Governor selects McCutcheon
News-Sun Staff Report
SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Friday appointed Steven McCutcheon II to the District 42 Senate seat.
Grisham selected McCutcheon over Rep. Larry Scott, R-Hobbs, on Friday and announced her choice on Saturday.
Eddy County had submitted McCutcheon’s name while Lea and Chaves counties had submitted Scott’s name to the governor for consideration.
McCutcheon is a native of Carlsbad He served on the Eddy County Commission from 2018 to 2022. The Republican is also a rancher and businessman. He has been married to his wife, Lisa, for 12 years and they have 4 children.
McCutcheon’s term begins immediately and ends after the next general election.
The District 42 seat was vacated in August upon the retirement of Sen. Gay Kernan.
Under state law, when a legislative district covers parts of more than one county, county commissions from each county may submit names to the governor for consideration to fill a vacant seat in the Legislature. The governor must select from the names submitted by the counties.
Scott, who has served in the state House of Representatives for nine years and represents District 62, told the Lea County Commission during the selecting of process that regardless of whether he was selected by the governor to fill the seat or not, he intended to run for the Senate seat in November 2024.
