Theresa Becenti-Aguilar

Becenti-Aguilar interned with the Bureau of Land Management before working for Tom Udall, first during his tenure as attorney general of New Mexico, then in the United States House of Representatives as a constituent services representative for tribal relations. In November 2006, she was hired as Native American liaison to the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission, the first to hold the position.^[3]

In June 2010, Becenti-Aguilar won the Democratic nomination for public regulation commissioner from the 4th district, defeating three other candidates, with 36%.^[4] When incumbent Commissioner Carol Sloan was removed from office by the New Mexico Supreme Court following felony convictions for battery and burglary, Governor Bill Richardson appointed Becenti-Aguilar to the seat and was subsequently elected in November with 55%.^[5][6]

Becenti-Aguilar lost renomination in 2014 to former commissioner and State Senator Lynda Lovejoy 46-32%, with a third candidate taking 22%.^[7] Becenti-Aguilar ran again in 2018, narrowly defeating Lovejoy and Janene Yazzie, 35-33-32%.^[8][9] She subsequently won the general election unopposed. Becenti-Aguilar's service on the commission ended December 31, 2022 after a constitutional amendment converting the commission from an elected to an appointed body went into effect.^[10]

• Theresa Becenti-Aguilar – Ballotpedia profile
• Follow the Money – Theresa Becenti-Aguilar
  • 2010–2014 2018 campaign contributions