Pat Woods at Roundhouse, 6/27/12

Rancher Pat Woods, who won one of the most hotly-contested races in all of the New Mexico primary races this month, was introduced to Roundhouse members Wednesday (June 27) at the end of a committee meeting hearing.

“Pat’s a good man, ” Sen. Stuart Ingle (R-Portales) told Republicans and Democrats assembled at the end of a hearing of the Legislative Council. “His word is his bond.”

Woods responded by joking, “I was hammered during the campaign for giving money for Democrats, so if any of you want to give any of that money back, you can.”

Woods defeated Angie Spears in the Republican primary in Senate District 7 that makes up parts of eastern New Mexico in a race that roiled the waters in GOP circles.

The outgoing senator in that district, Clint Harden, objected to what he said was the administration and political advisors of Republican Gov. Susana Martinez involving themselves in the Republican primary by getting Spears to run.

Harden resigned rather than take part in the primary fight and Woods ran against Spears in a race that saw both sides exchange sharp blows (click here to read about that).

Woods ended up winning the race and since there is no Democrat running against him in the November general election, he has a clear path to the Senate.

Senate pro tem Tim Jennings (D-Roswell) cracked his own joke, declaring Woods as “a special envoy to the fourth and fifth floors” of the Roundhouse.

I guess you had to be there.