The ouster of Ingle comes after the Republican minority was reduced by one seat in the recent election and three Republican senators in Bernalillo County lost their reelection bids. 

Also, the Senate coalition in which Senate Republicans allied with conservative leaning Senate Democrats is finished as a result of the primary election defeats of the conservative Dems. That further weakened Ingle’s position.

Baca, 49, is a Valencia County native, a decorated Gulf War veteran, an attorney and businessman who practices law out of Los Lunas. He beat Paul Baca in this month's election to win his second term. 

Senator Baca is apparently the first Hispanic Senate Republican leader in the modern era. 

Valencia County voted heavily for Trump and also put into office GOP Sen.-elect Josh Sanchez who scored an upset win over well-financed Democratic contender Pam Cordova. This was the party's best showing in the ABQ metro. 

Ingle, 72, is currently the longest serving state senator, taking his Clovis area seat in 1985. He farms and ranches in Portales. He was first named Minority Leader in 2001 and his 20 year run is one of the longest on record. He is well-versed in policy and liked and respected on both sides of the aisle. But the party decided it needed new faces to pull it out of a very deep cellar. 

The switch in Republican leadership is from rural to urban. It is the urban areas of Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Las Cruces that have been pummeling the state Republicans into oblivion. They currently hold no statewide executive offices and Democrats control both houses of the legislature.

Leader Baca’s election also represents a generational change in leadership as the R’s fight to regain relevancy. Their next challenge is the redistricting of the legislature in which more of their seats could be placed in jeopardy. 

When the new legislature is seated in January the 42 member Senate will have 27 Democrats and only 15 Republicans.

Meeting at the Capitol, the GOP caucus also selected Rio Rancho Senator Craig Brandt as their Minority Whip. Sen. Mark Moores, the only surviving GOP Senator in BernCo, was named Minority Caucus Chair. 

Again, these selections are from the ABQ metro where the R's have faltered in recent cycles. One lack in the new GOP leadership line-up Is the absence of any women who continue to bolster the Democratic Party.

It just keeps getting worse: 

State Auditor Brian Colón has an ongoing investigation into the overtime problem. 

Bernalillo County Sheriff Manny Gonzales is gearing up for a 2021 run against Mayor Keller who like previous Mayor RJ Berry has been overwhelmed by the intransigent APD culture. Berry managed to get re-elected amid the wreckage in 2013. But this time the APD abuse is combined with record high crime. The city election is now less than a year away and will be held Nov. 2, 2021.

Meantime, the city has put up this survey for citizens interested in chiming in about the qualifications for a new police chief. Keller has launched a national search. Interim Chief Harold Medina says he is interested in the permanent position.