Submitted by Zach Withers
Friends and neighbors, my name is Zach Withers and I am the independent candidate in the House District 22 State Representative race. I was born and raised in the East Mountains. I went to East Mountain high school, then earned a degree in international studies with a focus on political science from Middlebury College in Vermont. I spent years working for start up companies in the craft alcohol industry before starting a regenerative farm business with my brother. We raise heritage breed hogs, which we market at our butcher shop and local food store in Cedar Crest. We also raise chickens and sheep, practicing holistic management, and produce copious amounts of compost.
I have served on the policy council for Rocky Mountain Farmers Union and the National Farmers Union, helping develop agricultural policies and lobbying to get them adopted in both Santa Fe and DC. I serve on the board of the Cedar Crest Farmers Market and on the Bernalillo County Planning and Zoning Commission. In my spare time I like to shoot my bow, read, write, and raise hell about our communities water issues.
I have made serious changes to my farming operation to be able to devote more time to serving my community, and by next year expect to be able to commit almost all of my time to advocating for the changes we need to ensure future generations will have access to healthy food and water.
When elected, that is exactly what I will do. I am not running to push a partisan agenda. The most important and pressing issues facing our communities are declining aquifers, imminent danger from catastrophic wildfires, struggling agricultural economies, and degrading roads and public infrastructure. I have the knowledge, experience, and constitution to be able to effectively push for common sense solutions to these real problems, and to effectively represent everyone in our district. Please visit my website, withers4nm.org, sign up to volunteer, donate and vote for me!