Andy Nunez to Appear on NewsNM

Andy Nunez

Andy Nunez, the only true "Independent" in the entire New Mexico legislature is scheduled to appear on News New Mexico Thursday morning. Nunez has been a major newsmaker in the state since early November of 2010 when House Republicans gained eight new seats in the legislature. Nunez (Hatch - I) became a vocal backer of the removal of current speaker Ben Lujan during the Democratic Party Caucus in late November. At one point in early 2011 it appeared that the votes were in place for Representative Joseph Cervantes to replace Lujan with the help of votes from House Republicans. However, in the end, the bi-partisan coalition that would haved ended Lujan's reign fell apart. The collapse was due in great part to last minute efforts by Tea Party groups from Las Cruces and around the state.

Many Tea Party members had deep reservations about Cervantes, particularly over his positions on allowing same-day voter registrations and issuing driver's licenses to illegal aliens. Eventually, pressures from the Tea Party acted as a catalyst. Both Democrats and Republicans united strictly along party lines and the final vote for Speaker was 36 for Ben Lujan and 33 for GOP  leader Tom Taylor. Of note was a single abstention. The lone "present" vote came from Andy Nunez. Quickly Speaker Lujan made Nunez the sacrificial lamb in the aftermath of the vote. Nunez, who had experienced major committee disruptions at the hands of Lujan in recent years, was promptly removed from his chairman post on the House Agriculture Committee. We will talk to the lone truly "independent" voice in the New Mexico legislature at 7:00am on News New Mexico.

Andy Nunez to Appear on NewsNM