Longtime NM senator Stuart Ingle announces retirement

SANTA FE, N.M. – A longtime state senator is saying goodbye to politics. Republican Stuart Ingle made the announcement Wednesday after almost 40 years as a state lawmaker.

Ingle’s announcement follows a list of other lawmakers stepping down. For Ingle, his retirement is effective Wednesday, sparking even more changes at the Roundhouse.

Ingle represents parts of several counties, so all five county commissions will nominate someone, and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grihsam will make the final decision

Sen. Ingle was first elected to represent Chaves, Curry, De Baca, Lea & Roosevelt counties back in 1984.

The Republican has since served 10 full terms in the Senate, but after 39 years he has decided it’s time to step down.

Ingle was instrumental in passing the tax-free weekend in 2005 after seeing local retailers lose business to neighboring Texas for back-to-school shopping.

He was also known for keeping a tight budget and not letting the state spend more than it had to.

But Ingle isn’t the only one stepping down this year. Fellow Republican Gay Kernan, who represented southern New Mexico, retired earlier last summer.

Lujan Grisham has since appointed Steven McCutcheon to finish out her term. 

There are also changes on the other side of the aisle.

A spokesperson for Senate Democrats told KOB 4 that Sens. Jerry Ortiz y Pino and Bill Tallman have announced they will not be running for reelection but will be finishing out their term.

State Rep. Natalie Figueroa has announced she will be running for Tallman’s Senate seat, and he has already endorsed her.

Finally, Sen. Benny Shendo has recently accepted a job in Boulder, Colorado, but he has not made any announcements about stepping down or how he plans to finish his term.

KOB 4 reached out to Ingle Wednesday for comment, but we are still waiting to hear from him.