The New Mexico Republican Party has called on Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham to promptly nominate a candidate for the vacant Senate District 33 seat. The demand comes as the legislative session approaches, with the seat remaining unfilled since Senator Nicholas Paul resigned due to health issues in October. The district encompasses parts of Chaves, Otero, and Lincoln counties.
Local county commissioners have nominated three candidates: Mark Fischer, chairman of the Lincoln County Commission; Rex Wilson, a former Lincoln County commissioner; and John Block, a Republican member of the state House from Alamogordo. In a press release, the GOP emphasized the urgency of filling the seat, stating that the appointed individual would face significant challenges in representing constituents if the nomination occurs just before the legislative session begins.
The Republican Party accused the governor of engaging in “political games,” highlighting the impending deadline for submitting capital outlay requests for the 2026 session, which is set for Monday. Leticia Muñoz, Executive Director of the state Republican Party, stated, “There’s really no excuse for the governor to stall this nomination. This will hurt the people of SD-33 if they do not have representation by the capital outlay deadline.”
As the political landscape evolves, the campaign committee for U.S. House Democrats has spotlighted Representative Gabe Vasquez. He is actively addressing the use of drones by criminal cartels along the U.S.-Mexico border. Vasquez, who holds a moderate stance among New Mexico’s Democratic lawmakers, represents a district that is closely divided, extending from the Albuquerque area to the border. He won elections in 2022 and 2024, despite the Republican gubernatorial and presidential candidates narrowly winning the district in those years.
Vasquez’s race faces increasing competition, with several Republicans contesting the seat and a Democratic primary challenger emerging from the left. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee highlighted his initiatives, referencing two bills introduced in December aimed at countering cartel threats. According to Anna Elsasser, spokesperson for the committee, “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.”
In a lighter development, the Santa Fe County Clerk’s Office recently concluded a vote to name its high-speed ballot sorting machine. The winning name, “Poll McCartney,” received 20 votes, narrowly defeating “Count Factula,” which garnered 16 votes. Other contenders, including “Martin Sort,” “ZiaSort,” and “Liberty,” were eliminated in earlier rounds of ranked choice voting. Poll McCartney maintained a lead from the first round, indicating its popularity among voters.
As the political landscape in New Mexico continues to shift, the call for swift action on the Senate seat vacancy and the ongoing election dynamics highlight the critical engagement of both parties in shaping the future of the state’s representation.
