What New Mexicans Should Be Watching This Session, According to Rep. Rod Montoya

February 4, 2026·55 min·2 clips

Representative Rod Montoya says New Mexico's malpractice system is driving doctors out and raising premiums by over $100,000.

The Chili Wire opens with Abe Baldonado welcoming Rep. Rod Montoya back during New Mexico’s 2026 legislative session. Baldonado sets the scene as a tense session and calls it the governor’s legacy session, then asks Montoya what has his attention. Montoya answers by taking aim at the governor’s approach and the direction of the session. From there, the conversation becomes a dispute over what the state should protect and what it should stop doing. Montoya says the governor tried to exempt tribal entities in a way he sees as unfair to the rest of New Mexico. He treats that move as a major policy signal, not a narrow technical fix. The discussion turns to the practical effects of putting data centers on sovereign tribal land. Montoya argues that businesses would move there to avoid state taxes and regulations. He says that would do nothing to lower New Mexico’s carbon footprint. Instead, he says it would create non-taxable pockets that still benefit from economic development. The exchange also touches on whether the same logic could apply to hospitals, doctors, and other essential services. Montoya pushes the point to show how far the argument would go if taken seriously. He says the real effect would be to limit health care and drain resources from the state. The hosts circle back to regulation and describe current rules as punitive. They frame the state as making business harder with each new decision. Later, the discussion briefly shifts toward federal law enforcement and whether New Mexicans should accept a climate of fear around safe communities. The tone stays sharp and confrontational rather than measured. Baldonado and Montoya keep tying the debate back to New Mexico-specific consequences. They return again and again to jobs, services, and the burden on ordinary residents. By the end, the show lands on a familiar civic argument: people should not be made to feel bad for wanting safe communities. The closing segment thanks Montoya for his service and frames the conversation as part of the broader fight over New Mexico’s future.

As heard by us

A fast, combative statehouse conversation that keeps returning to New Mexico consequences.

This episode takes a brisk look at New Mexico's 2026 legislative session, with Rep. Rod Montoya of Farmington pressing the governor's agenda, tribal exemptions, and the practical fallout for health care and business.

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Want a punchy read on a contentious New Mexico legislative session?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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