Billie Helean
Billie Helean (Democratic Party) ran for election to the New Mexico House of Representatives to represent District 57. She lost in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Helean completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.
Elections
2020
See also: New Mexico House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for New Mexico House of Representatives District 57
Incumbent Jason Harper defeated Billie Helean in the general election for New Mexico House of Representatives District 57 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Jason Harper (R) | 52.2 | 8,220 | |
| Billie Helean (D) | 47.8 | 7,536 | ||
| Total votes: 15,756 | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for New Mexico House of Representatives District 57
Billie Helean advanced from the Democratic primary for New Mexico House of Representatives District 57 on June 2, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Billie Helean | 100.0 | 2,794 | |
| Total votes: 2,794 | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for New Mexico House of Representatives District 57
Incumbent Jason Harper advanced from the Republican primary for New Mexico House of Representatives District 57 on June 2, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Jason Harper | 100.0 | 2,411 | |
| Total votes: 2,411 | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2018
General election
General election for New Mexico House of Representatives District 57
Incumbent Jason Harper defeated Billie Helean in the general election for New Mexico House of Representatives District 57 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Jason Harper (R) | 51.1 | 5,250 | |
| Billie Helean (D) | 48.9 | 5,033 | ||
| Total votes: 10,283 | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for New Mexico House of Representatives District 57
Billie Helean advanced from the Democratic primary for New Mexico House of Representatives District 57 on June 5, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Billie Helean | 100.0 | 1,274 | |
| Total votes: 1,274 | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for New Mexico House of Representatives District 57
Incumbent Jason Harper advanced from the Republican primary for New Mexico House of Representatives District 57 on June 5, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Jason Harper | 100.0 | 900 | |
| Total votes: 900 | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Billie Helean completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Helean's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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As a teacher I see the needs of the families in our community every day in my classroom. I have also had thousands of conversations with voters. I hear what families need, and I want to work to address those needs. I have 30 combined years of experience in corporate administration, small business ownership, and teaching. I'm also an active community member, and I have advocated for many groups of people: women, minorities, children, and the elderly, just to name a few. I chose New Mexico as my home in 1997, and my family and I chose our district for its schools 13 years ago. Because of my experience and my commitment to this community I will lead with compassion and a willingness to listen.
- On education: First, I will continue work already begun on education. In the next session we'll need to address a budget shortfall because of these economically trying times, but I believe the shortfall should not be fixed at the expense of our children.
- On infrastructure: I will address infrastructure needs in our community. The closure has highlighted the need for additional broadband access.
- On transparency: I will encourage transparency in our government so that my neighbors can be confident that they know what's happening in state government, such as with capital outlay spending in the district.
I am very passionate about education. As a teacher I see the impact education can have on children's lives. That impact ripples out through the community through their families, their activities, and their accomplishments as they go through life. I'm also very concerned about our economy - particularly in light of the budget shortfalls we face due to the COVID crisis. Another area that I'm concerned about is our infrastructure. The virus has revealed many areas that need improvement, and our access to broadband in this area requires attention. And, finally, I'm invested in ensuring that government at all levels is run with transparency, so that the people in my neighborhood know exactly what's happening on their behalf.
I look up to many influential leaders. Of all of them the one I whose example I would like to follow most is Michelle Obama. She exemplifies the things I believe in most deeply: determination, effort, and compassion. She overcame incredible obstacles to become a well-educated and influential lawyer. She used her education and influence to help lift up others. Those are all things that I aspire to do every day.
For an elected official to be truly effective, I believe that they must be willing to listen to their constituents and to respond compassionately to any of their concerns. I also think that elected officials must be determined to provide the best possible outcomes to challenges for their constituents. But, most importantly, I think elected officials must be willing to take a step back and allow their constituents' voices to be heard. After all, service is not about self, it's about those around you.
I believe that my most important asset is that I am passionate about listening to my neighbors and responding with compassion to their concerns. I am determined to provide the best possible outcomes to challenges we face. But, most importantly, I am committed to allowing others' voices to be heard. To me, service is not about making myself more important, but about making the needs of my community more important.
I have vague memories of some major historical events throughout my childhood. The one I remember the most is when the hostages were released from Iranian captivity in January of 1981. I remember, so clearly, the images on TV of the hostages when they stepped off the plane in Algeria. Their smiles made me feel like there was hope for the world.
I held my first job when I was 15 years old. I was a server at Baskin-Robbins, which was delicious fun! My favorite part of the job was training, because we got to take our creations home at the end of our shift. I don't remember how long I worked there, but I enjoyed it and have very fond memories of my time scooping ice cream.
The song that is currently stuck in my head is "I'll Be There" by Jess Glynne. I love this song, because it embodies who I believe myself to be: Someone who is there when you need someone to care about you.
It may be beneficial so that procedures and such are known, but I believe that experience in the community, and a willingness to listen and support the families there, are much more critical. Knowing the community and the people one represents are keys to successful leadership.
Representative Liz Thomson, House District 24, is a woman that I admire for her compassionate leadership in the legislature. She is intelligent, strong, and cares deeply for the well-being of her community. Her commitment to service and transparency are the things I'd most like to model.
One of my neighbors told me about how her husband was dealing with a terminal illness. He was bed-ridden at the time, and she was house-bound. She wasn't aware of the resources available to her that would help her with his care, as well as her own well-being during his illness. It was heart-breaking to hear that she hadn't left her home in months (pre-COVID). I was very glad to help her find resources in the community that made it possible for her to leave her husband in expert hands while she pursued self-care.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
2020 Elections
External links
Footnotes
