ELECTION 2026
Gubernatorial candidates speak before business leaders
Crowd of challengers included five Republicans, two Democrats
Published
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For the first time since announcing their campaigns, all but one of the eight gubernatorial candidates sat in the same room to talk policy during a Hispano Chamber of Commerce forum Wednesday night.
The forum, intended to be a meet-and-greet with business leaders and gubernatorial hopefuls, pushed Democratic candidates Deb Haaland and Sam Bregman into the same venue as tensions in the race rise.
The forum also brought out all five Republican candidates: Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull, state Sen. Steve Lanier of Aztec, cannabis entrepreneur Duke Rodriguez of Albuquerque, former Public Regulation Commissioner Jim Ellison of Cedar Crest and business owner Doug Turner of Albuquerque.
Ken Miyagishima, the only independent candidate and former mayor of Las Cruces, did not attend the forum.
The Republicans
While Democrats Bregman and Haaland have garnered the most attention in the race, the forum gave lesser-known candidates in the crowded field of Republicans a platform to pitch their ideas for New Mexico鈥檚 future.
鈥淗ear me out, New Mexico is not a poor state, punto,鈥� Rodriguez said to the crowd. 鈥淏ut we are absolutely a poorly run state.鈥�
Rodriguez evoked civil rights leader Cesar Chavez in his speech and declared he would be a candidate for the people.
Just before that, Lanier also appealed to rural New Mexicans.
鈥淢y first job, I was 6 years old, shoveling manure,鈥� Lanier said. 鈥淪o my work ethic, I鈥檓 proud of it.鈥�
Lanier cited his role as state senator as proof of his ability to deliver on promises of supporting small businesses, uplifting rural New Mexico and deregulating industries within the state.
Closer to home, Hull touted his more than 10 years in office during his speech.
鈥淚'm very proud of the work that we've achieved in Rio Rancho,鈥� Hull said. 鈥淲e've been nationally recognized time and time again as the best place to raise a family and the best place to live. Now I want to bring those same results to the state of New Mexico.鈥�
Ellison used his time to strike a more adversarial tone. He said that Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham booted him from his commissioner seat and that New Mexico needed a change in leadership.
鈥淚鈥檓 an outsider 鈥� I鈥檓 not a politician,鈥� Ellison said.
Rounding out the last of the Republicans was business owner Turner, who largely focused on New Mexico鈥檚 education system.
鈥淚f we don't get a hold of what's wrong with this state, improve education, improve the business climate, improve public safety 鈥� we won't have a place for our kids,鈥� Turner said. 鈥淭hey won't come back.鈥�
The Democrats
Wednesday鈥檚 forum put Democratic rivals Bregman and Haaland under the same roof as the June 2 Democratic primary grows closer.
Bregman has been openly critical of Haaland for turning down opportunities to address him and the public directly. He escalated his criticism after Haaland鈥檚 campaign declined a request to debate on KRQE-TV last week.
Wednesday, Bregman took a similar stance, telling the crowd that he鈥檇 been waiting 167 days to debate Haaland, as she sat just several yards away from him.
Haaland sidestepped Bregman鈥檚 remarks and instead talked about her experience in Washington, D.C., as a representative in Congress and later as Interior Department secretary.
The two Democrats are scheduled for a debate hosted by the New Mexico Public Broadcasting Service in early May.
Gillian Barkhurst is the local government reporter for the Journal. She can be reached at gbarkhurst@abqjournal.com.
