The Senate Rules Committee in Santa Fe, New Mexico, has voted 5–4 to advance the governor's appointments to the New Mexico State Fair Commission for full Senate confirmation. The commission is tasked with setting policy and overseeing operations at Expo New Mexico and the annual state fair. This includes decisions on event management, fairgrounds maintenance, youth agricultural programs, and the overall direction of one of New Mexico's largest cultural events.
Senator Crystal Brantley (R–Elephant Butte), a member of the committee, opposed the confirmation. She expressed concerns about the commission's recent performance, particularly regarding its treatment of rural communities during the COVID-19 pandemic and considerations to relocate the fair from its historic site. "For the last 90 years, rural New Mexico has brought our way of life—our livestock, our agriculture, and our values—to the epicenter of New Mexico’s population," she said. Brantley emphasized that despite individual qualifications of appointees, "the commission as a whole has been a disappointment to rural New Mexico."
Brantley was elected to represent New Mexico's 35th Senate district in 2021. Her full comments during the hearing are available here.
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