Antoinette Sedillo Lopez

After graduating from law school, Sedillo Lopez worked as a law clerk for the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.[5]

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.[6]

In 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.[7] During her campaign, Sedillo Lopez was endorsed by Justice Democrats and The People for Bernie Sanders.[8][9]

In January 2019, Sedillo Lopez was appointed to the New Mexico Senate by the Bernalillo County Commission to succeed Cisco McSorley following his resignation.[10] She is the vice chair of the Senate Conservation Committee and a member of the Senate Public Affairs Committee.[11] As a member of the New Mexico Senate, she sponsored a bill that would have placed a moratorium on fracking in the state.[12][13]

Following the announcement of Haaland as Joe Biden's nominee for Secretary of the Interior, she announced her run in a special election for the seat.[14]