ALBUQUERQUE — State Sen. Carlos Cisneros, D-Questa, held onto his District 6 seat Tuesday, according to unofficial results in the Democratic primary.

With 43 of 48 precincts reporting in the three-man race, Cisneros had 2,968 votes, or 55 percent, to 1,696 votes for Erminio Martinez and 692 for Archie Velarde. The 60-year-old Cisneros, who has served in the Senate since 1985, will run unopposed in the November election.

In other legislative primary action, Republican Rep. Dan Foley, the No. 2 Republican House leader, lost the southeastern New Mexico seat he has held for nearly a decade as unofficial results came in Tuesday night.

Foley of Roswell trailed challenger Dennis Kintigh, a retired FBI agent, 43 percent to 54 percent with all of the precincts reporting. Foley has represented parts of Chaves, Lincoln and Otero counties since 1999.

Another Roswell incumbent, Sen. Rod Adair, was more fortunate Tuesday night. He beat challenger Rory McMinn, a former member of the Public Regulation Commission, 53 percent to 47 percent, according to unofficial results.

There's no Democrat running for Adair's Senate seat. Kintigh will face a Democratic candidate in the general election.

The two races turned into big-spending contests when Roswell oilman Mark Murphy — along with his family members, business interests and a political group he heads — funneled more than $340,000 to Foley and Adair's challengers.

The heated contests — complete with hard-hitting mailings and TV advertisements — stemmed from a political feud within the GOP in Chaves County. Murphy claimed the incumbents are embarrassments, while Adair claimed Murphy was out for revenge over a past House race in which they supported different candidates.

Overall, 13 members of the New Mexico Senate and 11 House members faced challengers in the primary. Among them was Albuquerque South Valley Democratic Sen. James Taylor, who was in trouble because of a challenge by former Albuquerque City Councilor Eric Griego.

With more than three-quarters of precincts reporting, Griego held a large lead over Taylor despite Gov. Bill Richardson throwing his support behind the incumbent.

Griego, executive director of the advocacy group New Mexico Voices for Children, was a city councilor from 2001 to 2005 and had served as an assistant secretary in the Economic Development Department.

Other incumbents who didn't fare well Tuesday night include Democratic Rep. Dan Silva of Albuquerque, who was beat by challenger Eleanor Chavez. Silva has been in the House since 1987.

Longtime Democratic Sen. John Pinto of Tohatchi also fell behind 41 percent to Willis Nez's 59 percent with all but three precincts reporting Tuesday night. Pinto has served in the Senate for more than 30 years.




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