WASHINGTON The National Restaurant Association is encouraging former chairman Ed Tinsley to run for New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District seat.
The seat is currently held by Rep. Steve Pearce (R-N.M.), but Pearce has announced plans to run for the U.S. Senate seat left open with the retirement of Sen. Pete Domenici. Tinsley ran unsuccessfully against Pearce for the New Mexico House seat in 2002.
Tinsley, a Republican, has said he would make a decision on running for the seat sometime this month. Tinsley is president and chief executive of Tinsley Hospitality Group LLC in Santa Fe, N.M., and a master franchisor of K-Bob’s Steakhouses, which has 19 units in Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. He served as chairman of the NRA in 2006-07.
Dawn Sweeney, president and chief executive of the NRA, said: “Throughout his many years of service on the National Restaurant Association Board and during his term as chairman, Ed has demonstrated that he is not only a talented leader, but that he has a keen understanding of the issues that small businesses face.”
Sweeney added that, as NRA chairman, “Ed had a tremendous impact, representing the industry at White House meetings and on Capitol Hill. We encourage Ed to consider a run for Congress. He would make an exceptional representative of New Mexico's second district.”
Carol Wight, chief executive of the New Mexico Restaurant Association, said, "Ed represented New Mexico on the National Restaurant Association Board, working hard to assure that New Mexicans were heard on our issues in D.C. that impact our lives and businesses here at home.”
Richard E. Marriott, chairman Host Hotels & Resorts Inc., added, “Having worked with Ed for a number of years, I know first-hand that he has what it takes to make a difference in Washington. Ed has worked hard over the years to protect small-business interests from unwanted and unnecessary legislation, taxation and regulation.”
Tinsley served as chairman of the board of the National Restaurant Association for the administrative year 2006-07, ending his term in June 2007. Before being tapped for the vice chairman and treasurer's officer seat in the preceding years, Tinsley had been a member of the board since his election in 1996. Tinsley has served on numerous committees of the NRA, including the board's Executive Committee. He has chaired the Finance, Technology and the International Relations committees, and was a trustee and vice chairman of the NRA's Political Action Committee. As an officer, he served on the board of trustees of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. Tinsley also served as the exchange director for Mexico for two years, facilitating communication and relationships between Mexico and the United States for the restaurant industry.
Tinsley was recently appointed by President Bush to the board of trustees for the Valles Caldera National Preserve in New Mexico. He has since been elected vice chairman.
Tinsley and his family live on and operate a cattle ranch in Lincoln County, N.M. He is active in the oil and gas industry in southeastern New Mexico, Texas and Louisiana. He also is involved in a real-estate development on his ranch.
Tinsley and his wife, Meredith, have been married for 31 years. They have two children.