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US: Martínez Nominated To Serve As House Speaker

Published

2 years ago

Nov 13, 2022.

Democrats have agreed to nominate Javier Martínez, a progressive whose district covers Downtown Albuquerque, to serve as New Mexico’s next speaker of the House, widely considered the most powerful legislative post at the Capitol.

Eko Hot Blog reports that Martínez, 41, was picked in a closed-door meeting of the House Democratic caucus, a group that includes incumbents who won reelection this week and winning candidates set to start their first term next year.

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In the meeting, the Democratic caucus chose Rep. Gail Chasey of Albuquerque as majority floor leader, Reena Szczepanski of Santa Fe as majority whip, and Raymundo “Ray” Lara of Chamberino as chair of the caucus.

In an interview, Martínez listed public safety, help for working families and education as immediate priorities for the 60-day session that begins Jan. 17.

The election of Martínez as House speaker will require a full vote of the chamber when the 60-day session begins Jan. 17. But Democrats are set to hold a 45-25 majority, according to unofficial election results, making their nominee well-positioned to take the top job.

Martínez would succeed Speaker Brian Egolf, a Santa Fe lawyer who didn’t seek reelection to the Legislature. Egolf has led the House since 2017.

Martínez would become the 30th person to serve as a speaker since statehood.

He served as House majority floor leader in the last session and is a former chairman of the House Taxation and Revenue Committee.

He has carried legislation on cannabis legalization, expungement of cannabis-related charges from court records and tax policy. He was a driving force behind the push to tap more heavily into New Mexico’s largest permanent fund to pay for early childhood education and public schools.

Martínez was born in El Paso but spent much of his childhood in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, until he was 7. He spoke only Spanish — other than the English he picked up in cartoons — when his family moved to Albuquerque.

He joined the state House of Representatives in 2015 when Republicans held a narrow majority. Outside the Roundhouse, he serves as executive director of the Partnership for Community Action, a nonprofit group that works with immigrant families.

The leadership election comes after Democrats managed to hold on to their recent gains in the House in the general election. They are set to hold 45 of 70 seats this year, the same number as in this year’s sessions.

Republicans had been optimistic they would gain ground this year amid high gas prices, inflation and concern over crime. The party holding the presidency — Democrats this year — often loses ground at midterm elections.

Even while maintaining 45 seats, the Democratic majority will have some new faces. Seven newly elected Democrats are set to serve in their first legislative session next year, and another, Joseph Sanchez, is returning after having run unsuccessfully for Congress in 2020.

Women make up two-thirds of the Democratic caucus, or 30 of the 45 members.

Chasey, previously chairwoman of the Judiciary Committee, is the longest-serving member of the House, having served since 1996. She will become the majority leader.