Steve Pearce’s controversial decision to name Debbie Weh-Maestas as a presidential elector has reignited criticism over the party’s commitment to democratic principles.
New Mexico Democrats Condemn GOP’s Reappointment of Fake Elector Debbie Weh-Maestas
The Republican Party of New Mexico is facing intense backlash after party chair Steve Pearce once again selected Debbie Weh-Maestas—one of the state’s infamous 2020 fake electors—as a presidential elector for the 2024 election. Weh-Maestas, who previously attempted to assign New Mexico’s five electoral votes to Donald Trump despite his loss in the state by nearly 100,000 votes, has been a controversial figure due to her role in the false electoral certificate scheme investigated by the January 6th Committee.
The move has prompted outrage from the Democratic Party of New Mexico (DPNM), with Chair Jessica Velasquez calling on Republican leaders and candidates like Yvette Herrell and Nella Domenici to disavow Pearce’s decision and publicly commit to respecting the results of the upcoming election. Velasquez accused Pearce and the state GOP of attempting to undermine democratic processes, stating, “The MAGA-infested GOP then tried to undermine a free and fair election and violently overthrow our democracy for the first time in modern American history. Now, Steve Pearce and the MAGA GOP have doubled down on attacking our democracy.”