Corey Zimmerman

New Mexico needs dependable energy, good jobs, and clean water. I support responsible oil and gas production alongside science-based safeguards that protect public health and our limited freshwater supplies.

I would support recycling produced water within oil and gas operations, independent treatment research, and carefully controlled pilot projects evaluating reuse outside the industry. Any expanded use should require evidence that treatment consistently meets health and environmental standards for the specific application.

I would support comprehensive contaminant testing, groundwater monitoring, publicly accessible results, safe disposal of treatment residues, and enforceable industry responsibility for spills and cleanup. Disposal wells should have seismic monitoring and clear thresholds requiring reduced injection or shutdown when earthquake risks increase.

My position would be informed by peer-reviewed research, independent laboratory testing, long-term toxicity studies, and field demonstrations measuring treatment reliability, groundwater impacts, and actual freshwater savings. Researchers should disclose funding and conflicts of interest.

I would not support using produced water for drinking supplies or food-crop irrigation without compelling, independently verified safety evidence and enforceable protections. I would listen to scientists, communities, tribal governments, and industry, and update my position as reliable evidence develops.

Water security is essential to New Mexico’s health, agriculture, jobs, and future growth. I would prioritize protecting existing supplies and making every public dollar produce measurable results.

My first priorities would be repairing leaking water lines, modernizing aging drinking-water and wastewater systems, and improving storage and delivery infrastructure. I would support voluntary agricultural conservation programs developed with farmers, ranchers, and acequia communities, while respecting tribal sovereignty and existing water rights.

I would invest in groundwater mapping, monitoring wells, watershed restoration, and research on drought, aquifer recharge, and reservoir evaporation. Promising technologies include leak-detection sensors, precision irrigation, and safely treated municipal wastewater reuse. New treatment technologies should demonstrate safety, affordability, and reliable performance before expansion.

Every funded project should establish a baseline, measurable targets, and public reporting. I would track verified acre-feet conserved or added annually, reductions in water-system leakage, groundwater levels, water quality, service reliability, and cost per acre-foot. Evaluations should account for drought conditions and distinguish reduced withdrawals from actual reductions in water consumption.

I would bring local utilities, scientists, tribal governments, agricultural producers, and communities together to select projects that protect affordable access to clean water and deliver lasting benefits.

As a hospice chaplain, I believe every person deserves dignity, safe drinking water, and protection from preventable harm. I would prioritize cleanup of abandoned uranium mines based on documented risks to nearby families, water supplies, and the environment.

I would support coordinated state, federal, and tribal cleanup efforts with clear deadlines, independent monitoring, and publicly reported results. Responsible companies should pay their legally established share of cleanup costs

For new uranium mining proposals, I would require rigorous, independent review of groundwater impacts, water consumption, radiation exposure, waste management, and cumulative risks. Operators should provide adequate financial assurance for closure, cleanup, and long-term monitoring before operations begin.

Scientific evidence should guide decisions, with uncertainties openly acknowledged. Tribal governments must be involved from the outset, and their sovereignty, laws, and decisions on their lands must be respected. Projects outside tribal lands that could affect tribal water or communities require meaningful government-to-government consultation.

I would not support a proposal that cannot demonstrate enforceable protections for public health and water resources.

I support developing New Mexico’s aerospace industry when it creates lasting opportunities for our residents and demonstrates responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars.

Future state investment should require an independently reviewed business case, substantial private investment, transparent contracts, measurable milestones, and repayment provisions when companies fail to meet enforceable commitments. Public funding should prioritize shared infrastructure, research, and workforce training with clear public benefits.

Private operators should pay their operating expenses, company-specific infrastructure costs, and costs of preventing and addressing environmental harm from their activities. Lease payments and user fees should contribute fairly to maintaining public facilities. Insurance and financial guarantees should protect taxpayers from avoidable liabilities.

I would evaluate permanent jobs, wages, local purchasing, apprenticeships, and net tax revenue against the full public cost and alternative uses of those funds. Economic output alone does not establish a return to taxpayers.

Safety and environmental review should address wildfire risks, debris, air emissions, noise, water use, and emergency response capacity. Nearby communities and affected tribal governments should have meaningful input, with public monitoring and corrective action when problems arise.

My priority is connecting aerospace growth to education and skilled trades so New Mexicans can qualify for these jobs while protecting communities and public resources.

I would support WIPP continuing its authorized mission of disposing of defense-related transuranic waste, provided it meets rigorous safety standards and protects workers, nearby communities, and water resources.

I would oppose expanding WIPP to accept commercial spent nuclear fuel or high-level radioactive waste. Proposals to change accepted waste types or increase disposal amounts should require independent scientific review, transparent public hearings, applicable legal approvals, and meaningful consultation with affected tribal governments and communities. Economic benefits should be evaluated alongside long-term risks and costs.

I would support strong state permitting and federal oversight, independently verified waste characterization, certified shipping containers, vehicle inspections, shipment tracking, and federally funded emergency training and equipment for communities along transportation routes.

Worker protections should include radiation exposure monitoring, effective ventilation and fire protection, regular training, confidential reporting, protection against retaliation, and authority to stop unsafe work. Environmental monitoring results should be publicly available.

I would evaluate effectiveness through worker radiation doses, environmental measurements compared with baseline levels, transportation incidents and near misses, emergency drill performance, inspection findings, and timely correction of violations. Long-term assessments must also address containment after closure.

My priority is responsible stewardship: meeting national obligations while protecting New Mexicans today and future generations.

I support attracting technology investment and good jobs to New Mexico, provided projects protect our water, public health, and affordable electricity.

I would support clear, predictable standards requiring independent assessments of water availability under drought conditions, electricity supply and reliability, air emissions, noise, lighting, and cumulative community impacts. Cooling systems should not use freshwater consumption and use desalination plants for brackish water.

Residents should receive understandable information early, accessible public hearings, and meaningful opportunities to shape permit conditions before decisions are made. Affected tribal governments should receive government-to-government consultation.

Developers should pay the infrastructure and resource costs attributable to their projects, including necessary utility upgrades, road improvements, and environmental mitigation. Utility agreements should protect households and small businesses from subsidizing project costs or paying for unused infrastructure if a company leaves.

Tax incentives should require verified investment, permanent jobs, wages, local hiring and apprenticeship commitments, and repayment provisions for unmet obligations.

I would evaluate benefits using independently reviewed financial projections and actual payroll, purchasing, and tax records. Ongoing monitoring should track water withdrawals and consumption, electricity demand, rate impacts, emissions, noise, and complaints against established baselines. My goal is responsible growth that delivers lasting opportunities for New Mexicans and measurable benefits for communities.

As a board-certified hospice chaplain, I see how distance, provider shortages, and financial barriers affect patients and families. Access to timely care is a central priority of my campaign.

I would support sustainable Medicaid reimbursement, make the Torte Reform similar to Texas as that’s where our healthcare professionals go, timely provider payments, targeted support for rural hospitals and clinics, and medical liability reforms that preserve patient accountability while helping retain providers. Medicare payment changes require federal action, and I would advocate with our congressional delegation.

I would expand rural training placements, service-linked loan repayment for serving 5-10 years, community health workers, mobile clinics, transportation assistance, and reliable broadband for telehealth. Priorities should include primary care, maternity services, behavioral health, and hospice and palliative care.

I would work directly with tribal governments through regular government-to-government consultation, allowing each community to identify its priorities. Partnerships with tribal health programs and the Indian Health Service should respect tribal sovereignty, cultural practices, and control over health data.

Progress should be measured through appointment wait times, travel distances, provider vacancies and retention, service availability, completed referrals, preventable hospitalizations, and patient experience. Measures should be developed with participating communities and reported with privacy protections.

My goal is dependable care closer to home, with resources directed toward demonstrated needs and measurable improvements.

I support strengthening science education through excellent teaching, hands-on learning, and clear connections to careers. Every New Mexico student should have access to rigorous science instruction, including students in rural and tribal communities.

I would prioritize recruiting and retaining qualified science teachers, practical professional development, safe laboratory equipment, and dependable funding for classroom materials. Rural schools should have access to shared specialists, mobile laboratories, and partnerships with colleges that have trade school as part of their curriculum, universities, national laboratories, and local employers.

Reliable broadband and affordable devices matter, but students also need experiments, fieldwork, and materials they can use without internet access. Instruction should provide appropriate supports for students with disabilities and English learners, with tribal communities helping shape locally relevant learning.

I would connect science to shop classes and career pathways in electrical work, welding, healthcare, agriculture, water management, and aerospace. These opportunities should strengthen scientific understanding and prepare students for college, apprenticeships, and employment.

I would assess progress through science proficiency and growth, classroom demonstrations of scientific reasoning, teacher retention, course access, broadband availability, and participation in career pathways. Results should be examined by district and student group to identify gaps and direct support where it is needed.

I support stable, competitive federal research funding that advances scientific knowledge, strengthens national security, improves health, and creates opportunities for New Mexicans.

As a state representative, I would work with our congressional delegation to advocate for dependable funding and clear grant rules. I would support simpler application and reporting processes that reduce unnecessary paperwork while preserving independent peer review, financial audits, research integrity, and disclosure of conflicts of interest.

My priorities include healthcare, water security, energy reliability, and partnerships that connect research institutions with local businesses, schools, and skilled-trades programs. Basic research also deserves support because valuable discoveries may take years to produce practical benefits.

I would evaluate scientific value through independent expert review, sound methods, and contributions to knowledge. Benefits to residents should include workforce training, local employment and purchasing, business development, and useful technologies.

Growth plans should address housing affordability, transportation, utilities, water demand, and environmental impacts through coordination with local and tribal governments. Project budgets should account for these costs and identify who pays.

Public accountability requires transparent spending, appropriate milestones, and corrective action for misuse. Evaluation should recognize that well-conducted research can yield valuable findings even when an experiment does not achieve its expected result.