Faith and Flag Conservatives Rebrand as Constitutional Conservatives : Otero County as GOP Test Lab

As New Mexico’s 2025 municipal elections approach, Otero County has become a proving ground for a rising political identity within the Republican Party: the faith and flag conservative.

With Amy Barela—District 2 Otero County Commissioner—now serving as Chair of the Republican Party of New Mexico (RPNM), the county’s influence on statewide strategy is unmistakable

But beneath the surface, a strategic rebranding is underway: faith and flag conservatives are increasingly adopting the “constitutional conservative” label to broaden appeal and consolidate power.

What Are Faith and Flag Conservatives?

According to Pew Research Center’s political typology, faith and flag conservatives are characterized by:

• Deep commitment to Christian values and religious liberty

• Strong belief in American exceptionalism and patriotism

• Support for a robust military and law enforcement presence

• Advocacy for traditional morality and cultural preservation

• Skepticism toward immigration, secularism, and federal overreach

While overlapping with constitutional conservatives on issues like limited government and states’ rights, faith and flag conservatives place greater emphasis on cultural identity, religious values, and national symbolism.

Barela’s Vision: Bottom-Up Red Wave

Upon her election as RPNM Chair in early 2025, Barela outlined a grassroots strategy to “flip New Mexico red” by:

• Registering more Republican voters

• Promoting faith and flag-aligned candidates under the constitutional conservative banner

• Supporting deregulation and energy independence

• Elevating local voices and building the party from the bottom up

“We’re helping lower prices with good legislation and lowering regulation so that we have businesses attracted to New Mexico,” Barela said in a statement following her election.

Her district includes northern Alamogordo, Tularosa, Holloman Air Force Base, and lands bordering the Mescalero Apache Reservation—areas where faith and flag messaging resonates with voters seeking economic freedom, military support, and cultural preservation.

Who Are the Faith and Flag Conservatives in Otero County?

According to RPNM’s official 2025 candidate roster, Otero County features a full slate of candidates aligned with faith and flag conservative values—though publicly labeled as “constitutional conservatives”:

Mayoral Candidates: Latanya Boyce, Richard R. Cota, Jason R. Baldwin (Alamogordo); Gerald Dustin Wiley, Timothy Edward King (Cloudcroft)

City Council: Robert Baxter Pattillo, Stephen Burnett, Joshua Rardin (Alamogordo); Christopher Rupp (Tularosa); Erwin Hardwick, Gail K. McCoy, Keith Byron Hamilton (Cloudcroft)

Judicial & School Board: Mark Toliver Tatum (Cloudcroft Judge); Angela Carolyn Cadwallader, Patrick Bruce Atkinson, Colt Edward Ventura (School Board)

Water & Sanitation – Timberon: Otis Jesse Allen, David Joshua Eugene Walker, Loyd G. Vigil, James D. Duckett, Wayne Dale Burmeister

These candidates reflect Barela’s push to elevate voices committed to Trumpian values, constitutional fidelity, and local control—though many emphasize religious liberty, military strength, and cultural defense more than legal originalism.

Strategic Rebranding: Why the Shift?

The term “constitutional conservative” carries broad appeal across libertarian, Tea Party, and traditional conservative circles.

By adopting this label, faith and flag conservatives:

Avoid polarizing religious language in secular or swing districts

Signal legal legitimacy and constitutional fidelity to moderate voters

Align with national figures like Supreme Court justices or originalist scholars

Distance themselves from accusations of extremism, even when promoting culture-war policies

This rebranding is not unique to Otero County. Nationally, figures like Marjorie Taylor Greene and Mike Johnson have used constitutional language to frame faith-driven agendas, blending legal rhetoric with religious conviction.

Is Otero County a Test Lab for Barela’s Strategy?

Yes—Otero County is functioning as a strategic test lab for Barela’s faith and flag conservative vision, repackaged under the constitutional conservative banner

Here’s why:

Candidate Saturation: Otero County has one of the most complete slates of GOP-aligned candidates in the state.

Leadership Origin: Barela herself is from Otero County, making it a natural launchpad for her statewide strategy.

Messaging Alignment: Local candidates echo Barela’s themes of deregulation, energy independence, religious liberty, and patriotic identity.

Grassroots Engagement: Forums like the September 30 nonpartisan candidate event at Otero Artspace show active civic participation and media collaboration.

Visibility and Replication: Success in Otero’s municipal races could serve as a blueprint for other counties, especially rural districts with similar demographics.

While statewide voter registration gains and legislative wins remain to be seen, Otero County’s 2025 municipal election is clearly a pilot site for Barela’s broader GOP ambitions.

As Otero County voters head to the polls November 4th, they’re not just choosing mayors, commissioners, and school board members—they’re participating in a broader experiment in political branding, grassroots mobilization, and a test ideological branding. Under Amy Barela’s leadership, the Republican Party of New Mexico is testing whether faith and flag conservatism—repackaged as constitutional fidelity—can galvanize rural voters, reshape local governance, and lay the groundwork for a statewide shift.

Whether this strategy proves durable or divisive will depend not just on election outcomes, but on how voters interpret the values behind the labels. In Otero County, the ballot is more than a civic duty—it’s a referendum on identity, authenticity, and the future of politics in rural and southern New Mexico.

Sources:

Pew Research Center – Faith and Flag Conservatives

Source NM – Amy Barela elected GOP Chair

KRQE – Barela Named GOP Chair

New Mexico GOP – 2025 Constitutional Conservatives in Otero County

AlamogordoTownNews.com – Candidate profiles and election coverage.

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