Ronny Rardin seeks Magistrate Judge seat in June 5 election
ALAMOGORDO – Former County Commissioner of District 3 Ronny Rardin is hoping to get back in the political scene in Otero County, this time as a magistrate judge.
Rardin, a Republican, is running for the Magistrate Judge Division I seat in the June 5 primary election, which is currently being held by incumbent Magistrate Judge Steve Guthrie who is seeking to retain his seat.
Rardin, an Alamogordo native, first became interested in county government in 1989 and ran for County Commission in 1990. He won his first election in 1992. Rardin then served two terms and was elected again in 2008 and 2012. He has served on the Board of Otero County Commissioners for 16 years.
Rardin’s final term ended December 2016.
“Back in 1989 I went to the Board of Otero County Commissioners as an entrepreneur. I had a construction company and I wanted to see what it took to have our road chip sealed. They told me it would be taken care of,” Rardin said. “I sat down and watched them do their work. I started attending the meetings out of curiosity. I wanted to learn, knowledge gives you understanding. At the time, Commissioner Joe Chambers asked me to be on the committee for the jail and I said yes. Then the Republican Party asked me if I would run for the position. I ran and I lost to Dorothy Mills.”
Rardin said after servicing the county for nearly two decades he decided it was the right time to get back into politics and be a judge.
Rardin said he believes his experience of being in public office qualifies him for the job because he is well educated on the laws.
“I served as a County Commissioner and worked for Otero County for 16 years. Under the commission’s heading I was the one who wrote and developed laws. I felt it was the right time for me to make the move from the legislative side to the judicial side,” Rardin said. “After I got out of the commission, I think I served my term there enough and I wanted to move forward. I felt in my last couple of years on the commission that I wanted to run for magistrate judge next because the judge applies the laws that the legislative people set.”
Rardin says he understands the laws that are set in place by legislation because the Otero County Commission follows those exact same laws.
“I felt knowing the law like I do, understanding the constitution of the United States and understanding the state laws, because they’re the same laws that we work with in the commission, they’re all the same laws,” Rardin said. “A judge’s job is to understand with common sense what the laws were written for, how they were intended to be applied and apply them to each case that comes before them.”
As a magistrate judge, duties include handling offenses such as, petty theft, small crimes and traffic violations.
Rardin said one of the qualities he possesses in order to be a fair judge is having common sense and seeking alternative ways when it comes to jail time.
“You can’t prejudge any case. We have to look at alternative sentencing to jail. Jail is a harsh necessity we have to have because some people can’t follow rules,” Rardin said. “The law is to protect you and not destroy you. When I was on the County Commission I started the Otero County Clean-Up Program (OCCP) which is a program that trains individuals sentenced and orders them to perform community services in lieu of serving jail time. Instead of putting people in jail the judge would send them to our program, cleaning weeds and highways. As judge I will be looking into those programs to try to keep people out of jail.”
Rardin believes he has proven himself to be a political leader because he stands up for what he believes in and fights for people’s rights.
“I believe I’ve proven myself and my record will show that I do show up to work,” Rardin said. “I do stand up for what I believe in and I always fight for people’s rights. As a former commissioner, I understand the service that is required by all elected officials to the people who elect them. You become a servant and the servant gives four years of their life.”
Rardin attended Alamogordo High School and later took college courses at New Mexico State University-Alamogordo. He currently runs his own business, Lonewolf Construction, a business he’s been running for 30 years and is the pastor for Saving Grace Church.
Rardin has been married for 43 years to his wife Bridgette. The couple have three children, Dustin, Bailey and Otero County Treasurer Laura Whiteside. The Rardins have five grandchildren.