Antoinette Sedillo Lopez (born 1957) is an American attorney, politician, and retired professor who is serving as a member of the New Mexico Senate since 2019.[2] She was appointed in January 2019 to succeed Cisco McSorley following his resignation and was re-elected in the 2020 election.[3]
Antoinette Sedillo Lopez | |
|---|---|
| Member of the New Mexico Senate from the 16th district | |
| Assumed office January 14, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Cisco McSorley |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Antoinette Sedillo 1956 or 1957 (age 67–68)[1] |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Victor Lopez |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | University of New Mexico (BA) University of California, Los Angeles (JD) |
| Website | Government website |
Early life and education
editSedillo Lopez was raised on her parents' farm in Los Chavez, New Mexico and attended Belen High School. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of New Mexico and a Juris Doctor from the UCLA School of Law.[4][5]
Career
editLaw career
editAfter graduating from law school, Sedillo Lopez worked as a law clerk for the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.[6]
Prior to entering the legislature, Sedillo Lopez was a law professor at the University of New Mexico School of Law for 27 years, where she specialized in ethics, civil procedure, and family law. She retired as the associate dean for clinical affairs.[7]
She also served as executive director for Albuquerque's Enlace Comunitario https://lawschool.unm.edu/news/2014/01/lopez.html; a New Mexico non-profit that helps and represents individuals and their families experiencing domestic violence by working to decrease gender inequity and intimate partner violence in the Latinx immigrant community in Central New Mexico.
2018 U.S. House campaign
editIn 2018, Sedillo Lopez was a candidate for New Mexico's 1st congressional district. A political progressive, Sedillo Lopez advocated for a Medicare for All healthcare system during her campaign. In the Democratic primary, she placed third after Damon Martinez and eventual winner Deb Haaland.[8] During her campaign, Sedillo Lopez was endorsed by Justice Democrats and The People for Bernie Sanders.[9][10]
New Mexico Senate
editIn January 2019, Sedillo Lopez was appointed to the New Mexico Senate by the Bernalillo County Commission to succeed Cisco McSorley following his resignation.[11] She is the vice chair of the Senate Conservation Committee and a member of the Senate Public Affairs Committee.[12] As a member of the New Mexico Senate, she sponsored a bill that would have placed a moratorium on fracking in the state.[13][14]
2021 U.S. House campaign
editFollowing the announcement of Haaland as Joe Biden's nominee for secretary of the interior, Sedillo Lopez announced her campaign in a special election for the seat.[15] She placed first with 74 votes in the first round of the Democratic convention to nominate a candidate,[16] and was defeated in the second round by State Representative Melanie Stansbury. Stansbury received 103 votes and Sedillo Lopez got 97.[17]
Personal life
editSedillo Lopez met her husband, Victor S. Lopez, while they were students at the UCLA School of Law. They have three children. Victor Lopez is a district judge of the New Mexico 2nd Judicial District Court for Division XXVII. They live in Albuquerque, New Mexico.[18]
References
edit- ^ Coleman, Michael. "Antoinette Sedillo Lopez runs as expert on Constitution". www.abqjournal.com. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
- ^ Dan Boyd, "Sedillo Lopez appointed to vacant Senate seat". Albuquerque Journal, January 14, 2019.
- ^ Harold Morgan, "Bernalillo County GOP calls 16 point congressional loss a huge accomplishment". Carlsbad Current-Argus, November 16, 2020.
- ^ Candidate, The. "1st Congressional District candidate Antoinette Sedillo Lopez". www.abqjournal.com. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
- ^ "Antoinette Sedillo Lopez". Ballotpedia. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
- ^ Writer, Rick Nathanson | Journal Staff. "From small-town dreams to prominent law professor". www.abqjournal.com. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
- ^ "Ex-UNM law prof Sedillo Lopez appointed to New Mexico Senate". Associated Press, January 14, 2019.
- ^ Michael Coleman, "Journal poll: Martinez, Haaland, Sedillo Lopez in tight race". Albuquerque Journal, May 26, 2018.
- ^ Bureau, Michael Coleman | Journal Washington. "Haaland, Sedillo Lopez receive Black Caucus, Bernie Sanders group's endorsements". www.abqjournal.com. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ "Justice Democrats PAC Contributions to Federal Candidates". OpenSecrets.
- ^ "Ex-UNM law prof Sedillo Lopez appointed to New Mexico Senate". AP NEWS. January 14, 2019. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
- ^ "Senator Antoinette Sedillo Lopez - (D) - New Mexico Legislature". www.nmlegis.gov. Archived from the original on April 24, 2020. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
- ^ "New Mexico promised its students free college. Then oil prices tanked". NBC News. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
- ^ Cd1, Antoinette Sedillo Lopez | Democratic Candidate. "OPINION | Stop attacks on NM candidates". www.abqjournal.com. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Boyd, Dan (January 4, 2021). "ABQ lawmaker joins three others in bid for Haaland's seat". www.abqjournal.com. Albuquerque Journal.
- ^ Democrats, New Mexico (March 31, 2021). "DPNM Announces Runoff in SCC Vote to Determine Democratic Nominee in CD-1". New Mexico Democrats.
- ^ Writer, Ryan Boetel | Journal Staff. "Stansbury chosen as Democratic nominee for special election". www.abqjournal.com. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
- ^ Bureau, Michael Coleman | Journal Washington. "Antoinette Sedillo Lopez runs as expert on Constitution". www.abqjournal.com. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help)