Gina Ortega, former mayoral and treasurer candidate, seeks Doña Ana County assessor seat
LAS CRUCES - An outsider might look at Gina Ortega's political career and see four unsuccessful runs for public office — two for Las Cruces mayor and two for Doña Ana County treasurer.
Ortega begs to differ.
"I don't regret running," Ortega told the Sun-News in an interview. "Not at all, not at all. You know, I'm a big believer in my faith ... To me, (my runs for office), they're not unsuccessful. It wasn't my time. That's what I totally feel in my heart."
She's hoping this campaign, her fifth run for office and her first crack at Doña Ana County Assessor, ends up being her time. Ortega, 53, is a born-and-raised Las Crucen who co-owned La Fiesta Bakery, which suffered financially when a state construction project on Valley Drive blocked vehicle access to the business.
La Fiesta closed due to the decline in business in early 2019. The business reopened with limited hours and a reduced menu in December 2021, but Ortega said the business closed again in March.
Ortega said when she heard current assessor Leticia Benavidez would not seek a second four-year term, she decided to throw her hat in the race.
"I think I can make a difference," Ortega said. "I know this is a partisan race, but it's a non-partisan position. And I don't think that there's a problem sitting down with the other side and actually coming to something that's good."
Ortega is running in a three-way race for the Democratic nomination for assessor. Her opponents are Daniel Sambrano, currently a senior appraiser in the Assessor's Office he hopes to lead, and Ruben Reyes, a retired assessor's office employee. The primary will be held June 7.
No Republicans are seeking the position, and independent, minor party and write-in candidates have until June 30 to file.
Ortega is the only candidate in the Democratic field without experience in the assessor's office. She doesn't see that as a hindrance.
"I don't think that the person that has the most experience is ever the most qualified person to be in that position," Ortega said, adding sometimes outsiders can bring in unique perspectives that would otherwise be absent.
As a business owner, she also said she'd bring experience she thinks the other two wouldn't bring, saying "I know what that shoe feels like on the other foot."
Ortega has a microcomputer bookkeeping, secretarial administration and accounting assistant associate's degree from Doña Ana Branch Community College. She also said she wouldn't be averse to receiving assistance and advice from existing staff if she were to be elected.
Additionally, Ortega said she plans to take courses through the EDGE program — a program through New Mexico State University that educates officials on public sector and local government work — to learn about the role of the assessor more in-depth.
If elected, Ortega said her most important job would be ensuring that all property in the county is assessed fairly. Without pointing to any specific examples or inside knowledge, Ortega said she'd bet some assessments had been completed unfairly.
"It's politics," Ortega said. "I know certain people that have gotten things done because of who they know, not what they know."
Ortega also said she'd want to come into the office and represent voices that are underrepresented. She said she suspects some employees might have concerns but maybe don't speak up out of fear of retaliation. If elected, Ortega promised not to foster that sort of environment.
"There's a lot of people in office that ... what are they doing here?" Ortega said. "It's about them. It's about their agenda. It's not even about what's doing right for people."
In her personal life, Ortega led the choir at her church, Our Lady of Health Catholic Church in Las Cruces, for 25 years. She sang and learned how to play guitar. She gave up the position several years ago. She's also served as the booster club president for Mayfield High School softball and basketball.
Ortega has three adult children and has been married to her husband for 36 years.
Michael McDevitt is a city and county government reporter for the Sun-News. He can be reached at 575-202-3205, mmcdevitt@lcsun-news.com or @MikeMcDTweets on Twitter.
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This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Gina Ortega runnning for Doña Ana County assessor seat
