Enchantment State News

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has extended the stay-at-home order to May 15, but this may suggest the governor doesn't actually have a plan for what to do next.

Lujan Grisham is putting the health and safety of New Mexicans first, but she may not have an idea of what to do next to begin to reopen the state's economy, according to KRWG.

In New Mexico, a third of all counties have less than 10 COVID-19 cases, according to KRWG, but the governor hasn't displayed signs of a statewide strategy. 

Small local businesses continue to suffer, but Lujan Grisham is letting national chains stay open, which is sending New Mexico's money out-of-state instead of letting it go to small local businesses that need the revenue, KRWG reports. 

The Republican Party of New Mexico is urging the governor to develop a strategy and let residents of New Mexico return to work. Social distancing can be implemented at businesses and opening small businesses will help start the economy again. 

"The governor cannot pick and choose winners and losers in this dire situation. She fails to understand that we can responsibly social distance at small businesses and do what's right to protect our citizens while saving our economy," Republican Party of New Mexico Chairman Steve Pearce told KRWG. "Our state is going under, and peoples' livelihoods are being lost. We may never recover from this unless the governor reopens New Mexico for the little guy. They make this state run. And it's all about fairness."

But the governor has created an economic council to help ease the state back into business activity, however, this can be seen as a poor problem solver since Lujan Grsham hasn't provided much details on the council, according to KRWG. The governor will be relying on the council to help her create a strategy to reopen the state's economy.