Primary election is next week

Finalists will be determined for three positions to the Socorro County Board of Commissioners in the June 4 primary election. Polls open at 7 a.m. on Tuesday.

Craig Secatero will run unopposed for his seat in District Two while four candidates compete for District Four to replace Glenn Duggins, and two candidates will seek a spot in District Five to replace Antonio “Ray” Martinez.

In District Four, Craig Canner, Darryl Cases, Jerry Esquivel and Daniel Monette are running for a seat on the commission.

Craig Canner

Canner is a resident of San Acacia and owner and operator of a classic car repair and restoration business. He feels, although he has no experience as an elected official, he has important qualities, knowledge and values to offer.

“I am approachable, flexible, respectful and truly care about people from all backgrounds. I will take the time to listen, learn and encourage the community to find solutions. I am determined to get results and will follow up to ensure the results are satisfactory. I am transparent, honest and will never be bribed, allow any unconstitutional mandates or do special favors for donors or friends,” Canner said.

Canner recognizes many challenges facing the county, such as crime, infrastructure, inflation, agriculture, water conservation and parental rights. He believes these challenges call for new approaches to leadership.

“My focus is on the constituents. I will uphold my oath of office. This means that I will not blindly follow a government mandate, especially if it is unconstitutional or without representation,” Canner said.

Darryl Cases

Cases is a Bingham resident and retired from NM Institute of Mining & Technology, EMRTC (Energetics Material Research & Testing Center). He served two terms as the Socorro County Probate Judge from 2014-2022.

“All the positions I have held in my life, I have always given 110%. Whether it was working for NMT, the United States Marine Corps, or as a judge, I always strive to learn as much as possible for each position,” Cases said.

He said his motivation for running is to help the people of Socorro County.

“I know how important it is to be accessible to constituents for their issues and concerns including following up. Communication is so important. As your county commissioner, I will not always have the answers to your questions, but I will work to get the answers for you,” Cases said.

Jerry Esquivel

Esquivel was born and raised in Socorro and has family ties in La Joya, Abeytas, Las Nutrias, Veguita, Lemitar and Polvadera. He has worked for two decades as a teacher and works for Belen Consolidated Schools as a wood shop instructor. He has a graduate degree and educational certification from New Mexico Tech, a bachelor’s degree from West Texas State University in Engineering Technology, and an associate from New Mexico Military Institute. He served ten years in the National Guard and retired as a Captain in the US Army.

“My motivation to run for county commission is the contribution I can provide to my community. I have been a resident of this county for the past 56 years or all my life. I have been part of community projects that have been in need of support from county resources,” Esquivel said.

Some examples of issues he is concerned with are roads in the northern part of the county and services for seniors and the youth. He said he wants to bring the issues to the county for them to be addressed, fixed and maintained.

“I can’t solve all the problems, but I would at least like to bring the issues to the table for all to observe and try to resolve. Try to resolve as a community in the hopes of prosperity for all, for the seniors, for our families, for our youth,” Esquivel said.

Danny Monette

Monette, born and raised in Socorro County, lives in Lemitar, will retire from serving as the Valencia County Manager on December 31, 2024.

“I believe with my experience as a county manager and having served as a county commissioner in the past, I can bring fresh ideas to Socorro County,” Monette said.

He said he has had the honor of being a Socorro County commissioner for 12 years. Monette currently serves on the New Mexico Association of Counties and the National Association of Counties; he believes both are great resources for the issues Socorro County is facing.

“I have continued to be engaged on the local, state and national levels of government. I have been responsible for managing many issues that affect all the residents of Socorro County. I feel that for me to excel as a commissioner, we, as elected officials, need to have a voice on these levels, if we want to benefit our county and continue to move Socorro County forward,” Monette said.

Running for county commissioner of District five are Phillip Montoya and Linda Murillo.

Phillip Montoya

Montoya lives in San Antonio and is retired from working 30 years at the Socorro County Sheriff’s Office and serving as the County sheriff from 2007 to 2014. He currently works part-time with El Puente as an advocate for those experiencing domestic violence.

“As a former elected official, I enjoyed working for the citizens of Socorro County and would like to continue providing my services in order to provide a better quality of life,” Montoya said.

He said he is willing to work with all the elected officials to provide them with the resources they need to run their offices effectively and better serve the citizens of Socorro County.

“I am running to be a servant of the people in Socorro County. To protect the all the constitutional rights of we the people of Socorro County,” Montoya said.

Linda Murillo

Murillo is a resident of Luis Lopez and works at Positive Outcomes Inc. as a compliance officer. She is a former employee of Socorro County and worked as the director of the foster grandparent/senior companion program and served as the director of all three senior centers in the county.

“As a former county employee, I would like to see better training and improved working environments. I would like to see more services available to county residents, better water systems, road repair, senior services, crises management, a better working relationship with the city, so we can share resources, etc.” Murillo said.

Murillo has experience in putting in long hours of research, talking to people, asking questions, assessing situations, setting goals and is familiar with the entire process of writing and managing grants. She said she is committed to listening to her constituents.

“Working with seniors, people with disabilities, people suffering from mental illness, grandparents rising grandchild, every family has a story to tell. If you don’t stop to listen to what someone is telling you, it’s like saying, they don’t matter. This is my community, and I want to not just be a voice, I want to show my community that they are important, and they matter.” Murillo said.