Sequel possible in East Mountains House race
Republican Gregg Schmedes won by less than a percentage point
SANTA FE — Voters in the East Mountains could be in for a rematch of one of the closest legislative races of 2018.
Democrat Jessica Velasquez, a smallbusiness owner and former teacher, has announced plans to run again in the district now held by Republican Rep. Gregg Schmedes, who won the seat by less than one percentage point last year.
The district covers much of the East Mountains and part of the Interstate 25 corridor just north of Albuquerque. It includes parts or all of San Felipe Pueblo, Algodones and Placitas.
Velasquez, who lives in Sandia Park, said she would push to improve rural internet access, protect water resources and bolster readiness to combat forest fires. Her background as a classroom teacher, she said, also gives her firsthand insight into the importance of improving New Mexico’s education system.
“I’m absolutely, deeply committed to our East Mountains communities,” she said. “It’s an incredibly diverse district.”
Velasquez and her husband own an electroplating company that works with precious metals.
Schmedes, a surgeon from Tijeras, has represented House District 22 since mid-2018.
He defeated Velasquez by 140 votes in the general election.
Democrats hold a 46-24 majority in the House and a 26-16 edge in the Senate.
GRANTS: The state’s new
Outdoor Recreation Division has awarded $50,000 each to two groups that will work with entrepreneurs to grow New Mexico’s outdoor economy.
The grants, officials said, are the first of their kind — part of an initiative to promote New Mexico’s mountains, rivers and trails.
In Farmington, the San Juan College Enterprise Center will use the money to help entrepreneurs with outdoor product manufacturing and building businesses that offer guide services, river rafting, cycling and other outdoor experiences.
Creative Startups, a nonprofit group that has worked with Meow Wolf in Santa Fe, will team up with libraries in rural areas to offer workshops, mentoring and other services to businesses, including startups focused on the outdoors.
“These grants are the first step to assist small-business owners and communities with the tools they need to open up and grow outdoor recreation businesses,” Economic Development Secretary Alicia J. Keyes said in a written statement.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and legislators this year established a new Outdoor Recreation Division in the Economic Development Department. New Mexico is the fifth-largest state in the nation, by geographic area.