A funny thing happened in the Nov. 7 election. Turns out voters don’t like having their rights taken away or determined by others.
In Kentucky, Ohio, and Virginia there was an all-out effort to ban women’s right to make their own healthcare decisions. These efforts were soundly defeated.
But as importantly, school board elections across the country rejected book banning and disinformation about healthcare resources in schools. Moms for Liberty (M4L), formed in 2021, got shellacked. They lost elections across the country.
This didn’t just happen in places termed “blue states.” It happened in the conservative Midwest: Iowa and Ohio. In the Rust Belt: Pennsylvania. In New Jersey and in Virginia (where the daughter of the late Supreme Court Justice Anthony Scalia was defeated 60-40). And it happened in the Southwest: New Mexico.
Republicans, when making excuses for the results, blame it on low voter turnout. But data show their agenda of banning books and anti-LGBTQ efforts generated opposition among voters.
In New Mexico there were four candidates backed by Moms for Liberty. One in Santa Fe, one in Las Cruces, and two in Albuquerque. One of the Albuquerque candidates, Peggy Muller-Aragon, was a two-term incumbent on the APS School Board, running for reelection. The Santa Fe candidate, Julia Vigil Stockton, is a great grandmother. It’s uncertain if she has grandkids or great grandkids attending Santa Fe schools. Julia Ruiz ran against the incumbent president of the Las Cruces School Board, and Steve Cecco ran in Albuquerque. Both were “parental rights’ candidates recruited and aligned with M4L.
All four candidates lost.
From the beginning, M4L has been a Republican, right-wing organization. Across the country their members have earned a reputation for disruptive and sometimes illegal behavior, including harassing members of school boards. In Florida, M4L members faced allegations of vandalism. In Arkansas police have investigated death threats to librarians made by the president of the local chapter.
To be fair, we have not seen allegations of violence or threats from M4L candidates in New Mexico. But what we do know is that as Moms for Liberty candidates they run under the banner of “parental rights.” This includes efforts to ban books in school libraries, public libraries and interfering in services provided in school-based healthcare centers.
As reported recently by Searchlight New Mexico (searchlightnm.org), twice-defeated Republican candidate (in 2020 and 2022) Mark Ronchetti, has been part of spreading disinformation about school-based health centers. Ronchetti and his wife Kristy, on their podcast, incorrectly state that kids as young as five can get gender-affirming care without parents’ notification. To be blunt, this is a lie.
School-based healthcare centers generally provide help with falls and scrapes, twisted ankles, fevers, and colds, calling parents when kids need to go home. They can, in some cases, be the first line of defense when kids are abused or need mental health resources.
Moms for Liberty are not about liberty. They make lots of noise and work to put restrictions on what kids read and what teachers can teach. Rather than using the processes in place to challenge books they air grievances in school board meetings.
To limit resources for kids, they spread misinformation about school-based health centers and gender care.
Last week, voters across the country and New Mexico said, “No thank you.” Their candidates were defeated. Voters rejected the platform of disinformation and grievances. They voted for candidates who campaigned for community input and transparency, schools that are safe for learning, safe for teaching, and inclusive.
‘Tis the season to be thankful. Thanks to voters for saying no thank you to Moms for Liberty.