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Ali Ennenga

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Ali Ennenga
Elections and appointments
Last election
November 5, 2024
Education
Bachelor's
University of Phoenix, 2007
Graduate
University of Phoenix, 2009
Personal
Birthplace
Raleigh, NC
Religion
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon)
Profession
Business owner
Contact

Ali Ennenga (Republican Party) ran for election to the New Mexico House of Representatives to represent District 44. She lost in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Ennenga completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Ali Ennenga was born in Raleigh, North Carolina. She earned bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Phoenix in 2007 and 2009, respectively. Her career experience includes working as a small business owner, teacher, and paralegal.[1]

Elections

2024

See also: New Mexico House of Representatives elections, 2024

General election

General election for New Mexico House of Representatives District 44

Incumbent Kathleen Cates defeated Ali Ennenga in the general election for New Mexico House of Representatives District 44 on November 5, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Kathleen Cates
Kathleen Cates (D)
 
52.9
 
9,166
Image of Ali Ennenga
Ali Ennenga (R) Candidate Connection
 
47.1
 
8,158

Total votes: 17,324
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for New Mexico House of Representatives District 44

Incumbent Kathleen Cates advanced from the Democratic primary for New Mexico House of Representatives District 44 on June 4, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Kathleen Cates
Kathleen Cates
 
100.0
 
2,436

Total votes: 2,436
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Republican primary election

Republican primary for New Mexico House of Representatives District 44

Ali Ennenga advanced from the Republican primary for New Mexico House of Representatives District 44 on June 4, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Ali Ennenga
Ali Ennenga Candidate Connection
 
100.0
 
1,642

Total votes: 1,642
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Ennenga in this election.

Pledges

Ennenga signed the following pledges.

  • U.S. Term Limits

2021

See also: Albuquerque Public Schools, New Mexico, elections (2021)

General election

General election for Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education District 3

Danielle Gonzales defeated Jinx Baskerville, Ali Ennenga, and Lucas Gauthier in the general election for Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education District 3 on November 2, 2021.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Danielle Gonzales
Danielle Gonzales (Nonpartisan) Candidate Connection
 
41.5
 
7,609
Image of Jinx Baskerville
Jinx Baskerville (Nonpartisan) Candidate Connection
 
38.7
 
7,090
Image of Ali Ennenga
Ali Ennenga (Nonpartisan)
 
12.0
 
2,207
Lucas Gauthier (Nonpartisan)
 
7.7
 
1,416

Total votes: 18,322
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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2020

See also: New Mexico House of Representatives elections, 2020

General election

General election for New Mexico House of Representatives District 15

Incumbent Dayan Hochman-Vigil defeated Ali Ennenga and Ranota Banks in the general election for New Mexico House of Representatives District 15 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Dayan Hochman-Vigil
Dayan Hochman-Vigil (D)
 
55.4
 
8,903
Image of Ali Ennenga
Ali Ennenga (R) Candidate Connection
 
40.6
 
6,531
Image of Ranota Banks
Ranota Banks (L)
 
4.0
 
645

Total votes: 16,079
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for New Mexico House of Representatives District 15

Incumbent Dayan Hochman-Vigil advanced from the Democratic primary for New Mexico House of Representatives District 15 on June 2, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Dayan Hochman-Vigil
Dayan Hochman-Vigil
 
100.0
 
3,718

Total votes: 3,718
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for New Mexico House of Representatives District 15

Ali Ennenga advanced from the Republican primary for New Mexico House of Representatives District 15 on June 2, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Ali Ennenga
Ali Ennenga Candidate Connection
 
100.0
 
2,289

Total votes: 2,289
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Libertarian primary election

Libertarian primary for New Mexico House of Representatives District 15

Ranota Banks advanced from the Libertarian primary for New Mexico House of Representatives District 15 on June 2, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Ranota Banks
Ranota Banks
 
100.0
 
23

Total votes: 23
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2017

See also: Albuquerque Public Schools elections (2017)

Four of the seven seats on the Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education were up for by-district general election on February 7, 2017. In his bid for re-election to District 3, incumbent Lorenzo Garcia defeated challengers Ali Ennenga, Amy Legant, and Charles White. District 5 incumbent Steven Michael Quezada and District 6 incumbent Don Duran did not file to run for re-election, leaving both seats open for newcomers. Four candidates—Annie Bell-Rahman, Rachel Gonzales, Kayla Marshall, and Candelaria Patterson—ran for the District 5 seat, and Patterson won the race. Six candidates—Abbas Ali Akhil, Elizabeth Armijo, C. Douglas Brown, Melissa Finch, Paula Maes, and Paul Sievert—ran for the District 6 seat, and Armijo won. The race for the District 7 seat featured incumbent David Peercy and challengers Ian Burch, William Steinberg, and Brian Tierney. Peercy won re-election to the board.[2] A total of six candidates withdrew from the race before their names were put on the ballot: R. Jason Vaillancourt in District 3, Than-Lan Sena, Alex Villanueva, and Anne Young in District 5, Stephen Verchinski in District 6, and Sina-Aurelia Pleasant-Soul in District 7.[3][4]

Results

Albuquerque Public Schools,
District 3 General Election, 4-year term, 2017
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.png Lorenzo Garcia Incumbent 64.90% 3,227
Amy Legant 17.58% 874
Charles White 9.49% 472
Ali Ennenga 8.00% 398
Write-in votes 0.02% 1
Total Votes 4,972
Source: Bernalillo County Clerk, "APS/CNM School Board Election February 7, 2017," accessed February 22, 2017 and Bernalillo County Clerk, "APS/CNM School Board Election was certified Friday, Feb. 10th, 2017," February 13, 2017

Funding

See also: Campaign finance in the Albuquerque Public Schools election

Ennenga reported $2,971.29 in contributions and $2,971.29 in expenditures to the New Mexico Secretary of State, which left her campaign with a $0.00 balance in the election.[5]

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Candidate Connection

Ali Ennenga completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Ennenga's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

I am a small business owner. I have Masters in Education and was a Special Education teacher for APS. I have Bachelor's in Criminal Justice Administration and was a paralegal for 18 years.
  • Reduce taxes and use our budget wisely
  • Teachers teaching, students learning, and parents engaging
  • Keep you healthy and keep our doctors
I have always looked up to my dad. He was intelligent, kind, compassionate, honest, and so funny. My father passed 3 years ago this June. When I need to feel good, I think of his very contagious laugh! He was my compass. I could always count on him for the very best advice and straightforward answers. I have always striven to be like him and continue his legacy of integrity, love, and service to those around us.
Integrity and transparency. I will never compromise my integrity to get a vote, and you should always know how your money is spent.
The core responsibility for anyone in this office is to listen. In the long run, it is the voice of the people that should be heard, which is not always what the governor wants. Your voice will be heard in Santa Fe.
We must bring our education system up from the bottom of the list. We also need better crime bills to keep criminals in jail and our citizens safe. And, we need to ensure that our economy is in line with bringing new jobs to New Mexico and filling the ones that are here.
I am interested in doing the very best job for this District right now. I am not a politician and don't want to be one, but running for this position is the right thing to do to save our state.
The stories I have heard are very personal and I have been impacted by several. What I am hearing is there is a disconnect between the government and the person. Doctors are scarce, educational needs are severely lacking, and people are tired of living paycheck to paycheck. These stories are heartbreaking and I want to provide equitable solutions for every New Mexican I serve.
We should always know how and where our taxpayer dollars are spent and the government should be held accountable to the taxpayer. Always.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2021

Ali Ennenga did not complete Ballotpedia's 2021 Candidate Connection survey.

2020

Candidate Connection

Ali Ennenga completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Ennenga's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

I am a former educator, former paralegal, and now, a small business owner. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice Administration, and Master's Degree in Elementary Education. I love to volunteer in my church and community. I was a cub scout leader for two years for 8-9 years-old boys. I was a tutor and mentor to teens. I am driven and committed to do the right thing for those around me. I am honest and respectful to the people I know and the people I meet.
  • Education is an investment in our future. I believe that teachers and students deserve better.
  • Taxes - We need to keep more of our paycheck and grow our economy
  • Crime - We need to honor safe and caring communities.
Education - I am very much an advocate for teachers. As a former educator, I believe that teachers and students deserve better. Funding should go to the classrooms, and not to bureaucratic waste. We need to invest in educational programs that can adapt with advancing technologies and prepare our students for all of our workforce needs.

Taxes - Lowering taxes for you, your family, your employer, and small businesses are essential to a healthy economy. We need to attract more jobs, and businesses, and we need the freedom to GROW our ECONOMY.

Crime - We need to honor safe and caring communities. Our homes and neighborhoods are where our lives happen. We should feel safe in our home. I will fight for the safety and prosperity of all New Mexicans
I admire my parents and husband. I look up to and respect my parents' advice, and still seek them out. My father, mother, and husband are all tremendous examples of work ethic, service, compassion, and kindness. Even in their 80's my parents are actively serving in their church and community.
I believe that an elected official should listen to her constituents and bring their voice to the office. I also believe that the elected official should be firm in their core principles. I think doing the right thing, even when no one is watching, is a very important characteristic for an elected official to emulate.
I am honest. I am bold, and I stand for truth. I am not easily swayed away from my convictions, if they are true and right. I am respectful to my leaders, if I believe them to be truthful and worthy of that respect. I am an advocate for the average citizen and I can convey what my district wants to the legislature. I am a great listener. I am analytical. I am organized and thoughtful about what I do and how I do it.
In 1969, I was 5 years old and I remember watching the moon landing on television. I ran outside and looked at the moon, and wondered how is that possible? I remember squinting really hard to see if I could see them.
When I was 15 years old, I belonged to the Vocational Office Education career path program in High School. My very first job was working for a local newspaper as the Editor's clerk. I had the job during my last semester of 11th grade and through the summer. I loved it!
I am an avid reader, and I don't really have a favorite book. Every time I read a good book, it becomes my favorite. I love books on history, biographies, religion, science, education and romance. You name it, I probably have read it or will if its recommended.
I think with strong leadership changes this state can begin to repair the years of economic failure. We need to grow our job market, have a solid, balanced budget, lower taxes, and make sure that redistricting is fair and equitable.
I would like to be a part of these three committees: Education; Labor, Veterans and Military Affairs; and Taxation and Revenue.
I admire both Mr. James Townsend and Ms. Cathrynn Brown. I believe that they are great examples of leadership, and great models for how I would like to be as a legislator.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2017

Ennenga participated in a questionnaire provided by the Albuquerque school district. The district's questions are shown in bolded text, and Ennenga's answers follow below.

1. Why do you want to be a board member for Albuquerque Public Schools?

I believe that parents should be able to trust the APS School Board to do all that it can to raise our state from 49th in the country to a much higher level than the status quo. With seven years in education and eighteen as a paralegal, I am competent to partner with parents to make sure the Board is held accountable for all things pertaining to our children's education. I want to bridge the gap between the boardroom and the classroom. I want to be more involved in my community and give confidence back to the students and teachers.[6]
—Ali Ennenga (2017)[7]

2. What is your interest in education?

Life-long learning is a way of life for me. I also love to teach. I have been a teacher in many aspects of my life: in my community, in the public school classroom, and in my church. We need to fix the underlying problems with education in our schools. Reading, for example, is fundamental to learning. We are losing students and that is unacceptable. I am dedicated to keeping our students active, in school, and engaged in their own education.[6]
—Ali Ennenga (2017)[7]

3. In what ways will you support the mission and vision of the district?

I will support the mission of Albuquerque Public Schools by serving the students in my District through active involvement in the community. The Mission Statement and community involvement of the School Board will serve as my guide.[6]
—Ali Ennenga (2017)[7]

4. How will you work with the superintendent?

A relationship between the Board and the Superintendent is one of cooperation and collaboration. One ofthe responsibilities ofthe Board is to hold the superintendent accountable to the Board, the parents, and the students whom he or she serves.[6]
—Ali Ennenga (2017)[7]

5. What is your past and current involvement with Albuquerque Public Schools?

I was a teacher with APS for seven years. I taught for one year at Atrisco Elementary in the south valley, a year at Madison Middle School in the northeast heights, and five years back in the south valley at Ernie Pyle Middle School. I left the classroom during the 2015/2016 school year to pursue a career in Reading and Educational consulting, because I saw a need in the community to help more than just the students in my classroom. Currently, I coach students with difficulties in reading and math. and help them resolve those issues very quickly.[6]
—Ali Ennenga (2017)[7]

6. What should be the relationship between the superintendent and Board of Education?

The superintendent is accountable to the School Board, just as the board is accountable to parents and the community we serve.[6]
—Ali Ennenga (2017)[7]

7. What qualities and skills would you bring to the Board of Education?

By nature, I am a very positive person and I look for the best in all people especially in our children. I bring the benefit of hands-on experience in teaching in bi-cultural schools, and I have personal experience interacting with parents from culturally diverse backgrounds. I am personally familiar with the unique needs and challenges of children with learning disabilities. I am not afraid of hard work, nor am I afraid of a challenge. I am a very effective communicator with good public relation skills and the ability to appreciate different points of view. I have excellent organizational skills.[6]
—Ali Ennenga (2017)[7]

8. What school or community volunteer activities have you participated in related to the community?

  • At Atrisco Elementary School, I was the Third Grade Chair on the Instructional Council and, I instituted the Albertson's partnership program, which allocates a portion of the store's revenue to the school for classroom expenses.
  • For three of my five years at Ernie Pyle Middle School, I was a member of the Instructional Council. I was also the AVID (Achievement Via Individual Determination) Coordinator for the school during my last year there. This program prepares students for high school and, ultimately, for college. Further, I organized an after-school program for students in which they used looms to knit hats for premature babies at Presbyterian Hospital's Neonatal Unit.
  • Above and beyond teaching in the classroom, I served for a year and a half as a Cub Scout Den Leader helping 8-year-old and 9-year-old boys achieve merit badges and progress to the next level of scouting.
  • I served as a camp director for 12-18 year old girls for three consecutive years .
  • I work with the Catholic Charities Just Serve program. To date, I have assisted in cleaning up the trash along Alameda Blvd the week before the Balloon Fiesta started, and I have assisted in cooking and serving breakfast to APD officers at the North Valley Substation.
  • Twice a month for the past two years, I have organized and conducted learning activities such as sewing, cooking, drama, music, organizational skills, dancing, and healthy habits, for girls between the ages of 8 and 11.
  • I am a member of the Education Committee for the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce. We strive to further education for students by providing scholarships to deserving students.[6]
—Ali Ennenga (2017)[7]

9. How do you plan to work with constituents?

I propose a monthly District PTO meeting in the community to meet with constituents. This meeting will allow parents, students, teachers, and other members of the community to ask questions, express concerns, and bring any issues to my attention. I will make it my responsibility to convey those concerns to the Board on behalf of the community. I also have dedicated a cell phone number for the use of any constituent who needs my assistance.[6]
—Ali Ennenga (2017)[7]

10. What do you see as opportunities and challenges to the district?

There are many opportunities for the District. Many of those opportunities call for improvement. I believe that we must move APS forward in reading and math. We have a real opportunity with Sandia Labs and LANL to use innovations in STEM technology to move our students from next-to-last in the nation to a substantially higher level. One of the biggest challenges is our inability to perform. Teachers need to be able to own what they do in the classroom. I know many teachers who feel as if they are not able to instruct students the way they should be instructed - that they are "teaching to the test". Teachers and parents need us, as a board, to support them and allow them to do what needs to be done in the classroom, in order for our students to be productive and responsible citizens.[6]
—Ali Ennenga (2017)[7]

11. What do you think is the best way for the district to accomplish the three academic goals?

a. Early learning - Early learning begins with expecting parents, is nurtured as children develop language and number skills in elementary school, and grows with students as they mature in supportive classrooms becoming adept at using these skills in a variety of contexts.
We need more parental involvement. Any programs we have must ensure that parents are engaged throughout the child's elementary and secondary school career.[6]
—Ali Ennenga (2017)[7]
b. College and Career Readiness - Students acquire skills which support formal and informal life-long learning to adapt and remain productive through changing economic and job market landscapes. All students will be prepared for postsecondary opportunities (college and/or career) without the need for remediation.
The district needs to be prepared for the ever-changing landscape mentioned above by developing, implementing, and/or reconstructing programs and interventions that will prepare our students for the challenges ahead of them. The right programs, if implemented correctly, will reduce and possibly eliminate the need for remediation.[6]
—Ali Ennenga (2017)[7]
c. Developing the Whole Child - APS will ensure each child is safe, engaged, challenged and supported through programs and practices focused on removing social, emotional and physical barriers to learning and increased health literacy.
  • Safe and welcoming environment
  • Whole Child includes ... physical, mental, emotional, social, intellectual
  • Remove barriers to learning
  • Discover and develop individual gifts and talents
  • Use skills to better the community
In order to develop the whole child, the above mentioned bullet points are key. However, I have personally seen how these items are not being accomplished in schools. Some of the policies and procedures that are in effect in the District are not promoting the development of the whole child. We need to look at these programs and ensure that they are accomplishing this goal. If not, they need to be thrown out. We need to ensure that the programs that do promote developing the whole child are researched, studied, and implemented in our school district.[6]
—Ali Ennenga (2017)[7]

12. If elected, how will you work with the current board?

It will be my pleasure to work with current members of the board, as well as newly elected board members. I will make it my personal responsibility to ensure my constituents are represented and that they have a voice in the boardroom. I will work hard to bridge the gap between the boardroom and the classroom.[6]
—Ali Ennenga (2017)[7]


Campaign finance summary


Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.


Ali Ennenga campaign contribution history
YearOfficeStatusContributionsExpenditures
2024New Mexico House of Representatives District 44Lost general$144,944 $94,108
2020New Mexico House of Representatives District 15Lost general$39,062 N/A**
Grand total$184,005 $94,108
Sources: OpenSecretsFederal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

See also


External links

Footnotes


Leadership
Speaker of the House:Javier Martínez
Majority Leader:Reena Szczepanski
Minority Leader:Gail Armstrong
Representatives
District 1
District 2
District 3
Bill Hall (R)
District 4
District 5
District 6
District 7
District 8
District 9
District 10
G. Romero (D)
District 11
District 12
District 13
District 14
District 15
District 16
District 17
District 18
District 19
District 20
District 21
District 22
District 23
District 24
District 25
District 26
District 27
District 28
District 29
District 30
District 31
District 32
District 33
District 34
District 35
District 36
District 37
District 38
District 39
District 40
District 41
District 42
District 43
District 44
District 45
District 46
District 47
District 48
District 49
District 50
District 51
District 52
District 53
District 54
District 55
District 56
District 57
District 58
District 59
District 60
District 61
District 62
District 63
District 64
District 65
District 66
District 67
District 68
District 69
District 70
Democratic Party (44)
Republican Party (26)