Failed GOP candidate who ranted about 'rigged' election arrested for shootings at Dem officials' homes

A failed Republican candidate for New Mexico's state legislature was arrested on Monday for allegedly paying other men to fire guns at the homes of multiple elected Democrats in his home state.

The Albuquerque Journal reports that Republican Solomon Pena, who lost his race to incumbent Democratic State Rep. Miguel Garcia by more than 45 percentage points, has been taken into custody for "conspiring with, and paying four other men to shoot at the homes of two county commissioners and two state legislators,” according to Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina.

The shootings had been occurring at assorted Democrats' homes at various points for the last month, starting on December 4th, 2022, when eight shots were fired into the home of County Commissioner Adriann Barboa.

The most recent shooting occurred on January 3rd, reports the Albuquerque Journal, when "shots rang out at state Rep. Linda Lopez’s home and three bullets went through her daughter’s bedroom as the 10-year-old slept."

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The paper also reports that Pena was arrested after getting into a SWAT standoff at his home.

A review of Pena's social media history shows he is an ardent supporter of former President Donald Trump, and that he took pride in the fact that he never conceded his election to Garcia despite getting absolutely blown out by the Democratic incumbent.

As the Albuquerque Journal notes, Pena has made "frequent postings" on his Twitter account in which he "maintained that he didn’t lose and that the election was rigged."