New Mexico Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has presided over an unstable administration characterized by a high rate of turnover among cabinet appointees.

That instability was on display again this week when the governor pressured yet another secretary to resign.  

Governor gave public education secretary an ultimatum

According to KRQE News, Grisham announced New Mexico Public Education Secretary Arsenio Romero's departure in a statement on Monday.

At issue was Romero's status as one of five finalists to be selected as president of New Mexico State University (NMSU).

"Gov. Lujan Grisham gave Secretary Romero a choice to either resign and continue pursuing the NMSU position or stay on the job and withdraw his candidacy at NMSU," the statement from Lujan Grisham's office read.

"The Secretary of the Public Education Department is critically important in New Mexico and the governor believes it’s imperative that the person serving in this role be fully committed to the job," it added.

According to KRQE News, the NMSU has publicly indicated that it is "nowhere near" ready to decide who its new president will be.

Romero: "My next adventure awaits"

For his part, Romero posted a statement to social media that read, "This is what it is all about. We work together to do what is right."

This is what it is all about. We work together to do what is right. This is hard work and not everyone is willing to step up to the plate, take risks, and sometimes make others mad. I am proud of my years as a public school servant. My next adventure awaits. pic.twitter.com/LtNZWSzs9X

— Dr. Arsenio Romero (@DrArsenioromero) August 29, 2024

"This is hard work and not everyone is willing to step up to the plate, take risks, and sometimes make others mad," he continued.

The former education secretary concluded by saying, "I am proud of my years as a public school servant. My next adventure awaits."

Administration saw five resignations in the first two months of this year

As KRQE News pointed out, Romero only spent roughly six months on the job and was Lujan Grisham's fourth public education secretary since she first took office in 2019.

This past February saw a flurry of departures from the governor's administration, with five cabinet secretaries leaving in the first two months of the year.

The Source NM noted that those resignations included General Services Department Secretary John Garcia, Press Secretary Nora Meyers Sackett, Human Services Department Secretary Dr. David Scrase, Education Secretary Kurt Steinhaus, and Department of Finance and Administration Secretary Deborah Romero.