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SANTA FE 鈥� Just 12 years ago, Republicans were on the rise in New Mexico.

But the gains of 2014 鈥� including winning the state House for the first time since the 1950s 鈥� now appear to be fading rapidly in the rearview mirror, as the state GOP struggles for traction in what鈥檚 become a reliably blue state.

In recent months, the state Republican Party has faced challenges fielding candidates for several statewide races, with write-in candidates eventually filing in three different contests that did not initially feature a single GOP candidate.

In addition, the state party has faced internal dissent over whether chairwoman Amy Barela should step down as she faces a primary election challenge for her Otero County Commission seat.

This year鈥檚 race for the U.S. Senate seat held by Democrat Ben Ray Luj谩n encapsulates the challenges Republicans are facing.

Former Gov. Gary Johnson, who ran for president as a Libertarian in 2012 and 2016 after serving two terms as governor, confirmed he considered running as a Republican for the seat but ultimately decided against launching a campaign.

鈥淐ertain things had to take place and they didn鈥檛 take place,鈥� Johnson told the Journal, while declining to talk in further detail about his decision.

After Johnson decided against running, the only Republican to file for the seat in February was political unknown Chris Vanden Heuvel of Rio Rancho.

But Vanden Heuvel was then disqualified by Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver for failing to turn in the required number of voter signatures, forcing state GOP officials to scramble to recruit Larry Marker of Roswell to run against Luj谩n as a write-in candidate.

Leticia Mu帽oz, the state Republican Party鈥檚 executive director,  said the party was disappointed when Johnson backed out of running. But she said it could invigorate GOP voters if Marker and other Republican write-in candidates succeed in getting their names on the November general election ballot.

鈥淔illing these seats with write-in candidates was not a problem at all and shouldn't be discounted by any measure,鈥� Mu帽oz said.

University of New Mexico political science professor Gabriel Sanchez says Republicans face both practical and structural challenges in a state in which registered Democrats have long outnumbered Republicans.

鈥淭hey don鈥檛 have an abundance of candidates they鈥檝e groomed for statewide races,鈥� said Sanchez, who said GOP candidates have also struggled to tap into President Donald Trump鈥檚 political energy.

A 鈥榲icious鈥� political environment

Mark Ronchetti, who ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate in 2020 and for the Governor鈥檚 Office in 2022, said he thinks criticism of current New Mexico Republican Party leaders for the GOP鈥檚 recent struggles is 鈥渦nfair.鈥�

Ronchetti pointed out Republicans will likely face political headwinds nationally in the first general election since Trump was elected in 2024, and said some would-be candidates may be taking a pass due to the current political environment.

Nationally, a total of 36 U.S. House Republicans have announced they at the end of their current term, citing family commitments, legislative gridlock and other factors. While 21 House Democrats have also announced plans not to seek reelection, the exodus could make it even more difficult for Republicans to retain their current narrow majority on Capitol Hill.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a vicious environment 鈥� it鈥檚 not like running 20 years ago,鈥� said Ronchetti, who gave up his KRQE-TV job to run for governor and currently hosts a popular podcast with his wife, Krysty.

While Republicans might struggle in this year鈥檚 election cycle, he said there鈥檚 reason for optimism in future years, citing the party鈥檚 recent voter registration surge in New Mexico compared to Democrats.

鈥淚 think down the road, there鈥檚 reason for hope,鈥� said Ronchetti.

As of the end of February, there were nearly 444,000 registered Republicans across the state 鈥� or about 31.5% of New Mexico鈥檚 total 1.4 million voters, according to Secretary of State鈥檚 office . Democrats made up roughly 40.7% of the state鈥檚 total registered voters, with independents and minor party members making up the rest.

Meanwhile, Republicans鈥� efforts to break Democrats鈥� longstanding political dominance in New Mexico have been complicated by internal strife in the state party. 

The latest discord has centered around Barela, who was elected state GOP chairwoman in December 2024.

After several county GOP leaders said an internal rule prohibits party officials from running in contested primary races for public office, the Republican Party of New Mexico asked for an outside review of the situation. Based on that review, a group of state party leaders said no grounds exist for Barela to be replaced, but some county officials have said they remain unconvinced.

Impacts of 鈥榦ne-party rule鈥� 

Entering this year鈥檚 election cycle, Democrats have a virtual political stranglehold in New Mexico. They hold all statewide offices, including the Governor鈥檚 Office, and the state鈥檚 congressional delegation is made up entirely of Democrats.

Along with Luj谩n, all three of the state鈥檚 U.S. House members 鈥� Melanie Stansbury, Teresa Leger Fern谩ndez and Gabe Vasquez 鈥� are seeking reelection this year in districts redrawn by the Democratic-controlled Legislature in December 2021.

UNM professor Sanchez said New Mexico鈥檚 current Democratic dominance 鈥� and the struggles of the state Republican Party 鈥� are not good for democracy.

鈥淚t鈥檚 never good to have essentially a one-party rule system,鈥� Sanchez said. 

That system has also translated to the Roundhouse, where Republicans have typically been forced to play defense in an attempt to slow majority Democrats鈥� agenda. 

However, GOP legislators recorded several victories at the Roundhouse during this year鈥檚 30-day session despite being outnumbered in both the House and Senate.

Specifically, House Minority Leader Gail Armstrong, R-Magdalena, said Republicans played an important role in securing passage of a bill overhauling New Mexico鈥檚 medical malpractice laws. 

鈥淭o be needed is awesome 鈥� to have a seat at the table is awesome,鈥� Armstrong said during an Albuquerque Economic Forum event last week.

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.