Reporting from Roswell, NM — Former Lincoln County Commissioner Rex Wilson could soon be representing three southeastern New Mexico counties in the Legislature after officials in Chaves County recommended him as their choice to fill an open state Senate seat.
On Wednesday, the Chaves County Board of Commissioners voted 5-0 to send the name of Wilson, a Republican from Ancho, to the Senate District 33 seat, a district comprised of parts of Chaves, Lincoln and Otero counties. The seat had been held by Republican Nicholas Paul of Alamogordo, who abruptly resigned from the Senate last month, citing health concerns.
Wilson, who served as a Lincoln County Commissioner from 1997 to 2003 and is a rancher and former regional director for Presbyterian Health Services, was among eight applicants who addressed the commissioners during a two-hour meeting in Roswell, where he described himself as someone who appreciates the role of local government.
“I view this position as a position at the state level to support local government, not the other way around,” Wilson said about the Senate seat. He added that during his time in the healthcare field, he oversaw and grew programs in each of the three counties within the Senate District, and said that experience can be helpful in tackling the scarcity of healthcare in New Mexico.
“I think I have a cross-section and a diversity of experience in the three counties that the Senate represents,” Wilson said.
Under state law, when a legislative seat becomes vacant, the board of commissioners in each of the counties within that district sends the governor the name of one person to complete the unexpired term. The governor must select from the list submitted.
The Lincoln and Otero County Commissions will be holding a joint meeting on Friday at Eastern New Mexico University-Ruidoso, where they will interview the applicants for the Senate seat, according to the website of the Otero County Commission. Both commissions will then later hold meetings to decide on who to endorse for the position.
In addition to Wilson, the other applicants for the seat are Rudioso Mayor Lynn Crawford, state Rep. John Block (R-Alamogordo), former state Rep. Zach Cook (R-Ruidoso), Otero County Attorney Roy Nichols of La Luz, District 5 Lincoln County Commissioner Mark Fisher of Tinnie, Ben Luna, a conservative activist from Alamogordo and Matthew Wade, an attorney from Alamogordo.
According to data from the New Mexico Secretary of State’s office, as of October, Senate District 33 is home to 33,754 registered voters, of which 51% are registered Republicans, 23% are Democrats and 26% are either not registered with a political party or are registered with a minor political party.