NEWS
Judge orders state GOP chairwoman to step down from post amid dispute over party rules
Ruling also directs top state Republican Party officials to remain neutral in contested primary races
Published
Modified
SANTA FE 鈥� A state judge Wednesday ordered Amy Barela to step down as the chairwoman of New Mexico鈥檚 Republican Party, ruling she and other top state GOP officials had failed to comply with party rules dealing with impartiality in contested primary races.
The state Republican Party鈥檚 executive director responded by saying the party would comply with the ruling, but was also in the process of filing an appeal.
鈥淭he Republican Party of New Mexico strongly contends that this order is a prior restraint on free speech, in violation of the First Amendment,鈥� said state GOP Executive Director Leticia Mu帽oz.
The ruling by District Judge Cindy Mercer of Los Lunas comes amid fierce Republican infighting over party rules and perceived favoritism in next week鈥檚 primary election.
Specifically, the eight-page ruling said sufficient evidence exists to conclude Barela violated a GOP rule dealing with party officials who face primary election opposition while running for public office. Barela, an Otero County commissioner, is facing opposition from Jonathan Emery, an Otero County Sheriff鈥檚 Office deputy who is the lead plaintiff in the case.
The state GOP chairwoman had previously refused to step down, citing the opinion of an outside parliamentarian, but the judge dismissed the claims underpinning that opinion in her Wednesday order.
鈥淔or conflict of interest purposes, it makes no difference whether the party officer was first or last to file her candidacy for public office; the conflict arises because she is a party officer, holding authority and making decisions on behalf of the party, while at the same time running for public office against another party member,鈥� Mercer wrote in her ruling.
In addition to Emery, the lawsuit was also filed by GOP gubernatorial candidate Duke Rodriguez and Republican lieutenant governor candidate Aubrey Blair Dunn, among other plaintiffs.
They claimed several GOP officials 鈥� including Barela, party treasurer Kim Skaggs and GOP National Committeeman James Townsend, who is also a state senator 鈥� violated party rules by picking sides in contested primary races.
As evidence, the lawsuit cited a recent screenshot of a social media post from the state Republican Party鈥檚 official account that listed only certain candidates for a planned meet-and-greet forum in Hobbs.
Dunn lauded the Wednesday ruling, which also directed state GOP party officers to refrain from endorsing or supporting certain candidates in contested primary races.
鈥淩epublicans are the party of law and order,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t is important for voters to see that we will follow through on that to even hold our own accountable.鈥�
鈥淚 look forward to working with my fellow Republicans to select real leadership to move our party forward to electing candidates in November up and down the ballot,鈥� Dunn added.
For his part, Rodriguez said a small group has long treated the Republican Party of New Mexico like a private club.
鈥淭his was never about one person,鈥� said Rodriguez, who is one of three Republican candidates vying for the party鈥檚 nomination in this year鈥檚 open race for governor. 鈥淚t was about whether the rules apply to everyone or just to the people inside the room making the rules.鈥�
During a court hearing last week, the attorney representing Barela and other top state party officials disputed allegations that official party resources were used in Barela鈥檚 county commission race.
Attorney Carter Harrison also questioned whether political party rules are subject to judicial branch oversight, saying, 鈥淚t is rather obvious a court cannot issue an injunction against a non-state actor conducting political speech.鈥�
But Gary Mitchell, the attorney representing the plaintiffs in the case, pointed out political parties are required to file their governing rules with the Secretary of State鈥檚 Office.
He also described the rules in question as unambiguous, saying, 鈥淓ither don鈥檛 run or don鈥檛 be the chair. It ought to be clear for everybody.鈥�
Election Day for New Mexico鈥檚 primary election is set for June 2. Early voting will run through Saturday.
Dan Boyd covers state government and politics for the Journal in Santa Fe. Follow him on X at or reach him via email at dboyd@abqjournal.com.
