:Jay C. Block
{{Short description|American politician (born 1970)}}
{{use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Jay C. Block
| image =
| caption = Block in 2024
| district = 12th
| predecessor = Jerry Ortiz y Pino
| successor = Incumbent
| state_senate = New Mexico
| term_start = January 1, 2025
| office1 = Member of the
Sandoval County Commission
from the 2nd district
| term_start1 = 2016
| term_end1 = 2024
| predecessor1 = Nora M. Scherzinger
| successor1 = John Herr
| residence = Rio Rancho, New Mexico, U.S.
| state = New Mexico
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|November 9, 1970}}
| birth_place = Manchester, New Hampshire, U.S.
| party = Republican
| education = North Dakota State University
}}
Jay Christopher Block (born November 9, 1970){{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/albuquerque-journal-jay-c-block-candidat/167950362/ |publisher=Albuquerque Journal |location=Albuquerque, NM |date=2024-05-26 |page=C6 |title=Candidates |access-date=2025-03-15}} is an American politician. A member of the Republican Party, he has been in the New Mexico Senate since 2025.{{cite web|url=https://www.nmlegis.gov/Members/Legislator?SponCode=SBLOC |title=Senator Jay C. Block - (R) |publisher=New Mexico Legislature |access-date=2025-03-15}} Block was previously a member of the Sandoval County Commission from 2016 to 2024.{{Cite news |last=Hattem |first=Julian |date=2014-06-16 |title=NM governor's ex-aide pleads guilty to hacking charges |url=https://thehill.com/policy/technology/209528-nm-governors-ex-aide-pleads-guilty-to-hacking-charges/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20230203183014/https://thehill.com/policy/technology/209528-nm-governors-ex-aide-pleads-guilty-to-hacking-charges/ |archive-date=2023-02-03 |access-date=2025-01-26 |work=The Hill |language=en-US}} He unsuccessfully ran in the Republican primary in 2022 New Mexico gubernatorial election.
Early life
Block was born in Manchester, New Hampshire. As a child, he struggled in school due to dyslexia. In his teens, he did volunteer work for Jack Kemp's unsuccessful bid for the Republican nomination in the 1988 US presidential election. After high school, he joined the US Air Force and was in the ROTC program while at North Dakota State University.{{cite news|title=GOP hopeful Block pitches himself as a fighter|newspaper=Albuquerque Journal|date=May 17, 2022|page=A4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/albuquerque-journal-block-profile-2022/167949625/}}
Block had post-traumatic stress disorder following his service in Afghanistan. He spent time working at the Pentagon and Kirkland Air Force Base. Following his retirement from the Air Force in 2016, he became a consultant for the Department of Defense on nuclear operations.
Political career
Block is a member of the New Mexico Senate, representing the 12th District.{{Cite web |title=Legislator - New Mexico Legislature |url=https://www.nmlegis.gov/Members/Legislator?SponCode=SBLOC |access-date=2025-01-23 |website=www.nmlegis.gov}} Block, a Republican, was elected in 2024.{{Cite web |last=Boyd |first=Dan |date=2024-10-28 |title=After Senate district moved in redistricting, Republicans eye rare Albuquerque area breakthrough |url=https://www.abqjournal.com/election/article_c3fbde4e-9249-11ef-a97c-1f476186d2ef.html |access-date=2025-01-23 |website=Albuquerque Journal |language=en}} He assumed office on January 1, 2025, succeeding longtime Democratic senator Jerry Ortiz y Pino in a redistricted district.{{cite news |author=Kevin Hendricks and Jesse Jones |date=2024-11-05 |title=Sandoval County election results |url=https://sandovalsignpost.com/2024/11/05/sandoval-county-election-results/ |publisher=Sandoval Signpost}}
As of 2025, Block is on the Senate Health & Public Affairs committee and the Senate Rules committee.
Block was first elected to the Sandoval County Commission in 2016 and was re-elected in 2020. While on the commission, he allocated budgetary support for drug and alcohol treatment services.{{cite news |last=Jones |first=Jesse |date=January 7, 2025 |title=New State Senator Wants Strict Penalties for Drug Dealers |url=https://sandovalsignpost.com/2025/01/07/from-service-to-statesman/ |access-date=March 14, 2025 |newspaper=Sandoval Signpost}}
On April 17, 2021, Block became the first to enter the Republican primary for the New Mexico governorship in 2022.{{cite news |date=April 18, 2021 |title=Republican Commissioner Jay Block enters governor's race |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/albuquerque-journal-republican-commissio/167971411/ |newspaper=Albuquerque Journal |page=A12}} In the primary, he came in fourth place with 10.61% of the vote, losing the nomination to Mark Ronchetti with 58.41%. Ronchetti lost the general election.{{cite web |title=2022 Primary Election Candidate Summary Results Report |url=https://api.realfile.rtsclients.com/PublicFiles/ee3072ab0d43456cb15a51f7d82c77a2/36c666a9-0b95-4475-b916-f3060ede04bf/2022%20Primary%20Election%20Candidate%20Summary%20Results%20Report.PDF |website=New Mexico Secretary of State}}
Political positions
Block supports Donald Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency.{{Cite web |last=Chacón |first=Daniel |date=2025-02-27 |title=Daughter calls state senator father 'Walmart version of Trump' in TikTok video |url=https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/legislature/daughter-calls-state-senator-father-walmart-version-of-trump-in-viral-tiktok-video/article_db3972d2-f546-11ef-bafa-fb10f99ca5d4.html |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=The Santa Fe New Mexican |language=en}} He supports the Second Amendment, right-to-work laws and favors life imprisonment or the death penalty for drug dealers, citing the fentanyl crisis. He also supports the oil and gas industry . He has described himself as an opponent of the "woke left".{{cite news |author=Daniel J. Chacón |date=2023-05-16 |title=Republican vows to fight 'woke left' as he announces bid for state Senate |url=https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/republican-vows-to-fight-woke-left-as-he-announces-bid-for-state-senate/article_2bc1a616-f3ff-11ed-82c6-23f33c7897a8.html |publisher=Santa Fe New Mexican}} He opposes abortion and transgender rights.{{cite news |date=July 19, 2022 |title=Daughter Of Anti-Abortion Candidate Jay Block Calls Out Dad For Pro-Life Hypocrisy |url=https://abq.news/2022/07/daughter-of-anti-abortion-candidate-jay-block-calls-out-dad-for-pro-life-hypocrisy/ |website=The Paper}}
Personal life
As of 2024, Block had four children and was married to Jennifer.
One of Block's daughters criticized him for his support of Donald Trump and his Republican views in TikTok videos..{{Cite web |last=Chacón |first=Daniel J. |date=2025-02-27 |title=Daughter calls state senator father 'Walmart version of Trump' in TikTok video |url=https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/legislature/daughter-calls-state-senator-father-walmart-version-of-trump-in-viral-tiktok-video/article_db3972d2-f546-11ef-bafa-fb10f99ca5d4.html |access-date=2025-03-23 |website=Santa Fe New Mexican |language=en}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{New Mexico Senate}}
External links
- [https://www.blockforsenate.com/ Campaign website]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Block, Jay C.}}