Rep. John Heaton

New Mexico state lawmakers struggled to pass a mid-year state budget fix last week, but in a possible sign of how difficult things may become politically, at least one public employee union is already throwing out a seldom-used threat in New Mexico: Democratic lawmakers, we’ll work to unseat you if you cut education.

A budget that largely protects K-12 education, while cutting deeply into most state agencies, won approval from the Legislature Friday evening. The bill, which trims more than $200 million in spending, now goes to Gov. Bill Richardson.