Sapien suspends Sandoval County District 1 commission campaign, field narrows

John Sapien’s suspension removed one of the better-known names from Sandoval County’s District 1 race, leaving Democrat Paul Madrid and Republican Rebecca Skartwed as the only contenders for a seat that stretches from Bernalillo to Corrales and southeastern Rio Rancho.

Sapien said April 12 that he was stepping aside because a new opportunity in his professional life would demand his full attention, making it impossible to serve county residents the way he felt they deserved. His withdrawal changes the contest in a county where commission races can turn on a small number of voters, familiar names and a strong ground game.

The field had already been set when county filing closed March 10. In District 1, three candidates entered the race: Madrid of Bernalillo, Sapien of Corrales and Skartwed of Placitas. With Sapien out, voters now face a simpler choice, but the race also becomes more dependent on Madrid’s and Skartwed’s ability to build support before the June 2 primary and the Nov. 3 general election.

That matters in Sandoval County because the five-member commission makes decisions that affect land use, public safety priorities, budgets and long-term development policy in one of New Mexico’s fastest-growing counties. The commission operates under a commission-manager form of government, and state law limits commissioners to two consecutive four-year terms. This year, both District 1 and District 3 are on the ballot because the incumbents are term-limited, including District 3 Commissioner Michael Meek.

District 1 is currently held by Katherine A. Bruch, who was re-elected in November 2022 and is serving a term that runs through December 2026. Her district includes the Town of Bernalillo, the Placitas area, southeastern Rio Rancho, the Pueblo of Sandia, the Village of Corrales and La Madera. Bruch has said the 2020 census redrew the district, taking away much of her prior territory and adding new areas.

The campaigns that remain bring distinct profiles into a race that will help shape the commission’s future direction. Madrid says he is a sixth-generation rancher, president of the Bernalillo Public School Board and a former commissioner for the Cabezon Livestock Pipeline Association. Skartwed, of Placitas, stays in the contest as the lone Republican in the field.

For voters, the immediate takeaway is that Sandoval County’s District 1 race is now narrower but no less consequential. Early voting for the primary runs from May 16 through May 30, and the primary itself is June 2. With Sapien gone, the contest becomes a clearer referendum on who will guide the county through growth, development pressure and the next county budget cycle.