REPUBLICAN HOUSE MINORITY LEADER NATE GENTRY SAYS HE WANTS TO DEVOTE MORE TIME TO HIS FAMILY AND HIS PARENTS’ SERIOUS HEALTH ISSUE. GENTRY SAYS HE WON’T RUN FOR RE-ELECTION IN NOVEMBER. THE SANTA FE NEW MEXICAN SAYS THIS NEWS COMES AS EIGHT HOUSE SEATS ARE NOW WIDE OPEN AND DEMOCRATS WANT TO HOLD ONTO GAINS AFTER THEY WON BACK THE CHAMBER IN 2016.
GENTRY SAYS BEING RE-ELECTED MEANS HOLDING DOWN A FULL TIME JOB AT THE LEGISLATURE … WITH ONLY PER DIEM BEING PAID TO LAWMAKERS, BUT NO SALARY.
THERE WILL BE A NEW STATE REPRESENTATIVE FOR NEW MEXICO DISTRICT 15 AFTER THE NEXT ELECTION. CURRENT REP SARAH MAESTAS BARNES SAYS SHE IS ALSO NOT RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION. DISTRICT 15 COVERS LOS RANCHOS, THE NORTH VALLEY AND FAR NORTHEAST HEIGHTS AND PART OF THE WEST SIDE.
BARNES, WHO WAS FIRST ELECTED IN 2014, HAS ENDORSED CITY COUNCILOR BRAD WINTER AS HER REPLACEMENT.
