James G. Townsend

American politician
Jim Townsend
Minority Leader of the New Mexico House of Representatives
In office
March 14, 2024 – April 5, 2024
Acting
Preceded byT. Ryan Lane
Succeeded byRod Montoya
In office
January 15, 2019 – January 17, 2023
Preceded byNate Gentry
Succeeded byT. Ryan Lane
Member of the New Mexico House of Representatives
from the 54th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 2015
Preceded byWilliam Gray
Personal details
Born1954 or 1955 (age 68–69)
Carlsbad, New Mexico, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpousePaula
Children2
EducationNew Mexico State University (BA)

James G. Townsend (born 1954/1955)[1] is an American politician, currently serving as a member New Mexico House of Representatives, where he represents the 54th district.[2]

Early life and education

Townsend was born and raised in Carlsbad, New Mexico. He graduated from New Mexico State University.

Career

After graduating from college, Townsend worked several jobs in the energy sector, including as director of Holly Energy Partners, a subsidiary of HollyFrontier, from 2012 to 2017. Townsend was elected to the New Mexico House of Representatives in 2016 and became Minority Leader at the start of the 2019 legislative session. An opponent of abortion, Townsend voted against House Bill 51, which attempted to repeal an old New Mexico law that makes it a crime to perform an abortion.[3][4]

In 2022, Townsend obstructed the New Mexico legislature from passing voting reform legislation. The legislation would have allowed people to sign up once to receive absentee ballots in future elections; restored the voting rights of felons; and required every county to provide a minimum of two ballot drop boxes.[5]

Townsend served as the House minority leader from 2019 to 2023. Following the resignation of his successor T. Ryan Lane in March 2024 Townsend assumed the position of acting minority leader.[6]

References

  1. ^ [1]
  2. ^ "Jim Townsend's Biography". Vote Smart. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  3. ^ "Anti-abortion rallies mark second day of legislative session". Santa Fe New Mexican. January 22, 2020. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  4. ^ "James Townsend (New Mexico)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  5. ^ "Procedural clashes erupt at Capitol, slow bill action - Albuquerque Journal". www.abqjournal.com. Retrieved 2022-02-13.
  6. ^ "GOP House leader quits legislature". www.rdrnews.com. Retrieved 2024-03-28.

External links

  • New Mexico Legislature Biography
New Mexico House of Representatives
Preceded by
Nate Gentry
 Minority Leader of the New Mexico House of Representatives
2019–2023 		Succeeded by
T. Ryan Lane
Preceded by
T. Ryan Lane
 Minority Leader of the New Mexico House of Representatives
Acting
2024 		Succeeded by
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56th Legislature (2023–2024)
Speaker of the House
Javier Martínez (D)
Majority Leader
Gail Chasey (D)
Minority Leader
Rod Montoya (R)
  1. ▌Rod Montoya (R)
  2. ▌Mark Duncan (R)
  3. ▌Bill Hall (R)
  4. ▌Anthony Allison (D)
  5. ▌Doreen Wonda Johnson (D)
  6. ▌Eliseo Alcon (D)
  7. ▌Tanya Mirabal Moya (R)
  8. ▌Brian Baca (R)
  9. ▌Patricia Lundstrom (D)
  10. ▌G. Andrés Romero (D)
  11. ▌Javier Martínez (D)
  12. ▌Art De La Cruz (D)
  13. ▌Patricia Roybal Caballero (D)
  14. ▌Miguel Garcia (D)
  15. ▌Dayan Hochman-Vigil (D)
  16. ▌Yanira Gurrola (D)
  17. ▌Cynthia Borrego (D)
  18. ▌Gail Chasey (D)
  19. ▌Janelle Anyanonu (D)
  20. ▌Meredith Dixon (D)
  21. ▌Debra Sariñana (D)
  22. ▌Stefani Lord (R)
  23. ▌Alan Martinez (R)
  24. ▌Elizabeth Thomson (D)
  25. ▌Cristina Parajón (D)
  26. ▌Eleanor Chavez (D)
  27. ▌Marian Matthews (D)
  28. ▌Pamelya Herndon (D)
  29. ▌Joy Garratt (D)
  30. ▌Natalie Figueroa (D)
  31. ▌Bill Rehm (R)
  32. ▌Jenifer Jones (R)
  33. ▌Micaela Lara Cadena (D)
  34. ▌Raymundo Lara (D)
  35. ▌Angelica Rubio (D)
  36. ▌Nathan Small (D)
  37. ▌Joanne Ferrary (D)
  38. ▌Tara Jaramillo (D)
  39. ▌Luis Terrazas (R)
  40. ▌Joseph Sanchez (D)
  41. ▌Susan K. Herrera (D)
  42. ▌Kristina Ortez (D)
  43. ▌Christine Chandler (D)
  44. ▌Kathleen Cates (D)
  45. ▌Linda Serrato (D)
  46. ▌Andrea Romero (D)
  47. ▌Reena Szczepanski (D)
  48. ▌Tara Lujan (D)
  49. ▌Gail Armstrong (R)
  50. ▌Matthew McQueen (D)
  51. ▌John Block (R)
  52. ▌Doreen Gallegos (D)
  53. ▌Willie D. Madrid (D)
  54. ▌James G. Townsend (R)
  55. ▌Cathrynn Brown (R)
  56. ▌Harlan Vincent (R)
  57. ▌Jason Harper (R)
  58. ▌Candy Ezzell (R)
  59. ▌Jared Hembree (R)
  60. ▌Joshua Hernandez (R)
  61. ▌Randall Pettigrew (R)
  62. ▌Larry Scott (R)
  63. ▌Martin R. Zamora (R)
  64. ▌Andrea Reeb (R)
  65. ▌Derrick Lente (D)
  66. ▌Jimmy Mason (R)
  67. ▌Jack Chatfield (R)
  68. ▌Charlotte Little (D)
  69. ▌Harry Garcia (D)
  70. ▌Ambrose Castellano (D)
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