Two face off for seat of state House GOP leader
High school teacher, retired Navy officer on ballot in HD 30 See TWO >> A6
A retired Navy commander and a high school teacher are competing to succeed Nate Gentry, the top Republican in the state House, in a battleground district that covers part of Albuquerque’s Northeast Heights.
Gentry, the House minority leader, is stepping down for family reasons after eight years in office, creating an open seat sought by Republican John L. Jones, a Navy retiree who also ran a water utility, and Democrat Natalie Figueroa, who teaches Spanish at Volcano Vista High School.
Both candidates say they would take a pragmatic approach to representing House District 30, which covers neighborhoods along Montgomery and Wyoming NE.
Jones said he has decades of leadership experience that would be an asset in addressing New Mexico’s problems.
“I’m frustrated with where we are,” he said. “I’m just looking for practical, ethical, common-sense solutions to move us forward.”
Figueroa said her education experience gives her a broad background in dealing with all kinds of people, families and ideas.
“I’m a teacher, not a politician,” Figueroa said. “I’m not driven by politics.”
Figueroa ran for the seat in 2016, facing off against Gentry. It was a close race, and she lost by 4 percentage points.
Voters in the district preferred Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump in that year’s presidential election by a significant margin, according to the online Daily Kos news site.
Jones hasn’t run for office before. He is married to Janice Arnold-Jones, a former state representative now running for Congress.
Figueroa and Jones disagree over a proposed constitutional amendment that would withdraw more money from the state’s Land Grant Permanent Fund to expand early childhood education programs and services.
Jones opposes the proposal, noting that New Mexico has increased funding for early childhood programs in recent years, even as the state has faced budget shortfalls.
Figeuroa says she would support the amendment if it has a sunset clause and protections to ensure that the permanent fund would continue to grow.
The candidates also clash on the legalization of recreational marijuana for adults. Figueroa supports the idea, as long as driving under the influence and workplace safety are addressed.
Jones is opposed, he said, until there’s enough evidence from other states to evaluate the unintended consequences.
Both candidates have wellfunded campaigns, according to reports filed Oct. 8. Figueroa had about $47,000 in cash left heading into the final weeks of the campaign, and Jones had $42,000.
Democrats now hold a 38-32 advantage in the state House.