Former Public Regulation Commissioner Targets Power Prices, Policy Direction
Former New Mexico Public Regulation Commission member James Ellison announced his candidacy for governor, launching a Republican campaign centered on energy affordability, electricity rates, and economic development.
Ellison, who previously served as a regulator overseeing utilities and energy markets in the state, said Democratic-led energy policies are driving New Mexico toward steep electricity price increases that will hurt households, businesses, and economic competitiveness.
“Over the next ten years, electric rates will double or triple if our state continues down this path of becoming another California,” Ellison said in his announcement. “At a time when affordability is on the ballot, the reality is that Democrat-led energy policies are making life less affordable for New Mexicans.”
Ellison’s entry into the race places energy policy and utility regulation at the center of the 2026 gubernatorial contest in a state undergoing rapid changes in power generation, transmission development, and renewable energy mandates.
Campaign Focuses on Electricity Rates and Infrastructure Decisions
Ellison said his campaign will focus on keeping electricity affordable while opposing large-scale transmission projects that export renewable power out of New Mexico without clear benefits to in-state consumers.
In his announcement, Ellison criticized plans to build new high-voltage transmission lines designed primarily to move wind-generated electricity to other states, arguing they increase costs for New Mexico ratepayers without lowering local utility bills.
He said future infrastructure investments should prioritize grid reliability, local economic value, and ratepayer protections, rather than policies he claims shift costs onto residents while benefitting out-of-state markets.
Experience in Energy Regulation and Utility Operations
Before serving on the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission, Ellison worked in multiple roles across the energy sector, including managing power plants and electric distribution operations.
According to his campaign announcement, Ellison also worked as an energy analyst, studying the impacts of natural disasters on energy infrastructure and evaluating renewable energy storage systems and grid resilience.
Ellison said that experience gives him a practical understanding of how regulatory decisions translate into real-world costs for consumers and businesses.
Energy Policy Emerges as Central Election Issue
Energy affordability has become an increasingly prominent political issue in New Mexico as utilities invest billions of dollars in new generation, transmission, and compliance with clean energy mandates.
Ellison argued that without changes in direction, those investments will continue to drive higher rates, especially for low-income households, rural communities, and energy-intensive industries.
“Affordability matters,” Ellison said. “Energy policy should improve people’s lives, not make it harder to pay the bills.”
Ellison did not outline specific legislative proposals in his initial announcement but said additional policy details would be released as the campaign progresses.