ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Gov. Susana Martinez is expected to choose between two longtime judges to fill a seat on the New Mexico Supreme Court.
Only two candidates — New Mexico Court of Appeals Judge Michael E. Vigil and Chief Fifth Judicial District Judge Gary Clingman — applied for the post. The nominating commission has recommended both to the governor for consideration.
They are vying to replace Justice Edward Chavez, who retired last month.
Vigil is a graduate of the College of Santa Fe and Georgetown University Law Center, who was appointed in 2013 to the appeals court.
He lost an election bid for the Supreme Court in 2016 to Justice Judith Nakamura. Martinez appointed her to the high court that year.
Clingman has been a district judge since 1997. He's a graduate of University of Texas and Texas Tech Law School.