Female politicians gain ground in New Mexico

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico state House of Representatives has inched within four seats of gender parity with a surge in victorious female Democrats in the midterm election.
House Speaker Brian Egolf said Wednesday that women will constitute a majority of Democrats in the House when the Legislature convenes in January. Overall, 31 women won election to the 70-seat chamber on Tuesday.
In other milestones, the governor's office will pass from one Latina governor to another with the election of Democratic U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham to the highest office in state government.
Stephanie Garcia Richard of Los Alamos will become the first woman to lead the State Land Office that oversees energy and mineral development on state trust land to fund public education.
Women won two open U.S. congressional seats.