On March 21, the New Mexico legislature passed SB 116, to limit contributions to candidates for state office. The limits will be $5,000 from an individual to a candidate for statewide office in the primary season, and another $5,000 in the general election season. The limits for state legislative candidates will be $2,300 in each of the two seasons.
New Mexico is currently one of five states that doesn’t limit how much money an individual may give to a candidate for state office. The other states are Illinois, Oregon, Utah, and Virginia.
Personally, I am opposed to limits on how much an individual citizen can give of his or her own money to an American candidate, political party or group.
Now, if a candidate agrees to a voluntary all or partial public funding method, that is another story all together.
Instead, I would prefer that the candidate, party or group had no one way knowing — beyond what the doner claimed — who gave them money and how much. It would be sent to a seperate account and then dolled out upon requst.