What's next for our Campaign for Change

 
As we celebrate Father's Day here in our community, it's fitting to reach out and let you know what the next steps in our Campaign for Change will be -- and how much we need you to be a part of it.

So much of what needs to be done is about creating a better future for our families and children.

Our win in the primary means that the work we've set out to do is just beginning.   After Election Night, so many of you reached out to say how excited you are about the opportunity for change, and asked us not to forget our passionate commitment to bring the Democratic Party here in New Mexico back to the people again.

We won't forget.  In fact, we've already started. 

Yesterday morning, I took your message to the Democratic Party of Santa Fe's Unity Breakfast, where I made it clear that our goal -- first and always -- is to represent the people, to take your ideas to the floor of the legislature, and to restore the Democratic values of fairness, justice and inclusion to our party.

I won't forget.  And now I'm asking for your help to continue that work.

First and foremost, we need to repair the damage that was done by the involvement of uninvited and unwelcome corporate PAC money in the final days of the election.   

This PAC involvement meant that a lot of people in our community who don't yet support our campaign likely believe a lot of misinformation about who we are and what we stand for.  

We need your help to fix that, because we want and need the voices and ideas of everyone included in the discussion.    

So we're asking you to help in two ways:  

1.  Host a Listening Party.  If you have friends, neighbors and coworkers who aren't yet supporters of our Campaign for Change, please consider hosting a Listening Party so they can meet Carl in person.  It's easy to do -- just invite over a few friends and we'll take care of the rest.  For more information, email us at Campaign@CarlTrujillo.com

2.  Contribute financially.  We still need financial contributions through November's election to help us get the word out about our campaign, repair the damage done by corporate PACs, begin to connect with the community in advance of the legislative session, and to pay off our campaign debt.  We've always been supported by individual contributions, so every little bit helps. To contribute, click here.

Thank you, everyone!

Thank you everyone!  Come visit our 2012 Campaign for Change photo gallery here.

If you have photos from the campaign, you'd like to add, email them to us at campaign@CarlTrujillo.com and we'll be happy to upload them!

A good day for the People

As you may have heard by now, the totals are in and our Campaign for Change was successful.

I want to thank our many supporters, volunteers, our dedicated campaign staff and, of course, my family for their hard work and courage on what is certainly a very un-traditional campaign.  Our Campaign for Change was a team effort and I'm so proud of everyone who helped us reach out to the community.

I would also like to offer a thank you to my opponent, Santa Fe mayor David Coss, for his gracious phone call to me last night. I realize this campaign was a contentious one, and I am looking forward to finding a way forward with Mayor Coss and his supporters that is grounded in building bridges, not walls. 

I am humbled by the trust that the people have placed in me by voting for our Campaign for Change to represent our community in the legislature.  As a citizen candidate, my priority has always been to represent the people, and that singular mission will continue to be our focus.  

Our campaign will continue doing what we've done over the past two years -- we'll be working hard to reach as many of you as possible, knocking on doors, attending Listening Parties and reaching out to all the people of our community.   

This was a primary election, and of course, the general election is in November.  While it was appropriate for Democrats to choose their nominee (and inappropriate for corporate PACs of any party to get involved in this race), now that the selection has been made, it's equally appropriate and important for those individuals in our community who are not Democrats to have the opportunity to participate in selecting the person who will represent them in the legislature. 

     

That means we'll be reaching out to those of you who we haven't yet met with personally, including Democrats who voted for my opponent, as well as members of our community from all political parties, including the ones who are not in line with our campaign's positions.   

Together, we can all work together to bring the best of all of our ideas to the legislature.

Yours truly,

Carl Trujillo

Citizen Candidate

Democratic Party Nominee, State Representative District 46

Now's Our Time!

Today is Election Day.

Over the past two years, our Campaign for Change has worked hard to do everything we can to restore your voice to the legislature.  And we're going to work hard right up until the last minute today.

  

We need your help today to get us over that final mountain.

   

It's looking good for our campaign, but it's going to be close.  As close as last time.  Maybe closer.

     

In 2010, we came within 70 votes of winning.  And afterwards, we heard from at least 70 people, "If I'd known it was going to be that close, I would have voted."

Let's make sure this time is different! 

Here's what you can do to put our Campaign for Change over the top today:

 

1.  Vote. 

This is one election in which every vote really will make a difference.  Don't risk being one of those "if only I would voted" folks. Seriously.  :-)

The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.  To find out where your polling place is, click here:  https://voterview.state.nm.us/   

If you need a ride to the polls, please call us at 699-0239 or 699-7372 and we'll be happy to drive you to your polling place (and home again). 

  

2.   Get your friends and family to vote.    

See above about how every vote matters!

3.  Help us make phone calls.  

If you have even an hour of extra time today, come on down to our Get Out the Vote headquarters and help us make easy, fun "get out the vote" phone calls.  We'll have good food, great company and a lot of fun.  For directions, call Jordan (699-0239) or Kevin (699-7372).

4.   Join us for our Election Night Party at Carl's home.   

Everyone is welcome!  For directions, call Jordan or Kevin (#'s above).     

With your help, working together, today can be the day we finally restore the people's voice to our government.    

  

Now's our time!  

****

   

A Personal Message from Carl Trujillo: 

  

Over the last two years I've been blessed with the opportunity to visit with so many of you in your homes and businesses, at Neighborhood Listening Parties, at community events.  I've been honored by the trust you've placed in me in sharing your thoughts, your concerns, your ideas -- and with your help, I will take those ideas to the floor of the legislature and fight for our shared values and priorities.    

I'm especially proud that we've run an ethical and honest campaign that put the people of our community first.  We've heard from so many of you that you're proud of that, too -- and it's my hope that our Campaign for Change will be able to show good people -- especially our kids -- that it's possible to be involved in our political process in a way that's healthy, respectful and inclusive. 

  

I would like to thank everyone who has been a part of our campaign -- my family, our staff, our volunteers, and most of all, all of you.  It is because of your enthusiasm for a different kind of government that represents the people over career politicians that we've come so very far.   

Whether you put a sign in your yard, came to a Listening Party, made phone calls, or talked about our Campaign for Change with your friends and family, I'd like to offer my most sincere and humble appreciation and gratitude. 

  

Thank you to all of you.  Now let's head for the polls and put our Campaign for Change over the top!   

Yours truly,

Carl Trujillo

Citizen Candidate

Additional Statement RE: Reform New Mexico

FROM: Carl Trujillo’s Campaign for Change
DATE:  Monday, June 4, 2012
RE: Reform New Mexico

We are an inclusive, citizens campaign built on listening to the ideas of the community and that means that we welcome input from all people, including legitimate community/cause groups dedicated to making our community better -- even when those community/cause groups have different opinions from our own.

What we don’t welcome is the interference of corporate & political front groups like Reform New Mexico seeking to influence the outcome of an election, whether those groups are Republican, Democrat or some other affiliation.  

If we want a government that’s of, for and by the people, then it needs to be the people’s voice shaping our dialogue.

So to be clear, myself as an individual and our campaign have no affiliation what so ever with Reform New Mexico or any other corporate or political front group, nor do we welcome nor seek the support of such groups.  Furthermore, while I am a citizen candidate, I and our campaign have strong views on vital issues -- positions that are in strong opposition to those expressed by Reform New Mexico, particularly when it comes to reforming our educational system and protecting our environment.  I am a passionate supporter of environmental protection and alternative, green energy, and unequivocally do not stand with the big oil and gas lobbyists who support Susana Martinez.  I do not share their political agenda nor their point of view.

Further, I as a candidate am strongly opposed to such corporate front groups being able to influence our election, which is why I’m an active member of Money Outta Politics, a grassroots Santa Fe community activist group seeking to overturn Citizens United, limit the corporate and “soft money” influence in our politics, and return our government to the people.

Mr. Coss, Mr. Egolf and I have significant differences in this primary campaign, but we stand together in opposing the agenda of Reform New Mexico and on calling on Reform New Mexico and other corporate and political front groups to stop interfering with the election so that the people’s voice can be heard.

Yours truly,
Carl Trujillo
505-699-7717
www.CarlTrujillo.com
campaign@CarlTrujillo.com

Statement re: Reform NM & Other Soft Money Groups

One of the greatest things about this campaign has been the outpouring of support from the people of our community who are committed to working for a better future.

But sometimes we get support from organizations who may have agendas that are likely to be at odds with our interests. And sometimes they may do things on their own, without our knowledge or our consent -- whether it's putting up a sign, sending out emails, making a financial contribution or something bigger.

This week, we had a few interesting examples. Organizations that have independently done things without any involvement from us. For example, two organizations sent out mailers that were negative to our opponent. We had nothing to do with them, but there’s nothing we can do to stop them.

Unfortunately, the opposition has been using slimy tactics to insinuate that we are somehow connected to these organizations and that’s proof that we have some kind of secret evil agenda. Our agenda is not secret; it is clear. There is only one interest that I seek to serve, and that is the very special interests of the people in the community that I grew up in, that my family has lived in and raised our children in for 400 years-- the people of District 46.

Some may ask why organizations like Reform New Mexico or the Business Alliance want to support our campaign in opposition to the entrenched machine candidate David Coss. They sent out their mailers without our involvement or approval, and we don’t know their reasons.

Perhaps they have their own genuine, legitimate concerns about Mr. Coss, because while David Coss and I, as fellow Democrats, may not be that far apart in our specific stands on specific issues, we seem to have very different views about the political process when it comes to fairness, openness and transparency. 

For example, I’m on the record for being willing to listen and include everyone in the dialogue, whether we agree with them or not, and my belief that if we're going to get government unstuck, we're going to have to start talking with and listening to each other. Yes, even across the political divide, perhaps especially where we have strong differences. 

This does not mean that I don’t have strong views on vital issues which are often in opposition to these big special interests-- especially when it comes to issues like protecting our environment, helping our families survive and prosper free from the ravages of substance abuse, violence and unemployment, providing better education for our children so they can have a better future, and helping local business to succeed in this difficult economy.

So, while we can't stop organizations from doing certain things like sending out mailers, we can and do return checks from special interests that aren’t in line with the priorities of our community. Because there's only one special interest that I'm looking to serve and that's the people of the 46th District of New Mexico.

Yours Truly,

Carl Trujillo

I'm supporting Carl Trujillo because...

Our Campaign for Change is different than most political campaigns -- since day one, listening to and representing our communities has been priority number one and we're proud to say that days before the election, we’re harder at work than ever engaging with community members to hear your thoughts, priorities and ideas. We've had a policy throughout the campaign not to actively seek endorsements from groups, organizations, political leaders, etc., so that we could spend that time instead out in the community.

That's why today, we're proud to announce these two very special citizen endorsements from two active community advocates in Santa Fe. Both Rick Lass and Paul White have dedicated themselves to bettering our communities for our families and neighbors, and we're proud to call them supporters of our Campaign for Change.

Rick Lass: We need a fresh voice to Represent our communities...

I am supporting Carl Trujillo because I am tired of politics as usual at the Roundhouse. Carl will bring fresh ideas and new energy to our legislature which is in desperate need of leaders who will promote quality education, good paying jobs, and green energy. A vote for Carl Trujillo is a vote for meaningful, positive change in Santa Fe and New Mexico.

Rick Lass

Paul White: Carl Trujillo is a Citizen Candidate...


Politicians these days seem more concerned with playing petty political games and advancing their own personal and political agendas than about listening to the people. Some career politicians put on a decent act during election season, but tune out the voices of the communities that they are supposed to be representing as soon as they get to the Roundhouse. Our communities can’t afford to elect another career politician that has become detached from the very communities they are supposed to be representing.

I’ve been an active member of the Santa Fe community for quite some time now. And although I don't speak as a representative of the many community organizations and County committees that I'm a member of I know that they support the kind of openness and transparency that Carl would bring to us as our representative.

I can tell the difference between a career politician going through the motions and someone who is passionate and cares about the issues that our communities face.

Carl Trujillo is of the latter group. Carl believes in the concept of a citizen-legislator—he knows that his job is to listen to our communities and after that, be their voice and representation in the state legislature. Carl knows how to research issues and will make informed decisions on our behalf.

From multiple interactions I’ve had with Carl at community meetings--of those that I am a member of and many others that I’ve attended--I know that Carl actually cares about the problems facing our communities and will put listening to our communities voices and solving those problems as his number one and only priority.

It's time for a change, the status quo is not working and we need representation that will listen to our hard-working communities. Carl Trujillo is the man for the job and that is why he has my full support.

Paul White
Community Activist