Jay C. Block
Jay Christopher Block (born November 9, 1970) is an American politician. A member of the Republican Party, he has been in the New Mexico Senate since 2025. Block was previously a member of the Sandoval County Commission from 2016 to 2024. He unsuccessfully ran in the Republican primary in 2022 New Mexico gubernatorial election.
Early life
Block was born in Manchester, New Hampshire. As a child, he struggled in school due to dyslexia. In his teens, he did volunteer work 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.
Block had post-traumatic stress disorder following his service in Afghanistan. He spent time working at the Pentagon and Kirkland Air Force Base. Following his retirement from the Air Force in 2016, he became a consultant for the Department of Defense on nuclear operations.
Political career
Block is a member of the New Mexico Senate, representing the 12th District. Block, a Republican, was elected in 2024. He assumed office on January 1, 2025, succeeding longtime Democratic senator Jerry Ortiz y Pino in a redistricted district.
As of 2025, Block is on the Senate Health & Public Affairs committee and the Senate Rules committee.
Block was first elected to the Sandoval County Commission in 2016 and was re-elected in 2020. While on the commission, he allocated budgetary support for drug and alcohol treatment services.
On April 17, 2021, Block became the first to enter the Republican primary for the New Mexico governorship in 2022. In the primary, he came in fourth place with 10.61% of the vote, losing the nomination to Mark Ronchetti with 58.41%. Ronchetti lost the general election.
Political positions
Block supports Donald Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency. 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". He opposes abortion and transgender rights.
Personal life
As of 2024, Block had four children and was married to Jennifer.
One of Block's daughters criticized him for his support of Donald Trump and his Republican views in TikTok videos..