State Senate, District 9

Sen. Steve Komadina, incumbent, is being challenged by Republican Barry Bitzer. Both candidates live in Corrales.

Komadina has been a physician since 1970 and is a third-generation New Mexican. As a senator he has served on the Senate Judiciary, the Legislative Health and Human Services, Public Affairs and the Rules committees. He sponsored 10 bills in the 2008 session. His platform includes a promise for great public schools, high paying jobs, safe neighborhoods, and an effort to bring a philosophy to the region where New Mexicans respect each other and their elected officials. He fought for the water rights of the rural New Mexicans, and has become a spokesman for the farmers and ranchers against the actions of the federal government. Bitzer has been director for the New Mexico Child Support Enforcement Division, as well as the chief of staff for the Mayor’s office in Albuquerque, and was deputy secretary of the State Human Services Department. With Child Support Enforcement, he says he brought a double-digit increase in collections, national recognition for improvements, and kudos for the program “Turn-around.” As the mayor’s chief, according to Bitzer, he was responsible for changes in the way police and social services interacted with homeless and mentally ill populations. He initiated the first assertive community treatment program for severely mentally ill resident, who were on the streets, which saved taxpayer dollars in law enforcement, fire, corrections, emergency room, hospital and related expenses. He also says he was the key member of the team that facilitated passage of a $150 million road bond, including funds for the completion of Paseo del Norte to Unser and Universe, as well as helping to bring the NRA National Police Shooting Championships to New Mexico.

The victor will stand against Democrat John Sapien, an insurance agent who lives in Bernalillo in November.

State Senate, District 10

Republican Sen. John Ryan, incumbent, lives in Albuquerque and is running against Rio Rancho resident Robert Sikes.

Democrat Joel Davis and Victor Raigoza are also competing for the District 10 seat.

Ryan has served on 10 committees including the Conservation; Courts, Corrections and Justice; Economic and Rural Development; Indian and Cultural Affairs; Indian Affairs; Legislative Committee on Compacts; Revenue Stabilization and Tax Policy; Tobacco Settlement Revenue Oversight; Water and Natural Resources; and the Welfare Reform Oversight committees. He sponsored nine bills in the 2008 session.

Joel Davis and Victor Raigoza are competing for the Democratic ticket in the primaries.

Davis is a native New Mexican, and graduated from the University of New Mexico. He served as an assistant district attorney in Sandoval County, Judicial District 13, where he prosecuted DWI, domestic violence, and violent felonies. Currently he is an attorney with his own law office.

In 2006, Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez, appointed Raigoza to serve on the city’s Accountability and Government Oversight committee. Since 2003, he has also served as vice president of the New Mexico Holocaust and Intolerance Museum. Raigoza also serves on the board of directors for the University of New Mexico’s Popejoy Center for the Arts where he has helped raise funds and served as arts ambassador, and as a director for the Janke Scholarship, where he helps recognize outstanding teachers and instructors statewide.

State Senate, District 19

Democrat Jason Burnette and Republican Sue Wilson Beffort will fight for seat District 19 in the November general election.

State Senate, District 21

Democrat Jessica Wolfe faces Republican Kent Craven in the November race.

Wolfe is an Albuquerque native and former cabinet aide to New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson.

State Senate, District 22

Sen. Lynda Lovejoy, incumbent, will face other Democrats Joshua Madalena, Everett Chavez and Billy Moore in the primary race.

Lovejoy is the vice-chair for the Education committee, and sits on the Indian and Cultural Affairs, Indian Affairs, Legislative Education Study, and Public School Capital Outlay Oversight Task Force committees. She sponsored 20 bills in the 2008 session. Lovejoy was a state representative from 1989 to 1998, and was appointed to serve as a state senator by Gov. Bill Richardson in 2007.

Madalena is currently serving as the Sandoval County Commission chairman and is the lieutenant governor of Jemez Pueblo. He is a regionally known artist and is active in fighting.

Chavez comes from the Pueblo of Santo Domingo and is a life-long New Mexican. He is a graduate of Chicago’s DeVry Institute of Technology and the University of New Mexico where he received his degree in electronics and electrical engineering. Currently, Everett serves as chairman of the Indian Pueblos Federal Development Corporation for the nineteen Pueblos of New Mexico, and also as chairman of the Santo Domingo Tribal Enterprises Board.ng for many social issues.

Moore is a resident of Thoreau.

State Senate, District 23

Republican Sander Rue will have no competition for the District 23 seat since David Trenton Pyne withdrew as a candidate.

Rue has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of New Mexico and has served on the City of Albuquerque’s open space and ethics boards and the City of Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Unification Charter Commission and was a former Albuquerque city councilor.

State Senate, District 39

Incumbent Sen. Phil Griego stands alone in the race for the District 39 seat. He sponsored 29 bills during the 2008 session and serves on the Conservation, Corporations and Transportation, Economic and Rural Development, Information Technology and Telecommunications Oversight, Investments and Pensions Oversight, Land Grant, Legislative Finance, Los Alamos National Laboratory Oversight, Mortgage Finance Authority Act Oversight, Revenue Stabilization and Tax Policy, and Water and Natural Resources committees.