The New Mexico Republican Party has called on Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham to promptly fill the vacant Senate District 33 seat, which has remained unoccupied since Nicholas Paul resigned in October due to health issues. The party has requested that the governor nominate a replacement by the end of the week, as the legislative session is approaching.
Senate District 33, located in the southeastern part of the state, encompasses areas within Chaves, Otero, and Lincoln counties. Following Paul’s resignation, local county commissioners have put forward three candidates for consideration: Mark Fischer, the chairman of the Lincoln County Commission; Rex Wilson, a former Lincoln County commissioner; and John Block, a Republican state House member from Alamogordo.
In a news release, the GOP expressed concerns about the timing of the appointment. They stated, “Whoever is nominated to fill this vacancy will be completely disadvantaged in their efforts to represent their constituents in southern New Mexico. This nomination, if the governor even makes it, will be just days, or hours, before legislative session begins, which is completely unacceptable, especially in a Republican district like SD-33.”
The party accused the governor of engaging in “political games,” especially given that the deadline for submitting capital outlay requests for the 2026 session is on Monday. According to Leticia Muñoz, the state party’s Executive Director, the absence of timely representation could negatively impact the residents of SD-33. “There’s really no excuse for the governor to stall this nomination,” she commented. “This will hurt the people of SD-33 if they do not have representation by the capital outlay deadline. Governor Lujan Grisham is making this political with the intention of disadvantaging our caucus prior to the most important legislative session in our state’s history.”
Political Landscape in New Mexico
In related news, the campaign committee for U.S. House Democrats has highlighted Rep. Gabe Vasquez‘s recent initiatives aimed at countering the use of drones by criminal cartels along the U.S.-Mexico border. Vasquez serves a district that stretches from the Albuquerque area to the border, a region that is closely divided politically. He was elected in 2022 and 2024, despite the Republican candidates for governor and president narrowly winning in the same district.
Vasquez’s race is becoming increasingly competitive, with multiple Republicans challenging him and a left-leaning Democratic primary opponent emerging. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has praised Vasquez for his proactive approach, stating, “Gabe Vasquez is taking action with real, bipartisan solutions to get ahead of cartel threats — proving that he will always lead on defending national security and keeping border communities safe.”
The release from the committee included links to several articles, including two from Organ Mountain News in December, covering two bills that Vasquez introduced to address these security concerns.
Santa Fe County Clerk’s Office Initiative
In a lighter development, the Santa Fe County Clerk’s Office has announced the winner of a public vote to name its high-speed ballot sorting machine. The name Poll McCartney secured victory with a total of 20 votes, edging out the second-place contender, Count Factula, which received 16 votes. Other contenders such as Martin Sort, ZiaSort, and Liberty were eliminated in earlier rounds of ranked choice voting.
This naming process mirrors previous instances of real-life ranked choice voting in Santa Fe, where Poll McCartney maintained a slight lead from the outset. The results were posted on the county clerk’s website, showcasing community engagement in local governance.
As the political landscape in New Mexico evolves, the actions of both the Republican Party and Democratic representatives will shape the future of representation in the state. The urgency of these developments highlights the importance of timely leadership and responsiveness in governance.
