Gov. Martinez Selects Republican for Phil Griego Senate Seat

Gov. Susana Martinez selected Republican Ted Barela to serve out the remainder of the Senate term of Phil Griego, D-San Jose, who

the Roundhouse seat he's held for nearly two decades in the wake of

that he personally benefited from the sale of a state-owned building.

The appointment is the second time Martinez, the Republican governor, has selected a member of her own party to serve out a Roundhouse seat left vacant by a Democrat. In 2013, she picked Republican Vickie Perea to fill the District 50 House vacancy following the death of Rep. Stephen Easley, a Democrat.

Democrats regained control of the District 50 seat in 2014. Griego's Senate District 39 seat is up for reelection in 2016.

With Barela replacing Griego, there are now 24 Democrats and 18 Republicans in the state Senate. Republicans control the House with 37 members to Democrats' 33.

District 39 touches parts of six counties. Three of them, including Santa Fe, named

, a Democrat who formerly served in the Legislature, as a nominee for the seat. Lincoln County chose Jose Varela Lopez, a Republican who lives in La Cienega. San Miguel County selected former Democratic County Commissioner Hugh Ley. 

The Torrance County Commission submitted Barela's name for the post.

A project manager for Bohannan Huston Inc, an Albuquerque-based civil engineering firm, Barela also served as the Mayor of Estancia from 2008 to 2013.

"I have great confidence that Ted will work hard to represent the residents of District 39 well and believe he's committed to working with legislators from both parties to diversify our economy and improve our schools," Martinez said in a prepared statement sent to media outlets on April 3.

Stefanics, a current Santa Fe County Commissioner, has said she's going to run for the District 39 Senate seat regardless of whether she's appointed to it. She has yet not returned an April 3 request for comment.

Santa Fe Reporter