Joshua James
Lawrence

Wasteful spending hides in patterns, so I'd start with the data. The Auditor's office receives audits from hundreds of state agencies and local governments every year. I would use data analytics to compare that spending side by side and flag red flags: repeat findings that never get fixed, sole-source contracts, rising costs with no change in results, duplicate payments, and money appropriated but never spent.

Then I'd tackle it in four ways:

• Target the risk. Focus special audits where dollars are largest and warning signs strongest, rather than spreading staff thin.
• Ask whether it worked. Go beyond "was it spent legally?" to "did it deliver what was promised?" Spending that produces no results is waste, even if it's technically allowed.
• Make findings public and easy to read. Post plain-language summaries online and track whether each agency fixes what we found. Sunlight changes behavior.
• Protect whistleblowers. Strengthen the fraud, waste and abuse hotline so employees and citizens can report problems safely, and follow every credible tip.

When we find fraud, we refer it to law enforcement. When we find waste, we recommend specific fixes and report to the Legislature so budgets reflect what actually works.

Every dollar wasted is a dollar not spent on schools, roads or public safety. New Mexicans deserve an Auditor who follows the money.

Yes. Other states have proven models New Mexico can adapt without reinventing the wheel. Three stand out:

• Mississippi's investigations. Mississippi's State Auditor has used investigators and subpoena power to follow the money, and his office also compiles years of audit findings into one public report showing lawmakers where waste is. New Mexico needs that same willingness to dig in and report clearly.
• Washington's performance audits. Washington voters gave their State Auditor authority to conduct performance audits that ask whether programs are efficient and effective, not just whether the books balance. That focus on results is what New Mexico is missing.
• Ohio's Performance Team. Ohio's Auditor runs a team that local governments and school districts can invite in to find savings. It makes the Auditor a partner, not just a watchdog, which matters for New Mexico's small and rural communities with limited staff.

I'd also use data analytics to scan spending continuously for red flags like duplicate payments and unusual vendor activity, so problems are caught in months, not years.

Why these? Together they hold people accountable when money is misused and help government work better. New Mexicans deserve both.

Most compliance problems aren't fraud. They're small entities with one part-time clerk, outdated software and no training, trying to follow complex rules. So my approach is help first, enforcement when needed.

• Train and equip. I'd build free, plain-language training, templates and checklists so local governments, mutual domestics, acequias and special districts know exactly what the law requires. A regional outreach team would work directly with rural communities.
• Catch problems early. A public dashboard would track every entity's audit status, so late or missing reports get flagged in weeks, not years. We'd reach out before an entity falls behind.
• Fix repeat findings. When the same problem shows up year after year, we'd require a corrective action plan with deadlines and check whether it's done.
• Right-size the rules. Small entities should have reporting requirements that fit their size, so limited staff time goes to keeping good books, not paperwork.
• Hold the line. When entities ignore their obligations or misuse funds, the office will use its full authority, designate them at risk, and refer serious cases to law enforcement.

Strong records protect taxpayers and keep communities eligible for state and federal funding. My goal is every entity current, compliant and transparent.

An audit no one reads protects no one. New Mexicans pay for this office, and they deserve to understand what it finds. I'd communicate in four ways:

• Plain-language summaries. Every major audit would come with a one-page summary: what we found, what it costs taxpayers, and what needs to change. No jargon, in English and Spanish.
• An online tracker. A searchable public site would show each entity's audit status, open findings and whether recommendations have been fixed. Anyone could look up their own city, county or school district.
• Meet people where they are. I'd post short videos and updates on social media, work with local newspapers and radio, including rural and tribal outlets, and hold town halls across the state, not just in Santa Fe and Albuquerque.
• Listen, not just talk. I'd make it easy to report concerns through a confidential hotline and online form, and share an annual report on what the public flagged and what we did about it.

I'd also report regularly to the Legislature and local leaders so findings lead to action, not just headlines.

Transparency is the Auditor's most powerful tool. When people can see how their money is spent, government works better and trust grows.

Public information is only public if people can actually find it, open it and understand it. I'd improve accessibility in six ways:

• One searchable archive. Every audit, special audit and investigation would be in a single online library, searchable by entity, county, year and topic, so no one has to dig through old files.
• Open data. Audit findings and financial data would be downloadable in spreadsheet-friendly formats, so journalists, researchers, lawmakers and citizens can analyze them, not just read PDFs.
• Accessible for everyone. The office website would meet federal accessibility standards for people with disabilities, work well on phones, and offer key materials in Spanish and, where possible, Native languages.
• Use AI responsibly. An AI search tool would let anyone ask questions in plain English or Spanish, like "What did my school district's last audit find?", and get answers linked to the original report. Staff would review it for accuracy.
• Reach those offline. Many rural New Mexicans lack reliable internet. Summaries would be available by mail, at local libraries and county offices, and by phone on request.
• Fast, fair records requests. The office would respond to public records requests promptly and track response times publicly, setting the example we expect of every entity we oversee.

Accessibility isn't a feature. It's how the public holds government, including this office, accountable.

The office should do more than check whether the books balance. It should help government work better and show taxpayers results. My priorities:

• Build a performance audit team. A dedicated unit would ask whether programs actually deliver, modeled on proven work in Washington and Ohio.
• Strengthen investigations. Following Mississippi's example, I'd expand the office's capacity to follow the money, use its full authority to get records, and refer fraud to prosecutors.
• Modernize with technology. AI and data analytics would scan spending for red flags, speed up reviews and power a public search tool, with staff checking the results.
• Recruit and keep talent. The national shortage of accountants is real. I'd partner with New Mexico universities on internships and a pipeline into public service, and make the office a place skilled people want to stay.
• Support local governments. A field team would give rural and small entities hands-on help staying compliant, so problems are prevented, not just reported.
• Hold this office accountable too. I'd publish the office's own performance: how fast audits are completed, how many findings get fixed, and how much money we help save or recover.

The goal is simple: an office that earns public trust by showing its work.

I'll work with whoever New Mexicans elect, regardless of party. The State Auditor is independent for a reason: taxpayers need someone who follows the facts no matter who is in power. That independence and a strong working relationship can go hand in hand.

• Start early. A new administration inherits agencies it didn't build. I'd meet with the governor's team in January to share open audit findings, high-risk areas and stalled projects, so they can tackle problems from day one instead of discovering them later.
• Find shared goals. Every governor wants agencies that deliver results and spend wisely. I'd offer performance audits of programs the administration identifies as priorities, so decisions are based on evidence.
• Coordinate, not duplicate. I'd work with the governor's office, the Department of Finance and Administration and the Legislative Finance Committee so audits, budgets and reforms point in the same direction.
• Stay independent. Cooperation never means looking the other way. If an agency under any governor misuses public money, I'll report it fully and publicly, the same as I would for anyone else.

My loyalty is to New Mexico's taxpayers. Working with the governor is one of the best ways to serve them.

I'm a lifelong New Mexican, and I know how our government works, including the side of it that doesn't want anyone watching.

• Proven candidate. I've run for governor and sheriff, and in June, 29,103 New Mexicans wrote my name in the Republican primary, a record-setting total. Along the way I've talked with thousands upon thousands of New Mexicans in every corner of the state. I know what they want: honest government that respects their money.
• Entrepreneur. I've built and run my own businesses. I know what it takes to make payroll, keep honest books and answer for the bottom line. Government should meet that same standard.
• Film and music industry. Every project runs on a budget, a contract and a deadline. Tracking where money goes and whether it delivers is what auditing is about.
• Grassroots activism. Years of work on government accountability, election integrity, constitutional rights and fighting human trafficking taught me to follow the facts and ask hard questions.

The State Auditor already has the authority to investigate fraud, waste and abuse. What it needs is a leader who isn't afraid to use it. I'll hire skilled auditors and CPAs, and I'll stand up for the people of New Mexico, no matter who it upsets. That's the experience this office needs.

My job is to protect New Mexico taxpayers. That comes down to four priorities:

1. Root out fraud, waste and abuse. The office already has the authority to investigate. I'll use it, follow the money wherever it leads, and refer criminal cases to prosecutors, no matter who is involved.
2. Make sure spending delivers results. New Mexico spends billions every year, yet too many programs can't show they work. I'll audit not just whether money was spent legally, but whether it actually helped the people it was meant for.
3. Open the books to the public. Every audit summarized in plain language, a searchable online tracker showing which problems get fixed, and AI tools that let any New Mexican look up their own city, county or school district. Sunlight is the best disinfectant.
4. Stand with local communities. Small towns, acequias, mutual domestics and rural counties often lack the staff to keep up with complex rules. I'll bring hands-on help so they stay compliant and keep the funding they depend on.

Behind all four is one commitment: courage. This office needs a leader who isn't afraid to do the right thing and stand up for the people of New Mexico. That's who I am, and that's the Auditor I'll be.