NEWS
Maggie Toulouse Oliver to suspend campaign for lieutenant governor, citing health issues
Toulouse Oliver had been set to run on Democratic ticket with Deb Haaland this fall
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SANTA FE 鈥� Maggie Toulouse Oliver abruptly announced Thursday she would suspend her campaign for lieutenant governor, just two weeks after easily winning the Democratic nomination for the state鈥檚 second-in-command job.
Toulouse Oliver, who is currently New Mexico鈥檚 secretary of state, made the announcement with a statement on social media that cited recent changes to her health.
鈥淪uspending my campaign will allow me to focus on my family while ensuring I can continue to fulfill my duties as secretary of state,鈥� Toulouse Oliver said in her statement.
She did not provide specific details about the health ailments she鈥檚 dealing with, but indicated she intends to continue fulfilling her duties as secretary of state.
Toulouse Oliver had been poised to run on an all-female ticket with Democratic gubernatorial nominee Deb Haaland in the November general election after defeating state Sen. Harold Pope Jr. in the June 2 primary election with roughly 80% of the votes cast in the contest.
In a statement after Toulouse Oliver announced her decision, Haaland thanked the outgoing secretary of state for her public service and friendship.
鈥淚t is a courageous decision to run for office and it鈥檚 a decision all New Mexicans understand when you must step back to prioritize your family and health,鈥� Haaland said.
Meanwhile, Toulouse Oliver鈥檚 decision to suspend her campaign means state Democratic Party insiders will decide who should replace her on the November ballot.
Once Toulouse Oliver files her official statement of withdrawal, the Democratic Party鈥檚 state central committee will have until Aug. 25 to fill the pending ballot vacancy, said Secretary of State鈥檚 Office spokeswoman Lindsey Bachman.
Democratic Party spokesman Daniel Garcia said the timeline for selecting a new nominee is still being finalized, but he said the state had already successfully used the process several times in recent years.
That includes the 2024 race for state House District 53, in which Democratic Party insiders to replace Jon Hill as their nominee after Hill withdrew from the race due to health complications. Silva went on to win that year鈥檚 general election.
Pope, the runner-up in this month鈥檚 primary race for lieutenant governor, confirmed Thursday he plans to seek election when Democratic Party delegates meet to select a nominee. If picked, the Albuquerque resident would become the first African American to be on a major party gubernatorial ticket in New Mexico.
鈥淚 think I鈥檇 just really help the ticket,鈥� said Pope, who also expressed his concern for Toulouse Oliver and her family.
The Republican Party of New Mexico also released a statement Thursday wishing Toulouse Oliver a full recovery, but expressed misgivings about the political process to replace her on the ballot.
Specifically, the GOP statement compared the situation to the 2024 presidential election that saw Democrats replace presidential nominee Joe Biden with Kamala Harris. Harris went on to lose that year鈥檚 election to Donald Trump.
鈥淚t is also reasonable to ask whether this possibility was anticipated months ago and whether Democratic leadership had already begun discussions about a replacement strategy,鈥� the state Republican Party also said. 鈥淭hose are legitimate questions that deserve transparency and honest answers from party leadership.鈥�
Under New Mexico鈥檚 system, governor and lieutenant governor candidates run independently in the primary election. The winners of those races who share the same party affiliation are then paired on a ticket for the general election.
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.
Toulouse Oliver, a former Bernalillo County clerk, announced her campaign for lieutenant governor in October 2025. She was first elected as secretary of state in 2016, following former Secretary of State Dianna Duran鈥檚 resignation after she was charged with using campaign funds to fuel a gambling habit.
Toulouse Oliver twice won reelection to new terms, but was barred under the state constitution from running again for the state鈥檚 top election job in 2026.
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.
