Hernandez, Anaya pitch competing plans to Rio Rancho voters in District 60 race
Hernandez leaned on nearly $14 million in Rio Rancho funding, while Anaya pressed for a sharper break on schools and spending as early voting nears.
Two Republican candidates used a Rio Rancho chamber forum to draw a clear line between an incumbent who argues he has delivered for the city and a challenger who wants a bigger reset for state spending, schools and the business climate.
Rep. Joshua N. Hernandez, a Rio Rancho Republican seeking a fourth term in House District 60, told voters his record of bringing state money back to the area should help define the race. He has represented the district since 2021 and sits on the House Commerce & Economic Development Committee, the House Taxation & Revenue Committee, the House Printing & Supplies Committee and the House Rules & Order of Business Committee, assignments that fit the forum’s focus on jobs, business growth and public spending.
Hernandez has said he secured nearly $14 million in funding for Rio Rancho projects over the past five years. He has also pointed to his role in passing the 2025 Site Readiness Act and co-sponsoring medical malpractice reform as evidence that he has worked to make New Mexico more attractive to employers and investors. In a district where families and small businesses are watching school quality, crime and the cost of living closely, Hernandez framed his approach as practical and incremental: protect what is working, keep dollars coming home and keep pushing for more jobs.
Zac Anaya, a real estate agent recruiter, cast himself as the tougher alternative. He said the state needs a broader shift, including more direct spending on students, and used the forum to argue that Rio Rancho has not seen enough meaningful change in the areas that matter most to daily life. Anaya has also made the race more combative by filing a complaint with the State Ethics Commission alleging Hernandez failed to disclose lobbying clients tied to his romantic partner and business associate, Skye Devore. Hernandez has said Anaya was using the commission for political gain and said he would amend his disclosure if necessary.
The chamber event touched on economic development, business, education, crime and housing, a reminder that House District 60 is not a sleepy safe seat but a fast-moving test of what Republican primary voters want from their next lawmaker. The district covers a large swath of Rio Rancho up to the Sandoval County line, in a city of 136,756 residents with a median household income of $88,718 and a poverty rate of 8.2%, numbers that help explain why taxes, housing costs and school performance land so sharply in local politics.
Early voting runs May 5-15, with the Republican primary set for June 2. The winner will face Democrat Luke Jungmann in the Nov. 3 general election, turning the District 60 race into one of the clearest barometers of where Rio Rancho Republicans want their city and state to go next.
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