NM Legislature underwent election-year face lift

Nearly a third of the 112 members of Legislature will be new to the House and Senate when lawmakers convene in January, and that could end up helping Republican Gov. Susana Martinez and her push to end driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants.

There will be at least 15 new senators and the election appears to have added more supporters of the governor’s license proposal, which has been a centerpiece of her legislative agenda.

What remains unclear is whether this year’s unusually bitter legislative campaigns created a toxic partisan environment that will make it even more difficult for Martinez to steer her proposals through the Democratic-dominated Legislature.

Democratic legislative leaders and the governor say they can put aside their election year differences.