Jim Townsend of Artesia announces bid for GOP nomination to NM's Senate District 34 seat
New Mexico State Rep. Jim Townsend (R-54) said he’s running for the Republican nomination for Senate District 34, a seat presently held by Sen. Ron Griggs of Alamogordo.
The nominee chosen in the Republican primary election will be on the ballot for the November 2024 election and assume office the following January.
Townsend held his seat in the New Mexico House of Representatives since 2015, rising to minority leader – a position he said he recently “relinquished.”
More: Oil and gas industry adds billions to New Mexico's budget as economists warn of volatility
“I’m finished in the House. I have relinquished my leadership roles,” Townsend said Thursday. “I still have energy and a desire to represent the constituents.”
District 34 covers parts of Eddy, Otero and Doña Ana counties.
It straddles New Mexico’s southeast region, known as a Republican stronghold, and the southwest portion of the state containing major urban areas around Las Cruces and communities along the U.S.-Mexico border.
More: 'Gerrymandering' lawsuit against New Mexico Democrats delayed ahead of trial
Griggs held the seat since 2012, previously serving as mayor of Alamogordo.
Townsend said the two have been allies in the two chambers of New Mexico’s Legislature, doing battle against New Mexico’s Democrat-controlled law-making body and its administration.
He said he became interested in the seat amid recent uncertainty if Griggs would seek reelection 2024 and decided to seek the nomination.
More: New Mexico lawmakers discuss nuclear impacts during meeting at Los Alamos National Lab
Griggs did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Carlsbad Current-Argus.
“I had heard during the last legislative session that he (Griggs) was considering if he should run again or not,” Townsend said. "I told him I was interested in the seat, and he said he hadn’t made up his mind. We will remain friends.”
If elected, Townsend will join a contingent of Republican lawmakers in the chamber from the southeast corner of the state, often representing oil and gas industry interests and conservative values, but he’ll be the only one from Eddy County.
More: Eddy, Lea and Chaves counties chose nominees to replace Sen. Gay Kernan
Sen. David Gallegos (R-41) of Eunice represented the region along with former-Sen. Gay Kernan (R-42) of Hobbs, who stepped down earlier this year.
The process is underway to appoint Kernan’s replacement with Eddy County commissioners nominating former-County Commissioner Steven McCutcheon and Lea County's board nominating State Rep. Larry Scott (R-62) of Hobbs. The Chaves County Commission also voted to nominate Scott.
More: President Biden faces criticism from oil and gas, environmentalist after New Mexico visit
The final decision will come down to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, picking from the county nominations.
Another southeast GOP lawmaker Sen. Cliff Pirtle (R-32) of Roswell, representing portions of Chaves, Eddy and Otero counties signaled earlier this year he would not seek reelection.
While the Republican Party has firm hold on the region, Townsend said Eddy County, which along with Lea County hosts the lion’s share of New Mexico’s oil and gas industry in the Permian Basin, needs better representation in the State Senate.
More: US Rep. Gabe Vasquez introduces bill to compensate New Mexico's oil workers for injuries
Oil and gas was recently credited with about half of New Mexico’s state revenue, and the state was propelled during the ongoing boom to become the second-biggest producer of oil following only Texas which shares the Permian Basin with New Mexico.
“I think Eddy County deserves more representation,” Townsend said. “My job is to represent the whole district, but I think having a sitting lawmaker in your county brings advantages. When you’re a county that does so much for the state, having a sitting senator is not too much to ask.”
If chosen by voters in 2024, Townsend said he would prioritize reforming education, asserting “fiscal responsibility” and support energy development in the state, potentially expanding to include renewable energy alongside oil and gas.
More: Oil demand to peak by 2033, followed by declining production in New Mexico, officials say
“We have renewables, we have nuclear projects, we have cities that need representation in Santa Fe,” Townsend said of Eddy County. “But the biggest issue senators have is listening to their constituents, not a personal initiative or political issue.”
Gallegos said he was unsure if Griggs would seek reelection but said either candidate would serve the Republican Party and region well in Santa Fe.
He said he worked with Townsend both in the oil and gas industry and in the New Mexico House, noting Townsend’s skills of negotiating often across the aisle with Democrats who control both chambers.
“Either one that gets in, they’re going to have to be able to find ways to get the other party to compromise,” Gallegos said. “I think both guys, as for how they’re looked by the other side, are favorable.”
Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, achedden@currentargus.com or @AdrianHedden on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Carlsbad Current-Argus: Rep. Jim Townsend of Artesia announces bid for New Mexico Senate
