Jay C. Block | |
---|---|
Member of the New Mexico Senate from the 12th district | |
Assumed office 2025 | |
Preceded by | Jerry Ortiz y Pino |
Personal details | |
Political party | Republican |
Residence | Rio Rancho,New Mexico |
Jay Christopher Block (born in Manchester,New Hampshire) is an American politician,retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel,and consultant [1] currently serving as member of the New Mexico Senate,representing the 12th District. [2] Block,a Republican,was elected in 2024, [3] he assumed office on January 1,2025,succeeding longtime Democratic senator Jerry Ortiz y Pino. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force,where he served from 1989 to 2016,Block has been an advocate for conservative policies and limited government. Outside of politics,he works as a nuclear weapons consultant.
In January 2025,Jay Block faced criticism for his association with Jaime Estrada, [4] a former campaign manager for Governor Susana Martinez who served prison time for illegally intercepting emails and making false statements to the FBI. [5] [6] [7] Estrada attended the opening day of the legislative session as Block's guest,prompting backlash after accusations surfaced of social media harassment. While Block condemned the alleged behavior as "disgraceful," his decision to host Estrada drew scrutiny due to Estrada's criminal history and the nature of the accusations.