Politics

GOP Challenger Overtakes Dem Governor In Final Stretch: POLL

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Republican New Mexico gubernatorial candidate Mark Ronchetti has overtaken incumbent Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham in the final weeks of the midterms, according to a new poll.

Of 1,077 likely voters polled, 47% said they support Ronchetti, compared to 46% who said they will support Lujan Grisham, according to a poll from The Trafalgar Group. The poll marks a change from the recent trend in New Mexico, in which Lujan Grisham had been holding a steady, if small, lead over Ronchetti over the past month.

During Grisham’s term as governor, New Mexico’s crime has surged leaving the state with the second highest crime rate and 13th-highest homicide mortality rate nationwide in 2020, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data showed. Earlier in October, Lujan Grisham asked Attorney General Merrick Garland to send more FBI agents to New Mexico to bring down the crime rate.

Ronchetti is running against Grisham’s crime policies and vows to take criminals off the streets, place more officers in neighborhoods while promoting a “safer, healthier and more prosperous New Mexico,” according to his website. The GOP candidate plans to end catch and release, fight for tougher laws, target illegal drugs, secure the border and fund the police.

New poll shows @MarkRonchettiNM takes the lead in governor’s race. #nmpol https://t.co/fmXckQmjXs

— Republican Party of New Mexico (@NewMexicoGOP) October 25, 2022

Crime, homelessness, and immigration have become key issues for the 2022 midterms as Republicans continue to gain in the polls nationwide.

The poll was conducted from Oct. 19 to Oct. 21 with a margin of error of 2.9%.

Ronchetti and Lujan Grisham did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.