Title insurance sales manager Jerome Block Jr. of Santa Fe defeated five other Democratic contenders Tuesday for the District 3 seat on the state Public Regulation Commission.

No Republicans or independents entered the race, so Block is guaranteed the $90,000-a-year job on the commission.

With 324 of 332 precincts reporting, or 98 percent, Block had 9,361 votes, or 23 percent, compared to his nearest rival, Santa Fe attorney Bruce Throne, who had 8,005 votes for 20 percent.

Trailing were Española Mayor Joseph Maestas with 7,419 votes, or 18 percent; Louis Gallegos, a Santa Fe security and insurance businessman, 5,665, or 14 percent; Rio Arriba County Assessor Arthur Rodarte, at 6,280 votes, or 15 percent; and Santa Fe County Commissioner Paul Campos, with 4,228 votes, or 10 percent.

Throne said he had expected to be in a close race, but with Maestas, not Block. "I always thought it was going to be a squeaker," he said. He attributed Block's showing, at least in part, to name recognition. Block's father, Jerome Block Sr., formerly served on the commission.

Throne said he was counting on strong turnouts in Sandoval, Los Alamos and Santa Fe counties to put him over the top.

Block said he expected to win because the vote tallies were finally showing up late in the evening from the more rural areas of Pojoaque, Rio Arriba County and Nambé, where he felt his support was strongest.

"I am confident that we will prevail," Block said.

Block promised to quit his job with Land America Financial Group, which recently acquired Capital City Title Co., because the PRC regulates such businesses.

The five-member commission regulates rates and services for electricity, natural gas, telephones, motor carriers and insurance. The commission also is responsible for the State Fire Marshal's Office, the Firefighter Training Academy in Socorro, pipeline safety and corporation registration.

Issues that arose the most often in the race were public financing of campaigns, the possibility of reduced rates for low-income customers, and energy consumption and efficiency.

Each commissioner serves a four-year term and is paid $90,000 a year.

PRC District 3 covers the city of Santa Fe and most of Santa Fe County, minus its western and southern portions, plus all of Los Alamos, Taos, Colfax, Mora, Union, San Miguel and Harding counties and parts of Rio Arriba, Sandoval, Guadalupe and Bernalillo counties.

The seat opened up this year when Ben Ray Luján, son of state House Speaker Ben Luján of Nambé, decided to run for the District 3 congressional seat.

The only other PRC seat being contested this year is in District 1 in Albuquerque, where in the Republican primary E. Tim Cummins defeated Alan Reed. Both are former Albuquerque city councilors. Democratic incumbent Jason Marks was running unopposed.