By a unanimous vote Friday the state Senate confirmed Jon Barela as the cabinet secretary for economic development.

Barela, a Las Cruces native, has a background in business and law and is a past manager of community and governmental affairs for Intel.

He began is career as an aide to the late Rep. Joe Skeen, who represented New Mexico’s Second Congressional District.

Barela was also an unsuccessful candidate for Congress from the state’s Third District in 2010.

His nomination was sponsored by Sens. Mary Jane Garcia, D-Doña Ana, and Bill Payne, R-Albuquerque.

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