New Mexico House Republicans have announced the addition of Representative Mark Murphy to the Roundhouse following his appointment by the Chaves County Board of Commissioners. The announcement was made in a press release on January 18, 2025.
In a statement, Leader Gail Armstrong (R-Magdalena) welcomed Murphy to the House Republican Caucus. "Representative Murphy’s experience as a businessman and job creator, and his long-standing leadership in New Mexico’s oil and gas industry is an invaluable addition to our Caucus," Armstrong said, according to a press release by the New Mexico House Republicans.
According to a report by Roswell Daily News, the Chaves County Board of Commissioners appointed Mark Murphy, a Roswell resident and oil producer, to fill a vacancy in the New Mexico House of Representatives. Murphy, president of Strata Production Company, was selected with a 3 to 2 vote following the resignation of Representative Jared Hembree due to health issues. Murphy will complete the remainder of Hembree's two-year term and must run for reelection in 2026. Six applicants applied for the position.
Murphy expressed his gratitude for the appointment: "I am honored to have been appointed to represent Roswell and Chaves County and to help my community recover from the devastating floods that brought so much destruction this past fall." He further said his intentions as he heads to Santa Fe next week: "I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House Republican Caucus to support the agriculture, energy, and mining industries that provide thousands of jobs to southeastern New Mexico and send billions in revenue to the state, to pass common sense crime legislation that will make our communities safer, and to fix our broken school system."
The New Mexico House Republicans focus on promoting individual freedom and reducing government size. They support policies encouraging family prosperity, business growth, and protecting Second Amendment rights. Additionally, they advocate for more local authority and reducing unnecessary government processes, according to their website.
