Republicans Rule the NM House: a truly historical occasion

As of Wednesday morning, November 5, it appears that New Mexico’s House of Representatives will be controlled 37-33 by Republicans. See this article from Rob Nikolewski at NM Watchdog for more details and comments.

The last election that saw Republicans in New Mexico elected to control the House also saw former Allied Commander Dwight Eisenhower elected for his first term in the White House (1952). In other words, New Mexico’s Democrats have had a stranglehold on New Mexico’s Legislature for decades. That is at once an impressive display of political power and a cause of many of New Mexico’s economic and education woes.

It is now time for a Republican-led House and a Republican Governor to work together to push the best reforms that can be had in a Legislature that is still half controlled by Democrats with left-wing Majority Leader Michael Sanchez leading the Senate and controlling its agenda.

Only time will tell whether Sanchez is willing to compromise for the benefit of New Mexicans or whether he’ll be an intractable opponent.