Senate seat goes to Roosevelt rancher

Another Roosevelt County resident appears headed to the state Senate as the District 27 representative.

Pat Boone, an Elida rancher, edged Roswell attorney Greg Nibert by 101 votes Tuesday night in the Republican primary. Roswell's Larry Marker was a distant third, more than 1,500 votes behind the others in a race that saw 5,653 votes cast.

Results are not official until each of the district's five counties approve them and after the state's canvassing board meets June 25. Area county clerks said late last week they've not heard any requests for recounts in the region's closest race. Deadline to ask for a recount is July 1, said Curry County Clerk Annie Hogland.

With no Democrats on the ballot, Boone is expected to move into the position held by Portales' Stuart Ingle who retired last year after 36 years in the Senate.

Nibert was the incumbent in the race, having been appointed to succeed Ingle by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. Prior to that appointment, Nibert had been a state representative since 2016.

"I am naturally honored, and I'm humbled to have been elected, especially over a well-respected incumbent," Boone told The News last week.

Boone, who has lived and ranched in the Portales area for 51 years, said he is qualified for the Senate seat "because of my ties to the ag world."

Roosevelt County voters clearly support him. Boone won 74% of the votes in his home county, beating Nibert, 1,367-387. Boone also won 67% of the votes in Curry County, beating Nibert, 172-90. 

Nibert won his home county of Chaves, 1,768-618.

Nibert didn't respond to multiple interview requests from The News. The Roswell Daily Record reported he acknowledged Boone's win and called for Republicans to unify behind him.

"Even though we came up short, I believe the fight to take back New Mexico from the forces of liberal progressivism is just getting started," Boone wrote on his Facebook page, according to the Roswell newspaper. "We need to unite in the fight for our state."

Boone attributed his victory to his deep roots in eastern New Mexico.

"I've done a lot of stuff (in Portales and Roosevelt County). I mean, I've been active and have been on several boards. My kids grew up there," he said.

"People have known me for a long time, and they know that I'm a man of my word and a man of integrity."

Boone, a staunch conservative, said his "biggest concern is getting immigration under control."

"I think our schools, many of them, are overwhelmed by the immigrant children. I think our hospitals, our healthcare system, is overwhelmed by these people coming in here. Many of them are not vaccinated against the main diseases that we all got vaccinated for when we were kids," Boone said.

Marker, meanwhile, quipped that he got his "butt whooped," but wished "congratulations to Pat Boone. I'm 100% behind him."

Assuming the vote totals hold, Boone takes office Jan. 1.