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Samantha Barncastle Salopek
From Ballotpedia
This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.
Samantha R. Barncastle Salopek (Republican Party) ran for election to the New Mexico State Senate to represent District 38. She lost in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Barncastle Salopek completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Samantha R. Barncastle Salopek earned a high school diploma from Roswell High School, a bachelor's degree from New Mexico State University in 2007, and a law degree from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 2010. Her career experience includes working as an attorney.[1]
Elections
2024
See also: New Mexico State Senate elections, 2024
General election
General election for New Mexico State Senate District 38
Incumbent Carrie Hamblen defeated Samantha R. Barncastle Salopek in the general election for New Mexico State Senate District 38 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Carrie Hamblen (D) | 50.9 | 8,643 |
 | Samantha R. Barncastle Salopek (R)  | 49.1 | 8,345 | |
| Total votes: 16,988 | |||
| = 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 State Senate District 38
Incumbent Carrie Hamblen advanced from the Democratic primary for New Mexico State Senate District 38 on June 4, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Carrie Hamblen | 100.0 | 1,846 |
| Total votes: 1,846 | |||
| = 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 State Senate District 38
Samantha R. Barncastle Salopek advanced from the Republican primary for New Mexico State Senate District 38 on June 4, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Samantha R. Barncastle Salopek | 100.0 | 762 |
| Total votes: 762 | |||
| = 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
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Barncastle Salopek in this election.
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Samantha R. Barncastle Salopek completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Barncastle Salopek's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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After getting my law degree from from the University of New Mexico School of Law, I went to work for law firms focused specifically on water issues in Las Cruces. I started my own practice in 2014 and now help farmers, ranchers, and local businesses fight for their water and property rights. My experience with water resources, agriculture law and economic development issues will allow me to serve the unique issues of the Southern New Mexico community. I also serve as Counsel for the Elephant Butte Irrigation District in the ongoing Supreme Court battle for water in the Rio Grande (TX v. NM).
Additionally, when I gave birth to our daughter with special needs in 2020, my husband and I were forced to leave New Mexico for her healthcare because access to local, quality medical care was unavailable. Since that time, the extreme policies of Santa Fe politicians have driven doctors out of New Mexico and caused direct harm to our community. Daily we watch more doctors leave Las Cruces and head across the Stateline to El Paso. Because I know the frustrations of dealing with our healthcare system, I have fought for changes to it and even expanded my law practice to help families with children experiencing medical challenges, free of charge. Working moms have it hard enough, I would know, so I am helping as much as I can, but there’s so much more to do.
- Public safety and supporting our local community to ensure security of person and property amid rising crime rates. We cannot support children and families, in education, or otherwise, if we are unsafe. I will support law enforcement, support holding criminals accountable, and support those in need of public services to help get their lives back on track. Sometimes rehabilitation and jail is appropriate, where other times addressing mental health issues outside of the jail system is more appropriate. our law enforcement and judicial system with the proper resources is the first step to ensuring we're properly addressing the plethora of reasons crime occurs.
- Improving access to healthcare and improving healthcare technology, infrastructure, and other related needs in southern New Mexico. We have done an excellent job of running talent out of our state in all sectors. I will focus on recruitment and retention in the healthcare field, from first responders, nurses, and other medical staff, all the way to specialists. All are necessary to provide well rounded and accessible healthcare that does not require residents to leave our state. I will work to ensure programs like student loan forgiveness are available to students who want to enter the medical field and are willing to stay and dedicate their careers to our community. Many want to, but are forced to leave. I will make it easier to stay.
- Water and natural resources, agriculture, and protection of the southern New Mexico's access to water: Watershed management is key to community health. New Mexico must take a much more holistic approach to watershed management, because in doing so, we will be able to increase available water supply for communities, decrease opportunities for wildfires, decrease flood risk, and repair and restore upland and riparian habitat along the way (providing for more pristine recreation opportunities as well). We have the resources and the expertise to lead the charge to manage our increasingly arid environment, water resources, and infrastructure, and we must do so with haste or our currently stable communities will not have water for the future.
Aside from my three priorities listed above, I have spent my legal career working to represent the historically underrepresented. From working for family farmers to small municipalities and other small private communities (such as co-op water systems), to now offering free legal services to parents in need of healthcare or other assistance for special needs children, I have a heart for community and a spirit for helping others. I want to take my skills further to help more people navigate the real issues they encounter while living in southern New Mexico. I will not hyper-focus on issues we are not facing, but instead will tackle, head on, the issues our community is facing, no matter how insurmountable they may seem.
My Grandmother, a former county clerk and county treasurer, Delia Garcia Barncastle. She taught me to listen to voters, a quality I now see as key to success in anything - communication requires listening.
The Art of War by Sun Tzu (I was a philosophy major - and this was cornerstone to how I approach my legal career)
Actively listening to constituents and their needs, rather than talking at them or pushing radical policies. A legislator should be diligent, and willing to work hard on a variety of socially difficult topics, while instilling confidence in those they represent by working diplomatically and always treating others with respect.
I am an excellent communicator and writer. I also have experience writing bills, and working in the legislative process as an advocate.
First, you have to show up. All too often we see legislators are not showing up. You also have to be willing to work. Before you show up, you have to do your homework - talk to the public, ask questions, gather information. A legislator should be in touch with his/her community, and should understand the community needs rather than pushing ones own agenda.
One of collaboration and communication, regardless of party affiliation.
I worked at the recreation center in Roswell when I was in high school as a basketball coach, youth activity coordinator, and administrative assistant. I held that job off/on as my schedule would allow through most of high school.
Sun Tzu's The Art of War - I was a philosophy major in undergrad and I enjoy it every time I re-read it.
We Will Rock You - Queen (we performed it in getting my youth basketball team pumped for a practice!)
My daughter's health - she was born with Cerebral Palsy.
Symbiotic, though separate. The governor should not install policies the legislature fails to pass as legislation through agency rulemaking. Just like the legislature should not demand work of the executive without properly funding it. I believe in bi-partisanship, and working together collaboratively - something apparently of the past, but not forgotten. My goal will be to work with the Governor, not against, recognizing the separation of tasks and responsibilities involved.
The budget will not remain where it is with record breaking revenue, yet we are not prepared for what will happen when we do not have that level of revenue. We need to start planning now.
Yes, otherwise the learning curve is too steep to be able to make a difference in the first few years, making one essentially a lame duck while they learn the trade. The more familiar one is with the process, the easier it is to deploy the process to make a difference.
Absolutely, and I'm a firm believer that problems are not solved in isolation, but only through bipartisanship. The types of robust social issues our legislature is expected to address are not something any one person are completely right, and others completely wrong about. Working together is the only way to arrive at lasting solutions.
Former Senate Pro Tem Mary Kay Papen (D). She was known for her bipartisanship, and I hope to bring it back in a big way.
A domestic violence victim shared her story with me to help educate me on domestic violence, violent crime and drug abuse, and that has stuck with me. Sadly, many people also have shared stories about healthcare, and having to leave the state or losing loved ones for lack of care, that are also gut wrenching to hear and necessarily impact me.
What's the difference between a good lawyer and a bad one? A bad one can make a case drag on for years; a good one can make it last even longer!
Oversee, certainly. Grant, we should be cautious about what we mean - don't we want local governments having the authority to exercise emergency powers to evacuate those in the path of a flood? Yes, of course we do. So, as with everything, the devil is in the details.
Senate Conservation and Senate Judiciary
The money does not belong to the politicians, it belongs to the people. The people should always have an avenue for holding government accountable.
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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.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 8, 2024
Current members of the New Mexico State Senate
Leadership
Majority Leader:Peter Wirth
Minority Leader:William Sharer
Senators
District 1
William Sharer (R)
District 2
Steve Lanier (R)
District 3
Shannon Pinto (D)
District 4
George Munoz (D)
District 5
Leo Jaramillo (D)
District 6
Roberto Gonzales (D)
District 7
Pat Woods (R)
District 8
Pete Campos (D)
District 9
Cindy Nava (D)
District 10
Katy Duhigg (D)
District 11
Linda Lopez (D)
District 12
Jay Block (R)
District 13
Debbie O'Malley (D)
District 14
Michael Padilla (D)
District 15
District 16
Antoinette Lopez (D)
District 17
Mimi Stewart (D)
District 18
Natalie Figueroa (D)
District 19
Anthony Thornton (R)
District 20
Martin Hickey (D)
District 21
Nicole Tobiassen (R)
District 22
Benny Shendo (D)
District 23
Harold Pope (D)
District 24
Linda Trujillo (D)
District 25
Peter Wirth (D)
District 26
Antonio Maestas (D)
District 27
Patrick Boone (R)
District 28
Gabriel Ramos (R)
District 29
Joshua Sanchez (R)
District 30
Angel Charley (D)
District 31
Joseph Cervantes (D)
District 32
Candy Ezzell (R)
District 33
Nicholas Paul (R)
District 34
James Townsend (R)
District 35
District 36
Jeff Steinborn (D)
District 37
William Soules (D)
District 38
Carrie Hamblen (D)
District 39
Liz Stefanics (D)
District 40
Craig Brandt (R)
District 41
David Gallegos (R)
District 42
Larry Scott (R)
Democratic Party (26)
Republican Party (16)
