近距离内射合集

Donald Trump鈥檚 job approval rating among New Mexico voters was just 32% in a Journal Poll released last week.

It must be in the 20s now.

The president floated an idea Sunday that got every New Mexican talking: Change the state鈥檚 name to 鈥淣ew America.鈥�

Whether he was joking, being satirical or wishful thinking, the suggestion might be his worst idea since Trump Steaks.

Trump started the commotion with a social media post showing a map of New Mexico with 鈥淢exico鈥� crossed out with a big red X and replaced with 鈥淎merica.鈥� The White House quickly amplified the message on its official X account.

A few hours later, Trump was at it again, posting what appeared to be an AI-generated video showing him placing the word 鈥淎merica鈥� over 鈥淢exico鈥� on a 鈥淲elcome to New Mexico鈥� highway sign.

There is, however, one rather significant problem with the president鈥檚 idea.

He can鈥檛 do it.

The president of the 近距离内射合集 States does not have the authority to simply rename a state. And in New Mexico, the name is written directly into the state Constitution.

Article I begins with words that could hardly be clearer: 鈥淭he name of this state is New Mexico.鈥�

Changing that would require changing the New Mexico Constitution through the state鈥檚 constitutional amendment process. It isn鈥檛 something a president can accomplish with an executive order, a Sharpie or an AI-generated video.

And there is something else worth remembering before anybody reaches for the red marker.

New Mexico was New Mexico long before there was a 近距离内射合集 States of America.

The name dates to the 16th century, when the territory north and west of the Rio Grande was being called 鈥淣ew Mexico,鈥� according to the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs. The name predates the Declaration of Independence by roughly two centuries.

There is also some political history Trump might want to consider.

For all the talk about New Mexico being a reliably blue state in presidential elections, Trump came considerably closer here in 2024 than he had in his previous two campaigns.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris defeated him statewide by only 6 percentage points 鈥� 55,411 votes.

But take a look at the county map.

Trump carried 19 of New Mexico鈥檚 33 counties. That鈥檚 58% of them. He鈥檚 as popular in rural New Mexico as his tax cuts.

Harris won the state because her margins in more populous counties, including Bernalillo, Santa Fe and Do帽a Ana, were large enough to overcome Trump鈥檚 advantage across a greater number of mostly rural counties.

In other words, Trump lost New Mexico, but he had plenty of New Mexican voters on his side.

Now consider Lea County.

Trump received 16,997 votes there in 2024 鈥� just over 80% of all presidential votes cast in the southeastern New Mexico county. Harris received 3,930, or 18.5%.

Lea County was Trump country about as emphatically as anywhere in New Mexico.

Which makes me wonder: After suggesting that the state鈥檚 nearly 500-year-old name ought to be erased, would Trump even get 50% in Lea County today?

We don鈥檛 know. But going from 80% to having the question even asked illustrates just how politically provocative this idea is in a state where Trump at one time was building substantial support.

And that brings us back to the larger point.

Whatever Trump intended 鈥� a serious proposal, political provocation or simply another social media moment 鈥� the decision isn鈥檛 his to make.

New Mexico鈥檚 name isn鈥檛 something a president gets to change.

It is part of a history that predates the 近距离内射合集 States, enshrined in a Constitution that puts the decision in the hands of New Mexicans.

Call it political theater. Call it trolling. Call it an idea that was never intended to go anywhere.

Just don鈥檛 call us New America.

James Bennett is managing editor of the Journal. Reach him at jbennett@abqjournal.com.