2024 June primary: Who filed to run for New Mexico Legislature, San Juan County office?
Filing day for public offices in San Juan County unfolded on Tuesday, March 12 with a handful of surprises, including an incumbent New Mexico lawmaker who chose not to seek reelection.
There will be 20 positions open across the county, and 20 people filed their candidacy on Tuesday. Some races will see numerous candidates, while in a few others, no county resident is running.
County Clerk Tanya Shelby said would-be candidates filtered in gradually throughout the day — a bit of a change from the usual pace, she said, when some political hopefuls typically are waiting at the door at 9 a.m. to file when the office opens for business.
“It was a good day,” Shelby said of the slow but steady pace.
The biggest surprise of the day was an apparent decision by state Rep. Ryan Lane, R-Aztec, in District 3, who opted not to seek reelection. Lane serves as the House Republican leader and has served two terms in office. He was first elected in November 2020.
Lane, an Aztec attorney, said in a March 13 news release that he made the decision to walk away from the Legislature only shortly before the filing date.
More: Ryan Lane, a newly-elected state representative, says economic development is needed
“Our caucus has shown tremendous growth over the last year and as much as I love leading this group of legislators, my family comes first,” he stated in the release.
Filing for Lane’s seat was Aztec Republican William A. Hall II. No Democratic candidates filed for the seat.
Other New Mexico lawmakers not seeking reelection
In House District 4, incumbent Anthony Allison, D-Fruitland, also did not file for reelection, leading to an apparent wide-open competition for his seat. Four hopefuls filed to replace him. The list includes three Democrats — Cheryl L. George of Shiprock, Christina J. Aspaas of Fruitland and Joseph Franklin Hernandez of Shiprock — and Republican Lincoln Mark of Waterflow.
Another open seat in the Legislature, that of the District 2 seat of state Sen. Steve Neville, R-Aztec, who announced his retirement in February, drew two candidates. Democrat Songtree L. Pioche of Bloomfield filed for the seat, as did Republican Steve Lanier of Aztec, a current member of the San Juan County Commission.
More: Longtime San Juan County lawmaker Steve Neville will not seek reelection
Candidates seeking New Mexico Senate seats
Another state Senate seat in San Juan County up for election in this cycle is the District 1 seat held by incumbent William Sharer. Sharer, a Farmington business owner who has held the seat since 2001, filed for reelection and will be seeking his seventh term.
No San Juan County candidates filed for the state Senate seats in districts 3, 4 or 22, but those district boundaries cross county lines, and the races drew hopefuls from other counties. In District 3, Democratic incumbent Sen. Shannon Pinto of Tohatchi, who has held the office since 2019, filed to run again and will face challenger Sherylene M. Yazzie of Brimhall in the primary.
In District 4, Democratic incumbent Sen. George Muñoz of Gallup will face Democratic challenger Keith Edward Hillock of Gallup in the primary. And in District 22, Democratic incumbent Sen. Benny Shendo Jr. of Jemez Pueblo filed for reelection and did not draw any opposition.
New Mexico elections: Plan for the June primaries
New Mexico House races
In the state House, incumbent District 1 Rep. Rod Montoya, R-Farmington, filed for reelection, but he will face a primary opponent, as fellow Republican Keith Mitchell Neil of Farmington filed to run against him.
In the District 2 House race, incumbent Mark Duncan, R-Farmington, filed for reelection and did not draw any opposition.
The districts 5, 65 and 69 state House races did not draw any San Juan County hopefuls. But the boundaries for those districts also cross county lines, and residents of other counties filed for those seats.
In District 5, Democratic incumbent Rep. Wonda Johnson of Church Rock filed for reelection and did not draw any opposition.
In District 65, Democratic incumbent Rep. Derrick Lente of Sandia Pueblo filed for reelection and did not draw any opposition.
And in District 69, Democratic incumbent Rep. Harry Garcia of Grants will face Democratic challenger Michelle P. Abeyta of Tohajilee in the primary.
San Juan County area races, candidates
The non-legislative races on the ballot also featured some new faces. 11th Judicial District Attorney Rick Tedrow did not file for reelection, leading Farmington lawyer and former San Juan County Commissioner Jack Fortner to file for the position.
In the county clerk’s race, Shelby, the incumbent, was unable to seek reelection because of term limits. Republican Alyssa Kuhn, the chief deputy clerk, was the only candidate to file for that office.
Incumbent Carol Taulbee, a Republican, filed for reelection for San Juan County treasurer, drawing no opposition.
The race for the District 3 seat on the San Juan County Commission being vacated by Steve Lanier as he mounts a campaign for the District 2 state Senate seat drew three Republican hopefuls — Scott Eckstein, currently a member of the Bloomfield City Council; James Crowley, currently a member of the Aztec City Commission; and Sandra Lanier, the wife of Steve Lanier. No Democrats filed for the seat.
Republican incumbent Terri Fortner was the only candidate to file for the District 4 seat on the County Commission, but the District 5 seat held by John Beckstead, who did not file for reelection, will be decided among two Republican candidates — Randon Matthews of Farmington and Sam Gonzales of Aztec.
The race for the District 10 seat on the New Mexico Public Education Commission did not draw any San Juan County residents, but Democratic incumbent Steven Carrillo of Santa Fe filed for reelection and was unopposed.
In the race for the 11th Judicial District Judgeship Division 7, no San Juan County residents filed. But Democratic incumbent Douglas Decker of McKinley County is seeking reelection and drew no opposition.
Shelby, the San Juan County clerk, said his office has until Tuesday, March 19 to certify the people who filed on Tuesday as qualified or disqualified candidates for those offices. She said some candidates who drew no declared opposition on Tuesday could still face opponents in the general election, as the deadline for independent candidates to file for those offices is not until June 27.
Mike Easterling can be reached at 505-564-4610 or measterling@daily-times.com. Support local journalism with a digital subscription: http://bit.ly/2I6TU0e.
This article originally appeared on Farmington Daily Times: New Mexico GOP House leader Ryan Lane of Aztec won't seek reelection
