Hundreds of New Mexico Democrats gathered at Balloon Fiesta Park in Albuquerque for a traditional pig roast that doubled as a presidential cattle call, as Sen. Ben Ray Luján used the state’s inaugural Fourth in the Nation Matanza Rally to introduce potential 2028 White House hopefuls to New Mexico voters. Sens. Mark Kelly of Arizona and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland both showed up, alongside Kelly’s wife, former Rep. Gabby Giffords, as the state works to lock in its spot as the fourth contest on the Democratic primary calendar.
The rally, held on Saturday, was hosted by Luján and designed to introduce the 2028 crop to the state, according to Politico. The matanza itself is a traditional New Mexican pig roast turned political gathering, as Punchbowl News described it, and Luján appears to be positioning himself as a key power broker in the state’s presidential primary. New Mexico’s nearly entire congressional delegation turned out, and Democratic gubernatorial nominee Deb Haaland attended as well, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican.
Barbecue With a Political Backstory
Herman Garcia, who grew up with the Valencia County matanza tradition, served carnitas, chicharrones and carne asada at the rally, per the Santa Fe New Mexican’s reporting. Garcia has previously brought matanzas to Washington, D.C., at Luján’s request, though he’s also noted that food safety inspectors and environmental groups object to the practice of butchering pigs on-site at these events.
New Mexico’s Bid for Early-Primary Status
New Mexico would hold the fourth Democratic presidential primary on February 15, 2028, following South Carolina, Nevada and New Hampshire, per KOAT’s reporting. The Democratic National Committee’s Rules and Bylaws Committee has selected New Mexico as that fourth state, though the designation still requires approval by the full DNC, according to a statement from New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s office. Moving the state’s primary earlier would also require approval by the New Mexico Legislature during its 2027 60-day session, the Albuquerque Journal reported.
Lujan Grisham, the outgoing governor, touted the state’s record on affordability, saying New Mexico had delivered free universal child care and tuition-free college, according to her office’s statement. She said candidates who want to be taken seriously on immigration and the border will have to come to New Mexico and earn it, and that New Mexico voters will ultimately decide who belongs in the White House. The Lujan Grisham administration has also moved to backstop federal cuts to food assistance and Medicaid, per the Santa Fe New Mexican.
Kelly and Van Hollen Test the Waters
Neither Kelly nor Van Hollen has formally announced a presidential bid, but both have expressed interest in the 2028 Democratic nomination. Kelly told reporters this week that he hasn’t made a decision, according to the Nevada Independent, while Van Hollen has admitted he’s testing the waters for a run, per Politico’s Playbook. Democratic strategist Steve Jarding told The Hill that Kelly’s travels easily put him in the top five of potential 2028 contenders…