NM-LG: Haaland endorses Land Commissioner Garcia Richard as running mate
Deb Haaland, the former U.S. Interior secretary who soundly secured the Democratic nomination to be New Mexico’s next governor, on Friday endorsed Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard for lieutenant governor as state party officials prepare to select Haaland’s running mate.
Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver defeated state Sen. Harold Pope (D-Albuquerque) for the Democratic lieutenant governor nomination in the June 2 primary election. However, Toulouse Oliver abruptly dropped out of the race last week, citing her health, which set in motion a statewide search for her replacement.
The Democratic Party of New Mexico on Thursday announced its State Central Committee will meet July 25 to vote on Toulouse Oliver’s replacement. Haaland, on Thursday, announced her five finalists, which included Garcia Richard and Pope, along with state Sen. Leo Jaramillo (D-Española), lawyer Antonia Roybal-Mack and Sonya Smith, a former Department of Veterans Services cabinet secretary who also ran briefly in the Democratic primary for the secretary of state’s office.
Source NM reached out to all of the contenders. In a statement to Source NM, Roybal-Mack, an attorney who has represented hundreds of northern New Mexico wildfire victims, said she was “honored to be considered” and enjoyed speaking with Haaland.
https://sourcenm.com/briefs/dem-new-mexico-governor-nominee-deb-haaland-endorses-land-commissioner-in-search-for-lt-gov/