Jay Christopher Block (born November 9, 1970)[1] is an American politician. A member of the Republican Party, he has been in the New Mexico Senate since 2025.[2] Block was previously a member of the Sandoval County Commission from 2016 to 2024.[3] He unsuccessfully ran in the Republican primary in 2022 New Mexico gubernatorial election.[3]
Block was born in Manchester, New Hampshire. As a child, he struggled in school due to dyslexia. In his teens, he volunteered for Jack Kemp's unsuccessful bid for the Republican nomination in the 1988 US presidential election. After high school, he joined the US Air Force and was in the ROTC program while at North Dakota State University.[4]
Block was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder following his service in Afghanistan. He spent time working at the Pentagon and Kirtland Air Force Base. Following his retirement from the Air Force in 2016, he became a consultant for the Department of Defense on nuclear operations.[4]
Block is a member of the New Mexico Senate, representing the 12th District.[5] Block, a Republican, was elected in 2024.[6] He assumed office on January 1, 2025, succeeding longtime Democratic senator Jerry Ortiz y Pino in a redistricted district.[7]
As of 2025, Block is on the Senate Health & Public Affairs committee and the Senate Rules committee.[2]
Block was first elected to the Sandoval County Commission in 2016 and was re-elected in 2020.[3] While on the commission, he allocated budgetary support for drug and alcohol treatment services.[8] In 2022, he voted against certifying the result of the municipal, primary, and general elections. He was outvoted by the other county commissioners. [9]
On April 17, 2021, Block became the first candidate to enter the Republican primary for the New Mexico governorship in 2022.[10] In the primary, he placed fourth with 10.61% of the vote, losing the nomination to Mark Ronchetti with 58.41%. Ronchetti lost the general election.[11]
Block supports Donald Trump.[12] He supports the Second Amendment, right-to-work laws and favors life imprisonment or the death penalty for drug dealers, citing the fentanyl crisis. He also supports the oil and gas industry . He has described himself as an opponent of the "woke left".[13] He opposes abortion and transgender rights.[8][14]
Block divorced his wife, Kelli, in 2019. [15]
As of 2024, Block had four children and was married to Jennifer.[1]
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