Voters to decide two Dems for District Court posts Bruce C. Fox Edward L. Benavidez
Bernalillo County voters will decide two Democratic primary contests June 7 for judicial posts in 2nd Judicial District Court.
The winners of those contests will likely run unopposed in the general election in November.
Division 10
Incumbent District Judge Bruce Fox faces challenger Edward Benavidez for the Division 10 post.
Fox was appointed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to the court’s Criminal Division in 2021. He previously served as chief judge for the Pueblo of Laguna and as a public defender in Albuquerque.
Fox received his law degree at Western New England University in 1989 and spent his entire professional career in New Mexico.
Benavidez has served three years as a prosecutor for the 2nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office. He also served as Bernalillo County Metro Court judge for 10 years but was not retained by voters in 2018.
Benavidez received his law degree from Western Michigan University Law School and has practiced law in Albuquerque for 27 years.
Division 16
Incumbent District Judge Jennifer Wernersbach faces challenger Emeterio Rudolfo for the Division 16 post.
Wernersbach was appointed to the bench by Lujan Grisham in 2021. She previously practiced as a criminal defense lawyer for 17 years.
Wernersbach received her law degree from the University of New Mexico in 2004.
Rudolfo has practiced law for 27 years, primarily in criminal defense. He also has served on the Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission.
He received his law degree from the UNM School of Law in 1995.
DIVISION 10
POLITICAL PARTY: Democratic OCCUPATION: District Court judge, 2nd Judicial District Court, Criminal Division 10, Albuquerque. CITY OF RESIDENCE: Albuquerque EDUCATION: Undergraduate B.A. dual degree in political science and English, University of Connecticut, 1985.; J.D., Western New England University, 1989. CAMPAIGN WEBSITE: KeepJudgeFox.com
POLITICAL PARTY: Democratic OCCUPATION: Retired under the Judicial Retirement Act from the Metropolitan Court in 2020. Currently working as a high school basketball and tennis coach. CITY OF RESIDENCE: Albuquerque EDUCATION: Juris Doctor from the Western Michigan University Law School. Bachelor of Arts in government from New Mexico State University. CAMPAIGN WEBSITE: N/A
Q&A
Why are you running and what strengths would you bring to the judiciary? FOX: I am honored to have been appointed judge, and knew that I would need to run in the next open election. Being judge has been the most challenging and rewarding experience of my career. I enjoy each day of work and each day apply my extensive legal and judicial experience. BENAVIDEZ: I am running because the citizens of Bernalillo County want a strong judge who will hold those accused and convicted of crimes accountable. I bring 27 years of criminal justice experience to the judiciary.
DIVISION 16 Emeterio L. Rudolfo
POLITICAL PARTY: Democratic OCCUPATION: Attorney CITY OF RESIDENCE: Albuquerque EDUCATION: B.A. in criminal justice from the University of New Mexico 1991; Juris Doctorate from the UNM School of Law 1995. CAMPAIGN WEBSITE: ElectEmet.com
Jennifer J. Wernersbach
POLITICAL PARTY: Democratic OCCUPATION: Judge, 2nd Judicial District Court, Division 16 CITY OF RESIDENCE: Albuquerque EDUCATION: University of New Mexico School of Law, Juris Doctorate, 2004; University of Tulsa, Bachelor of Science, 1998. CAMPAIGN WEBSITE: keepjudgewernersbach.com
Q&A
Why are you running and what strengths would you bring to the judiciary?
RUDOLFO: My parents taught me to not only count my blessings, but to make them count. I want to give back to the community by serving as a judge. I have the knowledge, temperament and experience required of a District Court judge. I tried cases from misdemeanors to murder. I have the work ethic that is needed to get through the back log of cases. WERNERSBACH: I am running because, after spending my career in the courts of this city as an advocate and now as a judge, I have a deep knowledge of the issues and opportunities in Albuquerque’s criminal justice system. This knowledge and experience enable me to be effective and fair as a judge, so that I can help our city flourish.