Editor,

My family and I will be voting for Joseph Sanchez in the Democratic primary for Congressional District #3.

I have known Joseph Sanchez for approximately 25 years.  I first met Joseph when he was hired on as a student at LANL.  We worked on the same team for a few years and have been friends ever since.  During that time I was privileged to meet and spend time both personally and professionally with members of the Sanchez family.  My family considers them part of our New Mexico family.  They are a fantastic family and do so much for Northern New Mexico through their charitable work and involvement in the community.

Joseph received his BS in Electrical Engineering and his MBA from UNM   He worked at LANL for many years; working his way up to the position of engineering manager.  He left LANL to become Manager of Jemez Mountains Electrical Cooperative for 3 years, successfully improving all aspect of the co-op.  During that time he managed a utility that served five counties, over 30,000 meters, and employed over 100 people.   He is now back at LANL working as an electrical system engineer.

Joseph has family members who own small businesses; he understands their needs and how important small businesses are to New Mexico. He will work hard to provide more funding opportunities for small businesses that will allow them to grow and expand.  The need for someone who will support small businesses is so evident during this time of COVID-19 with all the small businesses who are struggling.

Representative Sanchez is currently serving New Mexico as the District 40 State Representative.  As State Representative, Joseph serves as Vice Chairman of the House Appropriations and Finance Committee (HAFC), helping develop our states multi-billion dollar budget.   One particular moment as Representative that he is particularly proud of was helping to acquire the funding to open the Pathways Homeless Shelter in Española.

I know Joseph to be a good, honest, and humble person. Despite his quiet disposition, he is not afraid to fight for New Mexico; this shows in what he has done professionally running a utility company and continues to do for New Mexico as a State Representative.   By working at LANL, he has first-hand understanding of the lab’s mission, the people who work here, and the importance LANL plays to Northern New Mexico, the State, and the Country.  Joseph would be a strong advocate for us in Washington.

I hope you will also consider voting for Joseph Sanchez in the primary on June 2nd or through early voting. For more information visit https://www.josephsanchezforcongress.com/

Mark Lausen
Los Alamos