Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has appointed Martha Garcia of Pine Hill to fill the House District 6 seat.
“I'm proud to appoint Martha Garcia, whose proven leadership as a former Cibola County Commissioner and clear qualification as a district resident make her the right choice to serve the people of House District 6," said Gov. Lujan Grisham.
According to the governor’s press release, Garcia was chosen due to her proven leadership as a former Cibola County Commissioner and her clear qualification as a district resident. She was nominated by the McKinley County Commission on February 4 and is expected to be sworn in immediately to begin serving for the remainder of the legislative session.
The nomination was made the morning of Feb. 26.
This decision follows months of controversy and delays, including the initial nomination of Harry Garcia, whose residency was ruled ineligible by the New Mexico Department of Justice, and the later nomination of Clemente Sanchez, who also faced residency concerns but was ultimately deemed eligible by the NMDOJ.
However, the governor chose to move forward with Martha Garcia, likely to avoid further complications and ensure representation for House District 6.