The U.S. Senate Monday voted 51-to-40 to confirm Rep. Debra Haaland (D-N.M.) as secretary of interior, which will create a vacancy in the congressional district that includes the Department of Energy’s Sandia National Laboratories facilities in Albuquerque.
An Associated Press article Tuesday in the San Antonio Express-News reported Tuesday former State Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn Jr., who won statewide election previously as a Republican, is considering a run as an Independent.
Republican candidates might include radio show host Eddy Aragon and attorney Jared Vander Dussen, with Democratic Party contenders including state Reps. Melanie Stansbury, Georgene Louis and Patricia Roybal Caballero, along with state Sen. Antoinette Sedillo Lopez.
Democrats Randi McGinn and attorney, and Victor Reyes, a former legislative aide to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D), are also vying for the seat.
A Thursday Internet search indicated all the candidates listed in the article have set up some semblance of a campaign website already.
Haaland presented House Speaker Nancy Pelosi with her letter of resignation Tuesday and issued a farewell address to her colleagues in the House of Representatives.
New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver said via Twitter Tuesday her office has 10 days after a vacancy occurs in the state’s first congressional district to order a special election to be held within 77-to-91 days afterward. New Mexico law requires Haaland to provide a letter of resignation before the secretary of state formally recognizes the vacancy and can issue a proclamation for a special election, Oliver said.
“Today I stand on my ancestors’ shoulders ready to serve as the first Native American cabinet secretary,” Haaland, a member of the Pueblo of Laguna tribe, said Tuesday via Twitter. She was sworn in Thursday by Vice President Kamala Harris.
On March 4, Haaland’s nomination was passed out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on an 11-to-9 vote. The committee vote was, like the floor vote, mostly along party lines with many Republicans voicing misgivings about the potential for restrictions on potential new oil and gas leasing under Haaland and the Joe Biden administration. A few members of the GOP, including Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) did, however, vote to confirm.
