Rep. Shirley Tyler, R-Lovington
State Rep. Shirley Tyler wants to spend more time with her husband; in Senate District 26, another candidate drops out and endorses Democrat Jacob Candelaria; Ben Rodefer’s poll has him leading John Sapien in the Senate District 9 Democratic primary.
In my coverage of the large number of state legislators who aren’t seeking re-election this year, I’ve neglected to mention Rep. Shirley Tyler, R-Lovington.
Tyler, who has been in the House since 2007, told the Albuquerque Journal she got married last year and wants to spend more time with her husband, so she isn’t seeking re-election.
Three are running to replace Tyler as the representative of District 61. They are Republican David M. Gallegos and Democrats Paul Phillip Roybal and Hector M. Ramirez.
In all, 20 state legislators aren’t seeking re-election this year – 12 House members and eight senators. Nine lawmakers are giving up their seats to run for other positions. Several House members are running for Senate seats.
In addition, redistricting means two other lawmakers won’t be back next year. There are two districts where legislative incumbents have to run against each other in primaries.
And the 2012 exodus from the Legislature may not be over. At least seven legislative incumbents and several other candidates left the district number off their nominating petitions, though state law says failure to include that information will make those petitions invalid. The candidacy of at least one lawmaker who left off that information will be challenged in court.
In other legislative news:
Jacob Candelaria
Another District 26 candidate drops out
Last week I wrote about State Sen. Bernadette Sanchez, D-Albuquerque, abandoning her re-election bid days after filing to run again. On Tuesday, another of four Democrats who filed to run for the seat – former Albuquerque City Councilor and Bernalillo County Commissioner Steve D. Gallegos – dropped out and endorsed Jacob Candelaria.
“Jacob is committed to bettering the lives of our families – for the west side and our state,” Gallegos said in a news release from Candelaria’s campaign.
Candelaria faces Carlos Jose Villanueva in the primary. There’s no Republican running for the seat.
Internal poll has Rodefer leading Sapien
Ben Rodefer
Finally, Ben Rodefer claimed the lead in his attempt to defeat incumbent state Sen. John Sapien of Corrales in the District 9 Democratic primary. The former state representative released an internal poll that had him leading Sapien 43 percent to 33 percent, with almost 25 percent of those surveyed undecided.
According to the Rodefer campaign, the pollster, Steven Clermont of Third Eye Strategies, said just as many Democrats view Sapien unfavorably as favorably.
The poll, conducted from March 19 to 22, sampled 300 people and has a margin of error of plus or minus 5.7 percentage points.
The winner of the Democratic primary will face one of two Republicans – David Doyle or Charles D. Mellon – in November.