My Twenty Years in the Political Process
Time to let the next generation have the fun
The 2024 State Central Committee
Republican Party of New Mexico
5150 San Francisco Rd. NE, Suite A
Albuquerque, NM 87109
Subject: State Central Committee Convention 12.07.2024
Reference: Election of Officers
Good afternoon:
First, thank you all for your hard work and dedication to the Republican Party of New Mexico and your efforts to turn our state red. Second, despite all your hard work, we went from holding the Second Congressional District, Governor’s, Secretary of State’s, and Land Commissioner’s offices and a majority in the House in 2018, 2022, and 2024 to be completely shut out of Congress and the NM Executive Branch and relegated to minority party status in the legislature.
The future chair of the RPNM delivered her two-minute speech first, promising to raise more money, register more Republicans, and recruit more and better candidates (which I assume was like the last four years of Pearce’s speeches). Before delivering my two-minute remarks, I looked across the room and saw well-experienced Republicans ready to mentor but no one to mentor. I saw many descendants of immigrants from the eastern US and few others.[1] I saw many of Steve Pearce's friends but none of Suzanna Martinez’s. After voting, no one looked excited about the 2026 election, and many were ready to leave (I left before the votes were tallied, knowing Pearce’s candidate won). But it does not have to be this way.
If Donald Trump found a way, we can find a way. In 2016, Trump would have won New Mexico if Johnson had not been in the race. When the Trump campaign team was with RPNM in 2020, he lost 100,000 votes. In 2024, the Trump Campaign did not campaign in New Mexico and outperformed the RPNM candidates, losing by 50,000 votes while he was having fun. How did he do it?[2] He started with the basics.
The National Republican Party Preamble:
BE IT RESOLVED, That the Republican Party is the party of the open door. Ours is the party of liberty, the party of equality, of opportunity for all, and favoritism for none.
It is the intent and purpose of these rules to encourage and allow the broadest possible participation of all voters in Republican Party activities at all levels and to assure that the Republican Party is open and accessible to all Americans.
Mick Rich’s Speech to the 12/7/2024 Republican State Convention
New Mexico is blessed with a temperate climate, blue skies, vast open spaces, beautiful landscapes, rich culture, the nation’s largest oil and gas reserves, and one of the few states without natural disasters. Yet, WalletHub lists New Mexico at the bottom of the states.
How can we rank at the bottom for so long? It can only result from the Democrats in Santa Fe and the Republican Party Leadership not taking all steps to win. Choosing Mick Rich as the next Chairman is the first step to the top. The following steps are simple but challenging.
1) Steve Pearce, Suzana Martinez, and all Republicans must unite to defeat the Santa Fe Democrats. 2) Like Donald Trump, we will welcome the Hard-Working People into the Republican Party. Whether you are Young or Old, Protestant or Catholic, Native American or Not, you have a home in the Republican Party. 3) We will do what it takes to put Republicans in office and Democrats out on the street.
I appreciate the opportunities I was afforded when I came to New Mexico forty-five years ago. I have worked hard over the past forty-five years to make our state a better place for the People of New Mexico. First, I worked with my construction company, building communities in New Mexico. Second, as a politically active member of Associated Builders & Contractors member, lobbying our state legislators and federal delegation, fundraising, and serving on state commissions. Third, as the Republican US Senate candidate (Bannon referred to me as the most Trumpian Republican running for Senate) to replace the ineffective and vulnerable Senator Heinrich. Fourth, as the host of To the Point with Mick Rich, to inform the public and press about the challenges facing our state and the failures of the Democrat elected officials. Fifth, as a candidate for the Chair of the RPNM in 2024. This finishes my efforts to turn New Mexico around.
It has been a good forty-five years of raising our children, making good friends, and building great projects here in New Mexico.
It is time to move on to the next great adventure. Although my radio program will end this December, I will continue to write articles on the challenges facing our state and Nation.
I was surprised to discover that I was the only member of the press to attend this year's State Convention. You will be surprised what I heard and saw.
Sign up for my articles at
Thank you, Mick Rich
President, Mick Rich Contractors
2018 NM Republican Candidate for US Senate
Host To the Point with Mick Rich, Print, Radio, and Television
[1] Generally, the people of New Mexico fall into three groups. One group immigrated from the east to eastern New Mexico. The second group immigrated up from Mexico following the Rio Grande into New Mexico. The third group is the Native Americans, comprised of members of the Pueblos located from the Rio Grande Valley west. Members of the Navajo Nation are located in northwest New Mexico. The members of the Apache tribes were settled in northcentral and mid-central New Mexico.
[2] The Trump campaign passed over New Mexico except for a few hours for a rally days before the election.
Your voice shall be missed my friend. I can only hope that some others might have the courage you do.