Two Democrats are looking to face an incumbent Republican in a deep-red district.
The seat is currently held by Rep. John Block, R-Alamogordo, who is running for re-election this year.
The two Democrats are Ashlie Myers, a 44-year-old cancer survivor, and Steve “Tio” Brockett, a 69-year-old retired small business owner.
Myers is running for office “because the man that has the office right now has done basically nothing for Otero County and he files bills that don’t go anywhere. I feel like he just plays partisan games and I’m tired of watching that. I’m so tired of watching the partisanship on both sides. I’m sick of it. People need to work together.”
The mother of a 16-year old also said she was running for the Democratic nomination against Brockett due to his age and the general age gap among legislators.
“He’s cool. I like him a lot. And I decided to do it anyway, because he’s going to be 70,” Myers said. “I just think we need some younger blood around everywhere.”
Brockett, a father and grandfather, is running to represent those of a more moderate persuasion.
“The biggest reason is just to represent the people here. I’m a moderate,” Brockett said. “I think one of the main reasons is because I know being a small businessman and going back and working for family also was there. It seems like there’s a lot that the state could do better in terms of things like, you know, the agencies you have to deal with.”
Brockett was an Alamogordo City Commissioner from 2006-2008 and served as mayor from 2008 until August 2009 when he had to quit to take care of his father who had become ill after Brockett’s mother died that July.
Otero County has always leant conservative even when it was predominantly represented by Democrats, Brockett said.
Block, 27, is currently running for re-election unopposed in the primary.
“Well, all I will say is, you know, these past two years representing House District 51,” Block said. “I’ve worked my butt off for the community and I’ve done everything possible to champion the conservative message in Santa Fe and across the state. And I’m confident that the voters of New Mexico District 51 are going to do the right thing and send a fighter back to Santa Fe. And I think it’s admirable that anyone wants to run for public office and, you know, everyone has the right to do so.”
Block was elected in 2020. He is the youngest member of the legislature and the only member of Generation Z in the legislature.
The New Mexico Primary is June 4.
Primary candidate filing days are Feb. 6, 2024 for pre-primary designation candidates, March 12 for all other offices and candidates who failed to receive party designation and March 19 for write-in candidates and final opportunity for pre-primary designation candidates who failed to receive party designation.
