Debbie A. Rodella (born November 28, 1961) is an American politician who served as a member of the New Mexico House of Representatives from 1993 to 2018. A Democrat, she represented Legislative District 41 located in Rio Arriba, Santa Fe, and Taos Counties. She lost the Democratic primary in 2018 to

Susan K. Herrera Susan K. Herrera is an American politician serving as a member of the New Mexico House of Representatives for the 41st district, which includes portions of Rio Arriba, Santa Fe County, and Taos counties. Career Prior to entering politics, Her ...

Early life and education

A native and lifelong resident of Española, New Mexico, Rodella received her associate degree from

Northern New Mexico Community College Northern New Mexico College is a public college in Española, New Mexico. History Northern was founded in El Rito, New Mexico in 1909 as the Spanish American Normal School, with the original mission of providing teacher training for the ar ...

and attended the

College of Santa Fe Santa Fe University of Art and Design (SFUAD) was a private, for-profit art school in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The university was built from the non-profit College of Santa Fe (CSF), a Catholic facility founded as St. Michael's College in 1859, an ...

Career

She worked as a materials science technician and as a secretary. Rodella is married to Thomas Rodella, the former sheriff of Rio Arriba County who was removed from office after his federal felony convictions in September 2014 on multiple civil rights charges. They have two children.

New Mexico House of Representatives

Rodella was first elected to the 70-seat New Mexico House of Representatives in 1992. Running unopposed in both primary and general elections since 2006, Rodella was re-elected to a twelfth consecutive two-year term in November 2014. Rodella serves as the chair of the House Business & Industry Committee, Interim Chair of the Economic and Rural Development Committee, and a member of both the Voters & Elections and the Rules & Order of Business Committees. In 2013, Rodella voted with Republicans to block a same-sex marriage bill in committee, and against a bill (which passed) to reduce the penalties for the possession of marijuana. Rep. Rodella has been accused of sharing funds contributed to her re-election campaigns with her husband, to use in his own races for political office. In the 2018 Democratic primary, Rodella ran for re-election but lost to

.'Longtime lawmaker Rodella unseated by progressive challenger,' Santa Fe New Mexican Sarah Halasz Graham, June 5, 2018

References

External links

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Legislature page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rodella, Debbie 1961 births Living people People from Española, New Mexico Northern New Mexico College alumni Santa Fe University of Art and Design alumni Women state legislators in New Mexico Democratic Party members of the New Mexico House of Representatives 21st-century American politicians 21st-century American women politicians