Vacancy Battle in New Mexico House | Santa Fe News

A political showdown erupts in southern New Mexico as Democrats and Republicans clash over who should fill a vacant state House seat. Former Rep. Joanne Ferrary’s early departure has ignited a tug-of-war between House Speaker Javier Martínez and Minority Leader Gail Armstrong, with Armstrong urging county commissioners to avoid appointing Democratic candidate Lori Martinez—arguing it would unfairly skew the election. Martínez counters that the appointment doesn’t undermine voters’ power. This isn’t the first time legislators have left early, often to boost a successor’s seniority, and while a bipartisan bill to streamline vacancy procedures was proposed last year, it stalled. With the seat entirely within Doña Ana County, commissioners hold the final say—and they’ve yet to schedule a vote, as early voting looms in October. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/d687c4cd83b8ea62