SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — An unusual political transition between two Latina governors is under way in New Mexico.
The state has a long history of Hispanics in politics and women are now consistently rising to the top. Democratic Gov.-elect Michelle Lujan Grisham was scheduled to meet on Friday with termed-out Republican Gov. Susana Martinez.
Martinez won office in 2010 as the nation's only Latina governor and took issue with Donald Trump's characterization of Mexican immigrants as criminals and rapists when he was running for president. She and the president have since reconciled.
Lujan Grisham is a staunch critic of Trump's approach to immigration and has promised to pursue major changes from Martinez's approach to student testing, teacher evaluations, state investments, renewable energy, gun control, marijuana regulation and more.