Gallegos makes ballot for Lt. Gov.
Levi Hill/News-Sun
Sen. David Gallegos, R-Eunice, made the ballot for the June primary in the race for New Mexico’s next Lt. governor, facing off against two other Republican candidates.
Gallegos needed, 2,351 nomination signatures by Tuesday. He told the News-Sun he had more than 3,000. He is listed as a candidate “pending” on the secretary of state’s website.
“Yesterday was incredible,” Gallegos said Wednesday. “I spent an hour in the Secretary of State’s office completing my paperwork to be on the ballot. I’m so thankful for all of the statewide support that I received. We far exceeded the amount needed to be placed on the ballot. I look forward to the opportunity to serve at the Lt. Governor level. Let’s take New Mexico back. Vote red.”
In June Gallegos will face off against fellow Republicans Aubrey Blair Dunn and Manuel Lardizabal, both of Albuquerque.
“I’m running because New Mexico needs serious leadership,” Gallegos said in his announcement to run. “We need people in office who understand how to govern, how to work with a President Trump administration to secure our border and get the economy moving again, and how to build the coalitions necessary to actually get things done. The lieutenant governor cannot just give speeches — the lieutenant governor has to help run the state.”
Dunn, ran for New Mexico attorney general in 2018 on the Libertarian ticket, where he picked up only 4.8 percent of the 691,810 votes cast statewide.
According to his Facebook page, he received just 10 more than the minimum (2,351) nomination signatures needed to be listed on the ballot.
Dunn was slapped with an order from a federal judge in 2018 to pay the state’s attorney general office for filing a “frivolous” lawsuit aimed at undoing efforts to reform the state’s commercial bail system.
Lardizabal, a private investor and entrepreneur, ran for the District 26 New Mexico Senate seat in 2020. He received 34 percent of the votes and lost to Jacob Candelaria, a Democrat.
According to his campaign website, he has experience in criminal justice including serving as an administrative officer and community service officer with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. He is also listed as a minister.
Two Democrats have also filed for the seat. Senator Harold Pope Jr., D-Albuquerque, who was first elected in 2020 and current Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver.
State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard, a Democrat who is term limited in that seat, announced her intent to run last year, but was not listed on the secretary of state’s website as a candidate Wednesday.
Eight candidates have filed for the governor race — two Democrats and six Republicans.
Democrat candidates include Deb Haaland and Sam Bregman.
Republicans in the June primary include: Greggory Hull, Duke Rodriguez, Belinda Robertson, Steve Lanier, James Ellison and Doug Turner.
Candidates for statewide races
U.S. Senator
Democrat Ben Ray Lujan (incumbent)
Matt Dodson
Republican Christopher Vanden Heuvel
U.S. State Representative District 1
Democrat Melanie Ann Stansbury
Republican Ndidiamaka Ekwua Charlene Okpareke
Carlton Pennington
Steve Jones
U.S. State Representative District 2
Democrat Thomas Wakely
Gabriel Vasquez (incumbent)
Republican Gregory Cunningham
Jose Orozco
U.S. State Representative District 3
Democrat Teresa Leger Fernandez (incumbent)
Republican Martin Zamora
Governor
Democrat Deb Haaland
Sam Bregman
Republican Greggory Hull
Duke Rodriguez
Belinda Robertson
Steve Lanier
James Ellison
Doug Turner
Lt. Governor
Democrat Harold James Pope Jr.
Maggie Toulouse Oliver
Republican Aubrey Blair Dunn
Manuel Lardizabel
David Gallegos
Secretary of State
Democrat Amanda Lopez Askin
Sonya Smith
Katharine Clark
Republican Ramona Goolsby
Attorney General
Democrat Raul Torrez (incumbent)
Republican Samuel Kane Sr.
State Auditor
Democrat Joseph Maestas (incumbent)
State Treasurer
Democrat Laura Montoya (incumbent)
Commissioner of Public Lands
Democrat Juan De Jesus Sanchez III
Matthew McQueen
Jonas Moya
Republican Michael Jack Perry
Judge of the Court of Appeals
Democrat Kris Houghton (incumbent)
