eNewMexican

A man of the House for 110 years and counting

The longest streak in New Mexico politics isn’t likely to end soon. A woman has never been elected speaker of the state House of Representatives — a span of 110 years, two world wars, a Dust Bowl and more wildfires than the lumber companies could count.

A breakthrough seemed possible because of the upcoming retirement of Speaker Brian Egolf, D-Santa Fe. But the possibility of a woman succeeding Egolf diminished as winter yielded to the infernos of spring.

Democratic Rep. Javier Martínez, the House majority leader for nine months, is positioned best to move up to speaker.

Martínez, 40, is a lawyer and community organizer from Albuquerque. He has none of Egolf’s propensity for making enemies with fellow lawmakers.

Rep. Liz Thomson, a liberal Democrat from Albuquerque, regards herself as a long shot to seek the speaker’s post, partly because she sees almost no chance to defeat Martínez.

“If I were a betting woman, and I’m not, I would bet on Javier,” Thomson said.

She isn’t ruling out the possibility of running for speaker, but only because House Democrats have witnessed unpredictable and seismic shifts in power.

Martínez’s immediate predecessor as majority leader,

Rep. Sheryl Williams Stapleton, D-Albuquerque, resigned from office last summer after being accused of stealing vast sums while she was an administrator of Albuquerque Public Schools. Criminal charges have been filed against Williams Stapleton.

Martínez needed only one ballot to defeat Thomson and long-winded Rep. Miguel Garcia of Albuquerque for majority leader. That history — coupled with Thomson’s assessment that Martínez is a good listener who has performed well — make it unlikely anyone else can emerge as a serious contender for speaker.

Democrats control the House of Representatives 45-24. There also is one independent member. Gender is almost even,

36 women and 34 men.

The Democrats’ margin might shrink a bit after a midterm election that should help Republicans. But Democrats will still dominate the House, meaning they will elect the speaker if they close ranks.

Is there any chance they might splinter? The primary election June 7 should provide the answer.

Rep. Patty Lundstrom, D-Gallup, has made $1,000 contributions to four conservative Democrats challenging more liberal lawmakers in the primary. Some see it as a signal Lundstrom might compete for

speaker if a conservative wave washes over the Democratic side of the House.

Lundstrom did not respond to questions about whether she is interested in running. A House member for 20 years, she already holds a powerful job as chairwoman of the Appropriations and Finance Committee.

Even if conservative Democrats defeated a few progressives, Lundstrom couldn’t beat Martínez for the Democratic plurality. She would need support from Republican House members to be elected speaker.

That would be difficult, especially in the Trump era. Nothing would sting more than a politician being labeled a RINO — Republican in name only — for backing a Democrat to lead the House of Representatives.

More than a decade has gone by since a dissident Democrat sought Republican votes in hopes of seizing the top job in the House. Then-Rep. Joe Cervantes, D-Las Cruces, maneuvered in 2011 to oust the late Democratic Speaker Ben Luján of Nambé.

Cervantes’ plan fizzled. Newly elected Republicans didn’t want their first vote in the House to be for a Democrat, any Democrat.

Luján was reelected speaker with all Democrats except one supporting him. Rep. Andy Nuñez, said “present” instead of voting for Luján. The speaker retaliated by stripping Nuñez of a committee chairmanship.

Cervantes tried to displace a 36-year legislative veteran in Luján. Though Martínez has been in the House for only seven years, he might be in a stronger position than Luján was. Democrats have a much larger majority now than they did when Cervantes moved against Luján.

If Martínez has done anything to alienate fellow Democrats, no one in the chamber is talking about it. He’s ambitious, as evidenced by the fact that he ran for majority leader after only two years in office. He lost that race to Williams Stapleton, which only seemed to make Martínez work harder.

His policy positions don’t endear him to Republicans. For instance, Martínez headed south last month so he could answer one of the Republicans’ persistent criticisms.

“I was checking out the ‘border crisis’ the GOP is talking about,” Martínez wrote in a text message. “It looked fine to me. Lots of economic activity going on, lots of trans-border trade and investments.”

Martínez is the front-runner. And he’s young enough to hold the speaker’s job for a decade or even two if he wins.

Thomson sees Martínez prevailing unless something extraordinary occurs.

“I’m not entirely out,” Thomson said. “If some planets aligned perfectly, I suppose I could still run.”

It’s more likely Thomson will cast her vote for Martínez — young man on a fast track.

Ringside Seat is an opinion column about people, politics and news. Contact Milan Simonich at msimonich@sfnewmexican.com or 505-986-3080.

LOCAL & REGION

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2022-05-20T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-05-20T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://enewmexican.pressreader.com/article/281663963618702

Santa Fe New Mexican