Komadina, Cour win legislative primaries

By Eric Maddy
The SCORE

State Sen. Steve Komadina and Rio Rancho school board president Lisa Cour both won their primary election contests for state legislative seats Tuesday night, setting up two interesting battles in the November general election.

Komadina, who is seeking his third term in the Senate, easily outdistanced Barry Bitzer of Corrales in the Republican primary for Senate District 9. That sets to up a battle with Bernalillo insurance agent John Sapien, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary. Sapien is the son of former county commissioner Bill Sapien.

Cour, meanwhile, defeated Gary Van Valin in the primary for state House District 44. She’ll face Republican incumbent Jane Powderell-Culbert in November.

Darrell Madalena, the nephew of current commission chairman Joshua Madalena, could succeed his uncle in District 5. The younger Madalena emerged from a five-way race to defeat Stanly Pino and former commissioner R.W. Johnson, among others, in the Democratic primary. He will face former two-time Santa Ana Pueblo governor Leonard Armijo in the general election.

Josh Madalena, meanwhile finished fourth in his bid to unseat Linda Lovejoy in District 22 of the N.M. Senate.