Aubrey Dunn announced he will not run for reelection as state land commissioner and will instead run for congress in the state’s 2nd Congressional District.

Dunn, a Republican, made the announcement Tuesday.

U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, also a Republican, announced earlier he will forego a run for an eighth term in office and instead run for governor.

Dunn is so far the second Republican to announce candidacy for the seat, following state Rep. Yvette Herrell of Alamogordo. Other Republicans have said they are considering a run, including state Sen. Cliff Pirtle of Roswell.

Four Democrats have said they are running for the seat.

Dunn used a common Donald Trump phrase when announcing...

On the edge of the Valle Grande in northern New Mexico stands a grove of towering ponderosa pines. The trees, many of them between 250 and 400 years old, comprise what’s called the History Grove, and they offer a snapshot into what the forests of the Jemez Mountains looked like centuries ago—before widespread grazing in the late 19th century and decades of fire suppression by the federal government. During a recent trip there, I was reminded of what goes into protecting and maintaining our forests and landscapes.

Land management, as it’s called, is made of up of meetings and programs, line-item budgets and public comment periods. And sometimes, expensive lawsuits and bitter...

There is a list in which New Mexico doesn’t rank near the bottom: How much energy costs residents in the state.

The website WalletHub ranked New Mexico as the eighth-cheapest place in the United States for energy. The website ranked the average monthly energy bills in each state and Washington D.C. New Mexico’s total average monthly energy bills came out to $256, sandwiched between Nebraska and California.

New Mexico’s electricity rank is cheapest in the country, at just $90 per month. New Mexico is also one of 21 states with no average monthly home heating oil costs. The states with heating-oil costs are largely in the northeastern part of the country.

New Mexico is one of the...

SANTA FE —Gov. Susana Martinez announced July 12 that Department of Indian Affairs Cabinet Secretary Kelly Zunie will be stepping down to pursue other opportunities.

“Secretary Zunie has been a strong asset in building and growing our relationships with New Mexico’s tribes, nations and pueblos,” Martinez said. “Her leadership helped us work with Native American communities throughout the state to strengthen schools, improve healthcare and create more economic opportunities for all our families. Her skills and experience will be missed.”

Governor Martinez appointed Zunie as cabinet secretary in November of 2014, and she was the first woman to lead the Department. Since her...