Senator Bill Sharer, representing District 1 in San Juan County, began his journey into politics as a child, when he watched his mother report on legislative affairs as a journalist for the Albuquerque Journal. That early exposure to governance and policy shaped his interest in public service, eventually leading him to the state legislature.
Living in Farmington, he is well-informed about the challenges and opportunities in northern New Mexico, particularly in matters of energy policy and economic development.
Sharer describes the current legislative session as particularly intense, and expresses concern about the pace and process he says Democratic leaders are using to get their agenda through. "This year, their tactic was to shove things down our throat before we had time to deal with it," he says.
One of the key struggles in his district stems from the closure of the San Juan Generating Station, which he calls "the cleanest coal-fired power plant on the planet." According to Sharer, the plant emitted only electricity and CO2, and a project was underway to capture all of its CO2 emissions before its closure was mandated by the Energy Transition Act. "We had a $30 million project ready to go, and yet the plant was shut down," he says.
He argues that while environmental groups pushed for the shutdown, China and India continue burning high-pollution coal with no restrictions, a situation he finds deeply frustrating. "We closed this plant while they’re spewing out coal pollution—how does that make sense?" he asks.
The loss of the power plant resulted in 1,500 lost jobs, hitting the Navajo Nation particularly hard. "Not only did these people work there, but their fathers worked there, and in some cases, their grandfathers built it," he says. He criticizes the state’s failure to follow through on promised job replacements, stating that "it took two years before anything even started happening." He sees this as part of a larger trend of policies that disproportionately harm working-class and rural communities in favor of ideological goals.
Sharer also stresses the importance of natural gas in the region’s economy. While New Mexico is a significant producer, he argues that regulatory hurdles and shifting policies, such as California’s fluctuating stance on natural gas, have limited the industry’s potential. "Governor Newsom decided that natural gas is no longer a greenhouse gas because they need it to keep the lights on," he says. "If we could sell New Mexico gas to Asia, they would stop using coal, which would actually clean up our environment.”
Sen. Sharer is concerned about increasing partisanship in the legislature. "When I first started, Democrats fought among themselves more than they fought us," he says. "Now, the lines are drawn. It’s straight party-line votes, and they won’t even take amendments—even ones they admit are good."
Despite the gridlock, he has worked across the aisle on key legislation, such as a behavioral health funding bill co-sponsored with Democratic Senator Peter Wirth. "We actually made a great team," he says, though he acknowledges criticism from within his own party. "Some people say, ‘That was good policy, but bad politics.’ But I’m here to make New Mexico better, not just play political games."
On crime and public safety, Sharer is adamant that the state needs to take a tougher approach. "We passed a crime package, and I voted for it, but it was only half of what we needed," he says. A key issue, in his view, is the "catch-and-release" approach to criminal justice, where offenders are arrested only to be quickly released. "Criminals are deterred when they know they’ll be punished and punished quickly," he says. "Right now, they’re pretty sure they won’t be caught, and if they are, they’ll be out in minutes. So why not steal a car?"
Sharer also criticizes the removal of qualified immunity for police officers, arguing that it has hamstrung law enforcement and made recruitment difficult. "We went from first responders being national heroes to being ‘zeros’ overnight," he says. The result, he explains, is that officers are hesitant to engage because they may be sued personally. "Even if they win in court, they might have to mortgage their house just to pay legal fees. Why would anyone want to be a cop under those conditions?"
Despite the challenges, Sharer remains optimistic about New Mexico’s future. "We can turn this around," he says. "It’s not that hard—we just need the political will to do it." He believes that common-sense policies on energy, crime, and governance can help restore the state’s prosperity.
"At the end of the day, I’m here to make things better," he says. "And I’m going to keep fighting for that."
