By Nicole Maxwell, NM Political Report
Rep. Melanie Stansbury’s bid for House Natural Resources Committee ranking member spot has come to an end.
Stansbury announced Tuesday that her bid for the spot was over.
“I entered the race very late in the game, but I feel really good about it. You know, I ran because I believe strongly that we need more women [in leadership roles],” Stansbury told NM Political Report Wednesday.
Had she won, she would have been the committee’s first woman ranking member in its 220 year history, she said.
Stansbury launched her campaign after former Ranking Member Raúl Grijalva, D-Arizona, announced in October his plans to step down following his cancer diagnosis.
“I ran hard and had a wonderful time and put forward my big ideas for the caucus and made the case for why we need more women in leadership. So as far as I’m concerned, it was a win across the board, but I won’t be the chairman,” Stansbury said.
“We’re trying to break glass ceilings here and really earn our seat at the table. And so I think that we just have to get back up and get back in the arena,” Stansbury said.
Prior to dropping out of the chairman race, Stansbury was endorsed by multiple federal legislators and statewide organizations including the All Pueblo Council of Governors and Rep. Vincente Gonzales, D-Texas.