N.M. governor shakes up personnel in first months of second term

Since Michelle Lujan Grisham’s re-election as New Mexico governor, five cabinet secretaries have left the administration, with three leaving in the last week in the middle of the legislative session.

General Services Department Secretary John Garcia has resigned, and Friday is his last day.

Press Secretary Nora Meyers Sackett is leaving the governor’s office next week.

Human Services Department Secretary Dr. David Scrase is retiring from state government on Feb. 23.

Education Secretary Kurt Steinhaus left on Jan. 27 after just announcing he planned to stay.

Department of Finance and Administration Secretary Deborah Romero left at the end of 2022.

The Senate Rules Committee is the legislative panel that confirms the governor’s cabinet-level appointments.

Confirmations can be expected to be coming through the committee beginning next week, said Chris Nordstrum, a spokesperson for the Democratic majority in the Senate. The committee will soon be starting Saturday meetings devoted primarily to confirmations, he said.

Meyers Sackett told the Santa Fe New Mexican the turnover in a governor’s second term is not unusual.

“For context, five cabinet secretaries left the [administration of former Republican Gov. Susana Martinez] following her reelection in 2014,” she told the newspaper. “These are not your average ‘9 to 5’ jobs — they require a high level of dedication and come with the highest level of responsibility. It’s also important to consider the unique challenges outside of anyone’s control that were faced during the governor’s first term.”

The newspaper compiled a history of Lujan Grisham’s cabinet appointees here.