Legislature to welcome some 19 newcomers

As the smoke clears from the 2018 general election, it looks as if 19 of the 70 members of the New Mexico House of Representatives will be newcomers.

Assuming recounts don’t overturn any of the unofficial outcomes, Democrats will expand their control of the House by a net gain of eight seats.

Three seats, including one in which a Democrat leads and one where a Republican is ahead, are likely headed for automatic recounts.

This year’s election will see the biggest influx of new members since 2010, the year of the tea party, which saw 12 new members, 11 of them Republicans, win seats in the House.

But the number of state lawmakers about to take office doesn’t break the record. Current Republican leaders can take some comfort in the fact that the eight seats they apparently lost doesn’t represent the biggest GOP disaster in

New Mexico electoral history.

Back in 1954 — the first midterm after Dwight D. Eisenhower’s election as president — Republicans saw their 28-27 advantage in the New Mexico House of Representatives turn to a 51-4 disadvantage, which means there were at least 23 new members in the 1955 legislative session.

Here’s a look at the latest surge of newcomers:

Democrats who defeated Republican incumbents

Retired coal miner Anthony Allison of Fruitland defeated three-term Rep. Sharon Clahchischilliage of Kirtland.

Melanie Stansbury, who has worked for the White House Office of Management and Budget and the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, beat seventerm Rep. Jimmie Hall of Albuquerque.

Joy Garratt, an Albuquerque educator, defeated two-term Rep. David Adkins.

Willie Madrid, a high school football coach from Chaparral, defeated Ricky Little, who served three terms in the House.

Retired minister Karen Bash of Albuquerque will replace three-term incumbent Rep. Monica Youngblood.

And in a race likely headed to a recount, engineer Abbas Akhil leads two-term Rep. Jim Dines of Albuquerque by 99 votes. Democrats who won open seats held by Republicans

Lawyer Day Hochman-Vigil of Albuquerque beat longtime Albuquerque City Councilor Brad Winter. The seat has been held by Rep. Sarah Maestas Barnes, who decided to retire after two terms.

Retired physician William Pratt of Albuquerque defeated Republican Robert Godshall for the seat formerly held by the late Rep. Larry Larrañaga, who died in October.

Teacher Natalie Figueroa defeated Republican John Jones for the seat currently held by GOP floor leader Nate Gentry, who did not seek re-election. Republican who outpolled incumbent Democrat

Farmer and rancher Martin Zamora of Clovis leads four-term incumbent George Dodge of Santa Rosa by 26 votes in a race likely headed for recount. This was the closest legislative race in the state this year. Democrats who defeated incumbents in primaries

Andrea Romero, former executive director of the Regional Coalition of LANL Communities, beat incumbent Carl Trujillo in the Democratic primary in June. She fended off write-in candidate Heather Nordquist in the general election.

Susan Herrera, founding executive director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory Foundation, ousted 13-term incumbent Debbie Rodella in the Democratic primary. Herrera was not opposed in the general election.

Ray Lara, program coordinator for Gadsden Independent School District, beat incumbent Rep. Bealquin “Bill” Gomez in the Democratic primary. Lara was not opposed in the general election. Democrats who captured open Democratic seats Joseph Sanchez of Alcalde, who is CEO of Jemez Mountains Electric Cooperative, defeated independent candidate Tweeti Blancett in the district represented since the early 1970s by Rep. Nick Salazar of Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, who retired from the Legislature.

Los Alamos County Councilor Christine Chandler defeated Republican Lisa Shin for the seat that Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard left to make a successful run for state land commissioner. Republicans taking open Republican seats

In another race likely headed to a recount, physician Gregg Schmedes of Tijeras is leading Democrat Jessica Velasquez by 149 votes. Technically, Schmedes is an incumbent. Gov. Susana Martinez appointed the assistant professor of surgery at the University of New Mexico to the House after Republican Rep. Jim Smith stepped down after the 2018 Legislature adjourned. But Schmedes has yet to experience a session of the Legislature, so he’ll be a newcomer to the House in January.

Rachel Black of Alamogordo, currently chief deputy treasurer of Otero County, defeated Democrat Jeff Swanson for the seat that Rep. Yvette Herrell gave up to run — unsuccessfully — for Congress.

Rancher Jack Chatfield of Mosquero defeated Democrat Mark McDonald in the Northeastern New Mexico district currently held by retiring Rep. Dennis Roch of Logan.

Phelps Anderson, a Roswell oilman who ran unopposed in the general election, won the seat currently held by retiring Rep. Bob Wooley of Roswell. Anderson won’t exactly be a newcomer to the Legislature. He served three terms in the House more than 35 years ago (1977 to 1981).