NEWS
Deb Haaland plans to vet potential running mates, as Democrats ready to fill ballot vacancy
Gubernatorial nominee says she plans to announce endorsement before party insiders make selection
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SANTA FE 鈥� Democratic gubernatorial nominee Deb Haaland is taking a hands-on approach to selecting a new running mate.
Less than a week after lieutenant governor nominee Maggie Toulouse Oliver announced she would suspend her campaign due to health issues, Haaland told Democratic Party of New Mexico state central committee members she plans to interview potential replacements for the November general election.
Haaland also said she plans to send candidates for the post a questionnaire and issue an endorsement before party insiders make a final selection.
鈥淚n my role as the Democratic nominee for governor and with a deep concern for the direction of New Mexico, I also carry a responsibility to ensure we have the best candidate, who will help accomplish our shared vision to lower costs for families, increase access to healthcare, improve education, and make communities safer,鈥� Haaland told committee members in a letter.
The exact timeline for the rare political process is unclear, as Toulouse Oliver has still not formally filed her withdrawal, the Secretary of State鈥檚 Office confirmed Tuesday.
Once that happens, state party chairwoman Sara Attleson will call a meeting while giving state central committee members at least 30 days鈥� notice of its timing and location.
State Democratic Party spokesman Daniel Garcia did not say committee members would automatically select whoever Haaland endorses but acknowledged her wishes could carry political weight.
鈥淪tate Central Committee members may be interested to know who Deb thinks could most effectively help run the state and be the best complement to our party鈥檚 statewide ticket as they evaluate the candidates and make their individual decisions on how they rank the candidates,鈥� Garcia told the Journal.
Several Democrats have expressed interest in the lieutenant governor post since Toulouse Oliver鈥檚 abrupt announcement last week.
The list of potential candidates includes state Sen. Harold Pope Jr. of Albuquerque, who lost to Toulouse Oliver in this month鈥檚 primary election. It also includes state Sen. Leo Jaramillo of Espa帽ola and outgoing state Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard.
Garcia Richard had previously planned to run for lieutenant governor but suspended her campaign in October due to her husband鈥檚 cancer battle.
After Toulouse Oliver announced she planned to bow out of the race, Garcia Richard said her husband鈥檚 health has improved in recent months and indicated she would be 鈥渞eady to serve鈥� if called upon.
However, another potential candidate, state Auditor Joseph Maestas, announced Tuesday he planned to remove his name from consideration due to logistical challenges that would be created if he were to step down from his current post.
A campaign spokeswoman did not answer directly Tuesday when asked whether Haaland would consider candidates鈥� ethnicity and gender in her endorsement process. The Democratic ticket had been set to be all-female 鈥� a first for a major political party in New Mexico 鈥� before Toulouse Oliver announced her planned withdrawal from the race.
鈥淒eb is looking to support the most qualified candidate who will be equipped to help lower costs, increase access to healthcare, strengthen education, and keep communities safe,鈥� Haaland campaign spokeswoman Hannah Menchhoff said. 鈥淟ieutenant governor candidates will have access to the questionnaire, which focuses on leadership style, collaboration, vision, accomplishments, and background.鈥�
It鈥檚 unusual for a New Mexico gubernatorial nominee to get to choose their running mate, as governor and lieutenant governor candidates run independently in the primary election under state law.
The winners of those races who share the same party affiliation are then paired on a ticket for the general election.
The state Republican Party has been critical of the planned process for replacing Toulouse Oliver on this fall鈥檚 ballot, likening it to the process the Democratic Party used in 2024 to have Kamala Harris run for president as its nominee in place of Joe Biden.
Meanwhile, the GOP ticket for this year鈥檚 general election features gubernatorial nominee Gregg Hull and lieutenant governor candidate David Gallegos. Both candidates won contested primary races for the positions this month.
Dan Boyd covers state government and politics for the Journal in Santa Fe. Follow him on X at @DanBoydNM or reach him via email at dboyd@abqjournal.com.
