Marcos Gonzales

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Marcos Gonzales

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

June 2, 2020

Education

Bachelor's

University of New Mexico, 2007

Graduate

University of Phoenix, 2015

Personal

Birthplace

Taos, N.M.

Religion

Christian

Profession

Assistant director

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Marcos Gonzales (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Bernalillo County Commission to represent District 3 in New Mexico. He lost in the Democratic primary on June 2, 2020.

Gonzales completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Marcos Gonzales was born in Taos, New Mexico. He received a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of New Mexico in 2007 and an M.B.A. from the University of Phoenix in 2015. Gonzales has been affiliated with the Enchanted Land Community Development Company, City Alive, the New Mexico Trade Alliance, Highland Business and Homeowners Association, and the Greater Española Valley Community Development Board.

Elections

2020

See also: Municipal elections in Bernalillo County, New Mexico (2020)

General election

General election for Bernalillo County Commission District 3

Adriann Barboa won election in the general election for Bernalillo County Commission District 3 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Adriann Barboa (D)	100.0	37,076

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 37,076
= 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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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Bernalillo County Commission District 3

Adriann Barboa defeated Adrian Neal Carver and Marcos Gonzales in the Democratic primary for Bernalillo County Commission District 3 on June 2, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Adriann Barboa	42.2	7,184
	Submit photo	Adrian Neal Carver	30.6	5,216
		Marcos Gonzales	27.2	4,628

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 17,028
= 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.

Endorsements

To view Gonzales' endorsements in the 2020 election, please click here.

Campaign themes

2020

Video for Ballotpedia

Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released May 11, 2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

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

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Born and raised in Taos, New Mexico, Marcos A. Gonzales' primary goal has been to make the State of New Mexico a better place. The Gonzales family has lived in New Mexico for over 12 generations, and Gonzales has lived in Bernalillo County's District 3 for over 15 years, first as an undergraduate student at the University of New Mexico.

Over the past eight years working as a leading member of the Bernalillo County Economic Development team, Gonzales has assisted area businesses in the creation of more than 5,000 jobs, partnered to develop over 2,000 affordable housing units, and encouraged over a billion dollars of private investment in New Mexico. As a former small business owner, Gonzales' vision is that job creation and workforce development play a significant part in helping our community achieve beneficial change.

Gonzales will work hard daily to rebuild Bernalillo County with a focus on Economic Development, Public Safety, and Affordable Housing. He has a deep love for our community and has the knowledge and values to rebuild our economy. Through his history of service in Bernalillo County government, Gonzales is uniquely prepared to excel in the Commission, which requires compromise and expertise.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Experience Matters.
• Gonzales has both the knowledge and values to rebuild our economy.
• Put my expertise to work for you as the next Bernalillo County District 3 Commissioner, and I'll be ready on Day One.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Gonzales is ready to work towards a brighter future for Bernalillo County, focusing on the issues we face every day, including:

Economic Development: The COVID-19 crisis makes clear that Bernalillo County needs a Commissioner who will set policy for the next wave of Economic Development, leading to positive changes within the County and our economy. We must fight to keep new and old businesses in our community and connect businesses to resources, expanding their ability to grow. This means every job at every skill level is valuable in creating the right environment for all businesses to rebuild in Bernalillo County.

Public Safety: Unfortunately, crime is a common thread in our community. Bernalillo County must do better at providing a safer environment for our children, families, and businesses. We need a renewed focus on Public Safety within Bernalillo County that concentrates on meaningful collaboration across jurisdictions. The crime statistics in the District are staggering, and Gonzales will prioritize implementing public safety policies that protect our community.

Affordable Housing: Affordable housing builds safe, successful, and connected communities. Affordable housing is not only a moral imperative, but an economic one because with a roof over one's head, one can be a more productive member of Bernalillo County. We need to establish a strategic community plan for creating and sustaining affordable housing for today and the County's future.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

This stay-at-home order will come to an end. There will be a day when unemployment and stimulus checks stop arriving. The lucky few with rare talents and connections will reenter the workforce ready to succeed --- but where does that leave the rest of us? What will that mean for our economy? High unemployment gives rise to increased crime and poverty. What then?

We do not know what life will be like next month or any month after that. It is unproductive to create fake recovery plans for an uncertain future.

A County Commissioner works to make neighborhoods safe, prosperous, and just. The job involves creating and implementing important laws that often impact daily life within communities. Successful Commissioners skillfully navigate complex legal frameworks and budgeting constraints to create meaningful change within communities. Commissioners also need to be practical. They can't mislead our community by making false statements. The job is not easy. That's why experience matters.

Before this economic downturn, I made the decision to run for Bernalillo County Commission, District 3. Now, more than ever, government and business experience are needed in this critical role. County government can't fix all problems. However, the County can invest in both proven and innovative means of stimulating our economy. The County can provide a safer community and improve public safety. These are issues we faced before COVID-19. This period has shown us that our community is strongest when we all unite and work together.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up greatly to my father, New Mexico State Senator Roberto 'Bobby' Jesse Gonzales. When I was younger, my father was a teacher. There was a need inside of him to do more for the schools, so he decided to step into an administrative role, twice acting as superintendent for Taos Municipal Schools. But that wasn't enough. There was a need inside of him to do more for our community. In 1994, the District 42 Representative seat was open, and my father decided to run his first political campaign. He won, serving as New Mexico State Representative Gonzales for District 42, Taos County, from 1995 through 2019. I was in 4th grade when he won his first race, and I was fascinated by this world of politics. I spent as much time as I could in my youth at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe. My father served on the Taxation and Revenue Committee among other Committees, was the Vice Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, and served as the Chair of the Transportation Committee, so I was able to attend budget and policy meetings from a very young age. He has always led by example and instilled in me the importance of public service. Public service is my calling.

Last year, one of my father's very good friends, State Senator Carlos Cisneros of Questa unexpectedly passed away from a heart attack. This past December, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham appointed my father to the New Mexico State Senator District 6 seat. My father continues to serve our community because that is what he knows how to do. Because of my father, there is a need inside of me to do more for my family, your family, and future generations. I have a deep love for our community, like my father, and I want to do more to make our home a better place to live.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

District 3 is currently facing an economic crisis of monumental proportions. Our District needs policies that lead to positive changes for individuals and the business environment. Our District deserves a Commissioner who appreciates both the complexity and the power of public policy. My knowledge and experience uniquely position me to help us work towards a better future. I will fight every day to secure our streets, housing justice for the homeless, and an economy that helps support us all.

Small businesses are the backbone of our economy. As a former small business owner, I choose to spend my dollars on local businesses and showcase them on our campaign's social media because I know first-hand the impact and importance of spending locally. Our neighbors' businesses and lives are at stake right now. I have served in government economic development since 2008, working alongside New Mexico businesses during the Financial Crisis and Great Recession. By all indications, this economic crisis is going to be worse.

In the past decade, Bernalillo County has been innovative in creating more than 5,000 permanent jobs and encouraging over a billion dollars of private investment in New Mexico. This work is not theoretical. There are 5,000 more construction jobs in the County because of the Commission. In the South Valley, there are more employees with 401(k)s and health benefits. Artists in Midtown can now incubate their companies and share impactful work. Stable jobs help lift our community up to meet challenging moments. To recover from COVID-19, I will continue to keep our community safe through collaborative efforts on the economic front while simultaneously focusing on public safety.

I am eager to get to work so we can build a better future for Bernalillo County, together.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Core responsibilities for a County Commissioner include honesty, integrity, teamwork, strategic planning, and serving the people of Bernalillo County.

I do not see myself as a politician. I see myself as a public servant and one who serves the public at large. I believe that is an important distinction. A public servant who is elected to office, this office being a County Commissioner, must work to honorably represent every human being in their area, those who did and those who did not vote for them as well as those who did not or were unable to vote. That is the job. Before March 2020, I attended a variety of neighborhood meetings, public events, meeting people from District 3 and learning more about the actual needs of our community. I am a committed listener. I value having many voices at the table and especially voices that do not always agree. That's what I mean by "community stakeholders." We all are responsible for stewarding and improving our community together because we all have a stake in our community's prosperity. Only when many perspectives are considered can fair decisions be made, and fair decisions must be made with greater good in mind. I am here to unite, not to divide.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

One of my favorite songs, and the last song that got stuck in my head, was "Dream a Little Dream of Me." This was the first song my wife and I danced to on our first date. It was the song for our first dance at our wedding. This Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong duet symbolizes the power and resilience of these jazz artists with hopeful optimism. It's truly a masterpiece!

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

Bernalillo County is broken up into five (5) Districts, run by five (5) different Commissioners. The role of a Commissioner includes setting the annual County budget and passing laws, working to provide for the public safety, health, and economic prosperity of our community. A Commissioner's duties include meeting with the public to hear concerns, attending bi-weekly Commission meetings (with the other 4 County Commissioners), and representing the County on regional boards.

Uniquely, a Bernalillo County Commissioner serves as both the legislative and executive branches of government, responsible for passing and approving budgets and policies. The County is an ecosystem that requires collaboration. County Commissioners need to work with our County Manager, our Clerk, our Sheriff, and all departments. I know this from experience. We all work as a team to support progress and change in our community. Without a cooperative government, communities will suffer. That's why I'm not interested in politics or rhetoric. It's time to get to work.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

The job of a County Commissioner involves creating and implementing important laws that often impact daily life within communities. Some examples include deciding on budgets, overseeing law enforcement, and alleviating poverty. Successful Commissioners will skillfully navigate complex legal frameworks and budgeting constraints to create meaningful change within communities. The job is not easy. Experience matters.

According to the National Association of Counties (NACo), "There is no best experience for elected office, but any experience that may have provided knowledge about finance, budgeting, communications, law, and personnel is beneficial." Having worked for Bernalillo County for over eight years, the State of New Mexico before that coupled with a background as a small business owner, I have the unique policy-making and governmental budgeting expertise to get the job done.

I am motivated by the fundamental belief that good government is life-changing. That's why I entered public service, and that's why I'm committed to bettering Bernalillo County as your Commissioner. In the June 2nd Primary Election, I hope you join me in ushering in a new era of collaborative economic growth for the County.

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.

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