New Mexico Democrats' headquarters broken into

The Democratic Party of New Mexico had its headquarters broken into early Thursday, with security cameras capturing a person smashing through the front door and grabbing items before fleeing — an incident that drew condemnation from both sides of the aisle.

"Although our team is very troubled by this, we're glad no one was in the office at the time of the break-in," Democratic Party of New Mexico spokesperson Daniel Garcia said in a Friday news release. "Whatever the motivation was, we have to repair the damage, clean up the mess, and help our team recover missing items."

The incident occurred around 5 a.m. Thursday and the damage was discovered by staff arriving for work. Employees were still assessing the damage and inventorying office items Friday afternoon.

Video from a business across from the headquarters in Downtown Albuquerque shows a person walking with a bicycle. "Security footage from DPNM cameras and a nearby business showed that an individual smashed through the front door, entered the office, grabbed a handful of items, and then took off," the organization said.

DPNM officials said they were unsure of the person's motives but could not rule out the possibility of the break-in being "politically motivated." The party thanked the Albuquerque Police Department for its fast response and help.

Republican Party of New Mexico Chairwoman Amy Barela issued a statement in response to the incident, saying "no organization, regardless of party, should be the victim of politically-motivated crime."

"Acts like this have no place in our communities," she said. "In times of heightened political tension, it is more important than ever that we reject violence and intimidation in all forms."

In March 2025, the RPNM headquarters entryway was destroyed after an alleged arsonist started a fire and painted “ICE=KKK” on the side of the building.

Nakayla McClelland covers crime and breaking news. Reach her at nmcclelland@abqjournal.com or at 505-823-3857.