2 longtime Democratic New Mexico senators vacate seats early

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) – A longtime New Mexico state senator has announced he is retiring from his position and will step down a month before his four-year term was scheduled to expire after losing his bid this year for reelection. Democratic state Sen. John Arthur Smith, who had served eight terms and was chairman of the influential Senate Finance Committee, announced Tuesday he wanted to spend more time with his family and leave the legislative life behind.