Is New Mexico suffering from the Curley Effect?

According to the National Bureau of Economic Research: The Curley effect, coined by economists Edward L. Glaeser and Andrei Shleifer, describes how politicians use wasteful redistributive policies and divisive rhetoric to drive opposing voters out of a city (in our case a state), securing their electoral base. Named after former Boston Mayor James Michael Curley, it explains how leaders can maintain power while causing long-term economic stagnation by shaping the electorate to their advantage. 

If that doesn’t do it for you, check out this email from former New Mexico business owner Ronald Kaehr who owned a coatings business base in Albuquerque (his daughter also ran for the Legislature):

Dolores and I sold the company a few years ago and moved to TN where the tax situation is better. Our daughter’s family came here because the schools are better. We live in Williamson County where the lifestyle would come as a shock to most New Mexicans because people are allowed to be prosperous. In-N-Out is putting their eastern headquarters here in Franklin. We loved what New Mexico was but not what it has become.

It all reminds us of Democrat Sen. Mimi Stewart’s 2021 statement “If you like Texas better, just pack up your bags and move – it’s not that far.” Of course Stewart and the rest of New Mexico’s Democrat politicians have been effective over the years at pushing people (especially conservatives) out of New Mexico. The State’s stagnant population is reflective of that. The Curley effect may be an indication that this is an electoral strategy of the Democratic Party.

Can New Mexico change? Should conservative voters in New Mexico feel obligated to stay and fight or should they have an exit plan? Can diversifying New Mexico’s economy bring more political competition to the State?

Find out more about James Michael Curley here.

The image above is via KRQE and this excellent report on New Mexico’s stagnant population.