A new candidate for lieutenant governor, House Democrats outline session priorities and more New Mexico political news.

President Donald Trump called New Mexico elections "corrupt" during an event Friday to promote investment in rural health care in the East Room of the White House. To his left are Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Mehmet Oz, administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

"I'm not aware of any malicious activity or corruption in the administration of elections here in New Mexico," KOAT political expert Brian Sanderoff said.

Thirty-six states will elect governors in 2026, and Republicans enter those races clinging to a narrow 26-24 edge after Democrats had a strong showing in 2025, flipping Virginia and defending New Jersey.

Mid-January marks the start of the legislative season, with the 30-day finance-focused session set to begin Jan. 20. Lawmakers and lobbyists will descend on the capital city to build the budget. But crucial election deadlines sit just around the corner.