Jay Block, the State Senator for New Mexico District 12, has described the recent firebombing of the Republican Party headquarters as an act of "domestic terrorism." He made this statement in a post on X on March 31.
"Democrats," said Block. "It's domestic terrorism. For you to dilute, that shows the insincerity of your statement. Try again."
The New Mexico GOP headquarters in Albuquerque was reportedly set ablaze early on March 30 in what officials suspect to be an arson attack. According to ABC News, the fire began at 5:56 a.m., and firefighters from the Albuquerque Fire Department controlled it within five minutes. No injuries were reported. The building was also defaced with graffiti reading "ICE = KKK," and sustained damage to its front entryway along with smoke damage throughout. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) are investigating the incident, having recovered incendiary materials from the scene.
Screenshot of State Senator Jay Block's March 31 post on X
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Block's post responded to a March 30 statement from the Democratic Party of New Mexico (DPNM), which condemned the "vandalism" of the state GOP office. The DPNM said that such incidents have no place in a democracy and expressed hope that those responsible would be found and held accountable.
In another post on X, the Republican Party of New Mexico condemned the incident as a "direct assault on our values, freedoms, and our right to political expression." They further claimed that this attack is part of a concerning trend of politically-motivated violence allegedly fueled by progressive leaders' silence and implicit encouragement. State GOP Chairwoman Amy Barela expressed relief that no one was injured and urged state leaders to take decisive action against such attacks.
Jay Block is a retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel and former Sandoval County Commissioner. In 2024, he was elected as the Republican Senator for District 12, succeeding retired Senator Jerry Ortiz y Pino. His campaign emphasized limited government, economic reform, and veterans' issues. During his tenure as County Commissioner, he sponsored a Second Amendment resolution designating Sandoval County as a 2A Sanctuary County and played a key role in economic development initiatives.
