New Journal editorial page editor named

Jul. 28—The Albuquerque Journal's editorial page will soon have a new voice and new leadership, after the departure of opinion editor D'Val Westphal.

Jeff Tucker has been named opinion editor. Tucker came to the Journal in 2020 as an editorial page writer, and has written hundreds of editorials and candidate endorsements for the paper, under the tutelage of Westphal.

"When it came time to name a new opinion editor it was important that we have someone leading our team who is in tune with the issues and challenges facing New Mexico," said Journal Executive Editor and Senior VP of News Patrick Ethridge. "The Journal opinion team has long been one of the most respected of its kind not only in New Mexico but the entire Southwest. When we began looking at candidates it became clear that we already had the best person for the job right here in our newsroom. Jeff already lives and works here, he is familiar with the key issues facing our region and has already made a career writing about those issues and promoting positive changes in our communities."

Tucker has been a journalist since 1997, and has been reporting in New Mexico since 2012 at outlets that include the Rio Grande Sun, the Roswell Daily Record, and the Hobbs News-Sun, where he was managing editor. He graduated from Purdue University in 1993 with a communications degree, and has served in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Journal interim business editor John Leacock has been named deputy editorial opinion editor. Leacock has nearly 30 years of journalism experience. Leacock spent the majority of his career at the Florida-Times Union, where he worked as a metro night editor and copy editor. In his brief time as interim business editor, Leacock said he is most proud of adding more Business Outlook contributors from New Mexico's science laboratories who can talk about the practical and business applications of the work they're doing in New Mexico.

"There's a few attributes that are vitally important to a strong opinion page: You must have folks who are intelligent, willing to look at both sides of every issue and not afraid to take a stand for what you believe in. John is all of those things and I couldn't be more excited to have him join the Editorial Board," Ethridge said. "In the days since making this announcement to staff, I've watched John and Jeff sharing ideas and already debating various issues of key importance to New Mexico. The Journal has a long history of being a strong voice for the people and these two fine journalists will not only continue that tradition, but carry it forward."

The Journal has already begun the search for a new business editor.