By Roger Rael | The Raton Range
RATON, N.M. — New Mexico gubernatorial candidate Gregg Hull says his priorities include reforming the state’s child welfare system, strengthening rural public safety, and developing economic opportunities tailored to the needs of individual communities.
In an interview Saturday morning with The Raton Range, Hull discussed his approach to economic development, tourism, the New Mexico Corrections Department, rural law enforcement, and state funding, emphasizing the need for closer cooperation between state and local governments.
Hull, drawing on his experience as former mayor of Rio Rancho, said northeastern New Mexico needs an economic development strategy that reflects the region’s individual needs rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
“There’s a big drive for economic development, for jobs, for opportunity,” Hull said.
He said the state should work with local governments and residents to identify the industries they want to attract, including manufacturing, retail and professional or back-office operations.
Hull also identified access to health care and the recruitment of medical professionals as important considerations when communities seek to attract new businesses.
Tourism and economic opportunity
Hull said northeastern New Mexico’s landscape and outdoor recreation opportunities could play a larger role in attracting visitors and supporting local economies.
He called for more targeted marketing of the state, with campaigns that highlight the distinct characteristics of individual regions.
Raton and the surrounding area offer opportunities to promote ecotourism and outdoor recreation, Hull said, adding that New Mexico’s geographic and cultural diversity could encourage visitors to return for multiple trips.
He said tourism promotion should communicate what makes each part of the state different rather than treating New Mexico as a single destination.
Corrections and Public Safety
Asked whether his administration would pursue an overhaul of the New Mexico Corrections Department, Hull said changes to the correctional system would be part of a broader public safety effort.
He identified staffing, resources, and rehabilitation programs as areas requiring attention.
“It’s not only, you know, arresting criminals and getting them off the street,” Hull said. He added that the state must also work to rehabilitate incarcerated people where possible.
Hull did not outline a specific restructuring plan for the department but said effective corrections require appropriate staffing, resources and programs.
On rural law enforcement, Hull said state officials should work directly with municipal governments, sheriffs and county commissioners to identify staffing shortages, resource gaps and response-time challenges.
He cited the distances and mountainous terrain in northern New Mexico as factors that can complicate emergency response.
Hull said state capital outlay funding should be directed toward identified community needs, with state officials remaining involved to help ensure projects are implemented.
He argued that allocating money alone does not guarantee results, particularly in communities that lack the personnel or administrative capacity to carry projects through.
Rural infrastructure and state funding
Hull said state funding for northeastern New Mexico should be guided by local needs, strategic planning and the effective use of available resources.
He pointed to water and wastewater treatment facilities as examples of infrastructure requiring investment in communities across New Mexico.
Rather than measuring fairness solely by how much money each community receives, Hull said the state should focus on whether funding produces completed projects and functioning public services.
He said state government must establish stronger partnerships with local communities to ensure allocated funds translate into tangible improvements.
CYFD Will Be First Priority
When asked what measurable change residents of Colfax County could expect during his first 100 days in office, New Mexico gubernatorial candidate Gregg Hull identified the Children, Youth and Families Department as his top priority, pointing to concerns about child safety and conditions for children in state care.
Hull said his first 100 days would focus on systemic improvements to the agency rather than a single county-specific initiative.
“Children are losing their lives, and children are living in extremely substandard conditions, and that has to stop,” Hull said.
His answer placed child welfare at the center of his proposed opening agenda, but he did not identify specific benchmarks, deadlines, or policy changes he would implement during his first 100 days.
He also did not specify how his administration would measure progress, report results to the public, or hold the agency’s leadership accountable for failing to meet its goals.
For residents looking for measurable commitments, those details remain unanswered. Making CYFD a priority establishes a direction, but the effectiveness of any proposed reforms will depend on the actions taken, the results achieved, and whether the public can track that progress.
Hull’s proposed focus on CYFD would affect communities statewide, including Colfax County. The next test would be whether his administration could translate that stated priority into specific reforms and publicly documented results during its first 100 days.
The final question: Red or green?
The interview ended with a question familiar to New Mexicans: red chile or green chile?
Hull chose green.
As he spoke with The Raton Range, Hull said he was in his kitchen looking through his freezer for green chile before making breakfast.
“I can’t make breakfast without my green chile,” Hull said.
For a state where chile preferences can be nearly as important as political preferences, Hull made his position clear.
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