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Lujan Grisham pledges support for Biden, but has had concerns
President Joe Biden and New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham are shown in an undated file photo.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said this week that she has been concerned about President Joe Biden鈥檚 path to victory as the Nov. 5 election looms, but pledged her full support if he decides to stay in the race.
In an interview with the Journal on Wednesday, the Democratic governor said for the first time publicly that she has worried about how the latest issues with Biden鈥檚 performance at the June 27 debate with former President Donald Trump would affect New Mexico voters.
鈥淕iven the debate, people were incredibly concerned and really focused on whether, 鈥楥an he do more of the job or not.鈥欌
The New York Times reported that at a July 3 private meeting of a group of Democratic governors and Biden, Lujan Grisham said Biden was at risk of losing her state. She hadn鈥檛 commented publicly about her comments and the meetings until Wednesday.
鈥淚 shared with the White House before the debate that I was concerned,鈥 the governor said.
鈥淲hat I said in that July 3 meeting (was) New Mexico is a bellwether state, we鈥檙e very predictive, and our Hispanic voters are very predictive, and if people have questions that you aren鈥檛 thoroughly answering ... here鈥檚 maybe some more information you and your campaign, and your family (need to consider).鈥
She emphasized that Biden needed to be 鈥渕indful鈥 and 鈥渢houghtful鈥 about continuing his quest for a second term, even though he won New Mexico by 鈥渄ouble digits鈥 in the 2020 presidential election.
鈥淗e鈥檚 delivered. I鈥檝e worked and met with a lot of presidents in my political/public career and he鈥檚 done more for us than any,鈥 Lujan Grisham said, such as using his bipartisan relationships in Congress to get New Mexico $6 million for a vital water project.
Since Biden 鈥渓ooks like he鈥檚 staying in the race, then New Mexicans should expect me to fight for him,鈥 Lujan Grisham said. 鈥淭his (the presidential race) is about moral rights and wrongs. So New Mexico should expect me to turn the tide here for us.鈥