State Sen. Carlos Cisneros (D-Questa) may be up for a promotion after the Democratic caucus chose him to replace Sen. Tim Jennings (D-Roswell) as the senate’s president pro tem.
Cisneros represents the eastern part of Rio Arriba County, as well as parts of Los Alamos, Santa Fe and Taos counties. The president pro tem presides over the Senate in the absence of the lieutenant governor.
Jennings took over the position in January, following the death of Sen. Ben Altamirano (D-Silver City). He has been criticized for recording a message on behalf of Sen. Leonard Lee Rawson’s (R-Las Cruces) campaign. Cisneros said helping a Republican didn’t look good to his Democratic colleagues.
“That’s just a fact of political reality,” he said.
Jennings defended his actions, saying he didn’t endorse Rawson (who lost his seat in the general election) but couldn’t stand idly by while he was being insulted.
“I said he wasn’t a crook,” he said. “He might be a jerk, but he’s not dishonest.”
Cisneros said his experience serving on several key committees, including education, ways and means, conservation and finance have prepared him well for the position.
“I put in my time,” he said.
Jennings and Cisneros have both served in the Senate for more than 20 years. They both said it is crucial that the legislature focus on the state’s economic shortfall when the session begins, and neither intends to drop out of the running for president pro tem.
The caucus vote was held by secret ballot and even Cisneros’s margin of victory is unknown. All senators will vote publicly Jan. 20 for their leadership choice. In January, 27 Democrats and 15 Republicans will take their seats in the Senate, and Cisneros said he thinks a lot of “finessing and campaigning” will be taking place before the vote.
“I’d like to think that I’ve got a good chance,” he said. “I have remained loyal to my party.”