SANTA FE — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s pick to run New Mexico’s Department of Health faced questions from senators Friday about his departure from a top Oregon state government job and the state’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, Patrick Allen was ultimately confirmed on a 26-5 vote in the Senate, with five Republican senators casting “no” votes.
The confirmation vote came on the same day that New Mexico eclipsed the grim milestone of 9,000 deaths attributed to COVID-19 since the pandemic first arrived in the state in March 2020.
While the state Department of Health recently reduced the frequency of its COVID-19 epidemiology reports from weekly to bi-weekly, the agency has continued to track deaths, cases and hospitalizations connected to the virus.
As of this week, state data shows roughly one in three New Mexicans — or about 645,000 people — have tested positive for the virus at least once and made a full recovery, though the actual number could be even higher.
Allen, who was appointed by Lujan Grisham in December, started work with the Department of Health last month — just two weeks before the start of the 60-day legislative session.
Several senators raised questions Friday about his resignation from the Oregon Health Authority, which occurred after several gubernatorial candidates indicated they would not retain him if elected.
Allen defended his record, but said he understood the political fallout of both the pandemic and a rise in homeless individuals living in Portland, the state’s largest city.
“I told people if I were running for governor, I probably would have fired me, too.” Allen said during the Senate Rules Committee hearing.
Sen. Cliff Pirtle, R-Roswell, also asked Allen about whether he could make decisions that are unpopular with the governor, to which Allen answered in the affirmative.
But Pirtle still voted against his confirmation, saying, “We need a health secretary willing to buck the political pressures of the governor, and though I could not support Mr. Allen’s confirmation, I hope he will prove me wrong and serve our citizens well.”
Allen wasn’t the only new Cabinet secretary in the Lujan Grisham administration to be confirmed Friday, as Workforce Solutions Director Sarita Nair was also confirmed on a 30-0 vote.
