Roswell Daily Record (Nov. 9, 2024) – New Mexico Senate Republicans have elevated a longtime lawmaker from northwestern New Mexico to lead their ranks.

Senate Republicans elevated longtime Sen. William Sharer (R-Farmington) to the position of Senate Minority Leader, Sen. Pat Woods (R-Broadview) the Senate Minority Leader and Sen. David Gallegos (R-Eunice) Senate Republican Caucus Chair, according to a press release.

Sen-Elect Jim Townsend (R-Artesia), a house member who was elected Tuesday in Senate District 34, which includes Otero and Eddy counties, said the vote was taken during a call of Republican senators, where Sharer, Woods and Gallegos were each nominated and elected by acclamation to those leadership positions.

“There was a lot of unity within the caucus,” Townsend said.

Sharer replaces Sen. Greg Baca (R-Belen) who held the top post since 2021 but decided not to seek reelection in Senate District 29.

Following the leadership election, Sharer said that he was honored to be selected to lead the Senate Republican caucus.

“I intend to usher in an era of unity and conservative principles to the Senate Republican Caucus. The overtaxed and hardworking men and women will have a voice in this caucus,” Sharer said.

In the press release, Sharer also railed against “progressives” who he accused of creating a hostile business climate and that the education system in New Mexico must be “entirely reformed so that businesses will have skilled employees to hire.”

“We will act to bring New Mexico back from the brink with conservative solutions and leadership,” he said.

According to his campaign website, Sharer was born in Albuquerque and spent much of his life in Farmington, having graduated from Farmington High School. He is an alumnus of the New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell and New Mexico State University.

Sharer is a former U.S. Army officer who served as an infantry soldier and graduated from the Airborne Ranger and Special Forces School. He now operates a business in Farmington.

In 2000, Sharer was elected to the first of six terms in the Senate. Sharer represents Senate District 1, which encompasses San Juan County. He is currently the top-ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, as well as the Legislative Finance Committee and the Interim Legislative Ethics Committee.

During the 30-day legislative session earlier this year, Sharer spearheaded opposition on the Senate floor to a proposal to make paid family and medical leave available to New Mexicans. Sharer and other opponents argued that the requirements would burden businesses. The measure did pass the Senate but was defeated in the House.

Republican senators also made Woods the number two Republican in the Senate, a position known as the minority whip. Woods has represented Senate District 7 since 2013. The district includes parts of Curry, Quay and Union counties.

Like Sharer, Woods is a member of the Senate Finance Committee and Legislative Finance Committee. He also sits on the Senate Legislative Council, the Transportation and Infrastructure Revenue Subcommittee and the Water and Natural Resources Committee.

In the press release announcing the results of the leadership election, Woods claimed that the rights of all New Mexicans have been under attack and that he and his colleagues must champion lower taxes, safeguarding what he calls “parental rights” and rights under the Second Amendment, and hold criminals accountable.

Republicans tapped Gallegos for the position of Republican Caucus chair. Gallegos was elected to the New Mexico House in 2013 and then the New Mexico Senate in 2020 in Senate District 41, which consists of Eddy and Lea Counties. He is the lead Republican on the Senate Conservation Committee and a member of the Senate Education Committee.

Additionally, Gallegos is a member of three interim committees: the Legislative Finance Committee, the Legislative Health and Human Services Committee and Radioactive and Hazardous Materials Committee.

Gallegos has been an ardent defender of the oil and gas industry and an opponent of abortion rights. In the press release, Gallegos said that Hispanics are conservative on political issues and need to be brought into the Republican camp.

“We wish to govern in a way that welcomes these voters,” he said. Gallegos also said the state needs to take action to secure the 184 miles of border that New Mexico shares with Mexico, which he calls “the number one issue right now for all New Mexicans.”

Currently, Democrats hold a 27 to 15 majority in the Senate, a margin that slightly shifted when Republicans had a net gain of one seat after voters went to the polls on Tuesday.

Unofficial returns show that Jay Block (R-Rio Rancho) won the Senate District 12 seat currently held by retiring veteran Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino (D-Albuquerque). The party also won a seat in Senate District 28, where Republican Gabriel Ramos will replace outgoing Sen. Siah Correa Hemphill (D-Silver City).

Democrats partially offset those gains by picking up Senate District 30, where Democrat Angel Charley was running unopposed for the seat now held by Sen. Joshua Hernandez (R-Bosque), who instead ran and won this year in Senate District 29.

The Senate will convene on Jan. 21 for its regular 60-day session.