New Mexico Democrats have officially chosen Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard as their new lieutenant governor nominee, ending weeks of internal party maneuvering after Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver abruptly left the race.
Garcia Richard announced Thursday morning that the Democratic Party of New Mexico’s State Central Committee had selected her to replace Toulouse Oliver on the ticket.
“It’s official — The Democratic Party of New Mexico’s State Central Committee has chosen me as our party’s new nominee for Lieutenant Governor!” Garcia Richard wrote on X. “THANK YOU. I am honored, humbled, and fired up.”
The post included a campaign graphic reading, “Thank you, SCC! I’m ready to serve and build a brighter future for New Mexico. Let’s win this!”
The Democratic Party of New Mexico also released a statement declaring Garcia Richard the winner of the State Central Committee election to fill the lieutenant governor vacancy on the ticket alongside Democratic gubernatorial nominee Deb Haaland.
“Our State Central Committee of Democrats from across New Mexico spoke, and they chose Stephanie,” DPNM Chair Sara Attleson said in the release. “New Mexico Democrats could not be more excited to be campaigning for the Deb and Stephanie ticket across New Mexico.”
Attleson praised Garcia Richard’s experience in the State Land Office, the Legislature, and the classroom, saying she would bring a “highly capable and qualified voice to the Roundhouse” alongside Haaland.
But the vote was not exactly a sweeping show of unity.
According to the party’s own results, Garcia Richard received 255 votes, or 53%, while state Sen. Harold Pope Jr. received 218 votes, or 46%. Toni Pinedo received three votes, and Geoffrey Luehring received one.
Voting was conducted by electronic ballot after the July 25 State Central Committee meeting and closed at 5 p.m. on July 29. Roughly 500 SCC members were eligible to vote, and the party said 97% participated. Because Garcia Richard received a majority of first-place votes, she won automatically without the party needing to use its ranked-choice tally.
The result caps off a chaotic Democratic lieutenant governor scramble. Toulouse Oliver had won the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor but later suspended her campaign, creating a vacancy that party insiders — not regular primary voters — were tasked with filling.
Garcia Richard had previously run for the office before exiting the race, only to reemerge once the slot reopened. Haaland then publicly endorsed her, giving Garcia Richard the establishment boost heading into the SCC vote.
In a follow-up post, Garcia Richard thanked the other candidates “for a spirited campaign” and singled out Pope for his “leadership and commitment to our state.”
“I look forward to working alongside him and leaders across New Mexico to build the future our communities deserve,” she wrote.
She added that she would be on the ballot with Haaland in November and said the pair would fight to “lower costs, expand access to healthcare, build safer communities, and deliver a world-class public education for every child.”
“Let’s unite and win this for New Mexico!” Garcia Richard wrote.
Democrats are now trying to present the Haaland-Garcia Richard ticket as settled and unified after a messy vacancy process that followed Toulouse Oliver’s exit.
But the numbers show Pope came within striking distance, despite Haaland already making clear who she wanted as her running mate. Garcia Richard’s win came by 37 votes out of 477 cast.
The process also highlights the unusual way the Democratic ticket was rebuilt after primary voters had already spoken. Instead of another statewide vote, the decision was placed in the hands of party insiders on the SCC.
Garcia Richard now joins Haaland on the Democratic ticket heading into the general election against Republican gubernatorial nominee Gregg Hull and Republican lieutenant governor nominee David Gallegos.
For Democrats, the announcement is an attempt to move past an embarrassing vacancy and rally behind Haaland’s preferred pick. For Republicans, it gives them a new argument: New Mexico Democrats’ general election ticket was finished not by voters, but by a few hundred party insiders.
After all the politics within the Republican party I think the Republicans should leave this alone. We have no business slinging mud. Our faces already have mud on them of our own doings.
that is a gruesome twosome. can someone please censor those photos of them. think about these two. they cheer and promote abortion of our children as they panic and move heaven and earth to protect a silvery minnow. if you are one of the people voting for these democrat imbeciles, you are in serious need of a brain and mental health services. NM becoming the Land of Embarrassment, not Enchantment. THATS NM TRUE. and to the repubs – where are your ads ? where are you talking about dem policies that dont work ? explaining to the people how they are being used as pawns in a political game by dems ? how much ever increasing climate regulations will cost people ? I havent heard a damn thing. you are your own worst enemies. quiet as church mice as the fox raids the hen house. shameful.
lets unite NM says the LT Gov candidate. how are you going to do that when the democrats gerrymandered the state and republicans have no representation ? repubs pay taxes and no one speaks for them. just more hot air aka BS from the left. its sickening.