Amy Barela

Otero County Commissioner Amy Barela has the inside track in the race to become the next chair of the NM Republican Party, according to GOP sources.

Former US Rep. Steve Pearce has led the state's minority party since 2018 but at 77 is now retiring, leaving NMGOP First Vice-Chair Barela as the favorite to succeed him. 

The new leader will be selected this Saturday by over 500 members of the party's State Central Committee at a meeting at T or C. 

Having previously been elected Vice-Chair by many of those delegates gives Barela the edge, report observers.

She says on her social media that for the past decade she has "been a steadfast community leader." As for her priorities if elected, she declares: 

Now, more than ever, we must fight for New Mexicans—defending their constitutional rights, supporting our legislators in their efforts to combat out-of-control crime, and ensuring that law enforcement has the support they need. We must also bring awareness to the challenges New Mexicans face, including the state of our schools, rising prices, and the healthcare crisis. These are New Mexican issues and addressing them starts with voting differently to bring real change to our state.

Barela was elected to the Otero commission in 2022 and is a bedrock southern conservative. She won the seat held by Sheriff Couy Griffin, the Cowboys for Trump co-founder who was removed from office for the role he played in the the January 6 violent uprising at the nation's capitol.

Barela is also a former chair of the Otero county GOP and a small businesswoman who owns a towing company and a wrecking service. Her election as chair would keep the leadership rooted in Trump country.

She is not without competition. ABQ contractor Mick Rich, who was the losing GOP nominee against Dem US Senator Martin Heinrich in 2018, is also running. Other candidates are John Brenna, the Valencia County GOP chairman, Robert Kwasny of ABQ and Mark Murton, a Sandia Lab's management retiree. State Sen. Josh Sanchez announced for the post but has since dropped out.

Rich is signaling that if he does not win the chairmanship he may join the 2025 race for ABQ mayor, joining incumbent Tim Keller and radio talk show host Eddy Aragon, who was defeated by Keller in 2021 and has announced he is running again.

SHUTOUT

The GOP is currently shut out of all statewide executive elected offices as well as the Governor's office and the NM Supreme Court. 

The Democrats sport large majorities in the House and Senate and unlike the past there is no conservative coalition with Dems to give the minority party a larger voice.

There was a glimmer of hope for the party when Trump did better than expected this year with Hispanic and Navajo voters. The new chair will have to work to translate that shift to local races especially the '26 Governor and US Senate contests. 

HARRIS MEMORIAL 

A memorial service has been announced for former US Sen. Fred Harris who died recently at 94:

A Memorial for Fred will be held on Saturday, December 14, 2024 at the National Hispanic Cultural Center Education Building, 1701 4th Street SW in Albuquerque, NM at 2 PM.

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