Pueblo joins “Around the Roundhouse” to speak about her experience through the first 30 days of the 60-day legislative session as she balances her roles as a working mother and first-term senator. Charley provides an overview of the legislation she is sponsoring, including a bill to create a Turquoise Alert system to help locate missing Native Americans in New Mexico and a bill to establish criteria for comprehensive sex education for students from grades 8-12 across the state. The freshman senator talks about her support of fellow Laguna Pueblo member Deb Haaland, the former U.S. Interior Secretary and U.S. Congresswoman, in her run for governor of New Mexico. Charley also shares her thoughts on how the state government can help tribal nations amid potential federal funding cuts under the Trump administration. In the second segment, host Daniel Chacón shares highlights from Week 5 of the session, getting comments from legislators on how they’re feeling at the midway point and chatting with New Mexican reporter Margaret O'Hara about what's been going on with the latest proposal for paid family and medical leave.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• Deb Haaland discusses her decision to run for New Mexico governor

  Fresh off formally launching her campaign for New Mexico governor, Deb Haaland took time to speak with Santa Fe New Mexican politics reporter Daniel Chacón to share why she has decided to join the race. In the latest episode of “Around the Roundhouse,” the former congresswoman and U.S. interior secretary talks about how her lived experiences — including her financial struggles as a single mother — have shaped her politics and helped her relate with people across the state. Haaland, a Democrat who is a member of Laguna Pueblo, spoke about her priority of bringing down the cost of housing in New Mexico and talked about her upcoming tour around the state to speak to people about the challenges they face. She addressed Republicans’ criticisms of her being too progressive and shared her thoughts on Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s tenure. Haaland was also asked whether her position on drilling around Chaco Canyon has changed and about her position on President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• Rep. Reena Szczepanski on her push for representation and her path to leadership

  From an advocate, to a legislative staffer, to the majority floor leader of the state House of Representatives, Reena Szczepanski has experienced New Mexico politics from a variety of perspectives. The Santa Fe Democrat joins “Around the Roundhouse” to share her story about her path to leadership and her push for representation throughout her career. Szczepanski shares what it was like to work with former House Speaker Brian Egolf as his chief of staff and how her time as a staffer and advocate has helped her in her current role. She also discusses her biggest priorities for the 60-day legislative session, including improving affordability of everyday life for New Mexicans and working to improve health care access. The first Asian American to hold a leadership position in the New Mexico legislature, Szczepanski also talks about her role in the effort to bring more women and people of color into state government. She speaks with pride on her time as executive director of Emerge New Mexico, an organization that has worked to increase the number of Democratic women in public office.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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