ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Democrat Ray Powell is ending his bid for New Mexico land commissioner after finding out he has a rare auto-immune condition that affects the communication between nerves and muscles.
Powell made the announcement Wednesday on social media, saying there’s a good probability he can live an active life with treatment but that if he were elected, he wouldn’t be able to sustain the intense effort required by the office.
Powell has endorsed Democrat Stephanie Garcia Richard, a state lawmaker from Los Alamos.
Democratic Sen. George Munoz of Gallup and Garrett VeneKlasen with the New Mexico Wildlife Federation are also running.
Powell served as land commissioner from 1993-2002 and again from 2011-2014. He narrowly lost the 2014 general election to Republican Aubrey Dunn.
The land commissioner oversees management of millions of mineral and surface acres.