Rep. Brian Egolf (D-Santa Fe) being sworn in today after elected by acclamation as Speaker of the New Mexico House. Courtesy/New Mexico House Democratic Caucus
Lisa Ortiz-McCutcheon takes oath of office after elected as Chief Clerk of the House. Courtesy/New Mexico House Democratic Caucus
Wilfred Quintana takes oath of office today after being elected as House Sergeant-at-Arms. Courtesy/New Mexico House Democratic Caucus
STATE POLITICAL News:
- Speaker Egolf’s Top Priorities are Jobs and the Economy
SANTA FE – The New Mexico House of Representatives today elected, by acclamation, Rep. Brian Egolf (D-Santa Fe) to be the Speaker of the House. The recently elected House Majority Leadership are House Majority Leader Sheryl Williams Stapleton (D-Albuquerque), House Majority Whip Doreen Gallegos (D-Las Cruces) and the House Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. D. Wonda Johnson (D-Church Rock). Speaker Egolf’s top priorities for the legislative session are jobs and the economy.
“We all want our children to have the economic security of knowing that if they work hard and complete their education, they can find a great job in our state,” Egolf said. “It should not be a challenge for business leaders to build an educated and well-qualified work force from within our state.”
Speaker Egolf, in his introductory speech before the House Chamber, underscored his commitment to finding common ground. As part of that endeavor, he and other Representatives traveled across the state to meet with fellow New Mexicans to talk about jobs and the economy. The Representatives traveled to Las Cruces, Albuquerque, Roswell, Carlsbad, Hobbes and Clovis. Other locations in 2017 will be announced for the Job Creation Listening Tour.
“We took this trip because no party nor person has a monopoly on good ideas. Our commitment to bipartisanship and cooperation is real,” Speaker Egolf said.
Also this morning, two longtime House public servants were elected to new positions. Lisa Ortiz-McCutcheon was elected Chief Clerk of the House. A Santa Fe native, she began working in the House in 1999. Wilfred Quintana was elected House Sergeant-at-Arms. Born in Las Vegas, NM, he has worked in the House since 1997.
The 53rd Legislative Assembly opened today at noon and closes March 18.
Speaker Egolf was first elected in 2008. He grew up in Santa Fe and ran for the State House because he wants his kids to be able to raise their families here in New Mexico. He comes from a family with a strong tradition of public service. In fact, his great-grandfather was a Santa Fe County delegate to the 1912 New Mexico Progressive Party convention. Egolf lives with his wife, Kelly, and their two daughters in Santa Fe.
