On July 30, the Democratic Party of New Mexico announced that Stephanie Garcia Richard won the State Central Committee (SCC) election to fill the Democratic Party’s Lieutenant Governor candidate vacancy.
Democratic Party of New Mexico Chair Sara Attleson released the following statement:
“Our State Central Committee of Democrats from across New Mexico spoke, and they chose Stephanie. New Mexico Democrats could not be more excited to be campaigning for the Deb and Stephanie ticket across New Mexico. With valuable experience In the State Land Office, State Legislature, and the classroom, Stephanie Garcia Richard will bring a highly capable and qualified voice to the Roundhouse alongside our next governor, Deb Haaland.
We thank our State Central Committee members for their participation in this process, and of course, the other three candidates for running and their thoughtful and spirited campaigns. We look forward to Senator Harold Pope Jr.’s, Toni Pinedo’s, and Geoffrey Luehring’s continued involvement in the Democratic Party.
Up and down the ticket, Democrats have a dynamic slate of candidates who are already working to win votes in every New Mexican community and are ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work to create the most prosperous future for New Mexicans that we can. Now DPNM implores all Democrats in the state to do whatever you can, whether it’s knocking on doors or talking to your neighbors, to help us win over votes and get our Democrats elected in November!”
Voting was conducted by electronic ballot upon adjournment of the July 25th State Central Committee meeting. Voting closed at 5:00pm on July 29th. The roughly 500 members of DPNM’s State Central Committee, the majority of whom are volunteers selected at the county level, were eligible to vote in this election. Ninety-seven percent of eligible SCC members voted.
Stephanie Garcia Richard received a majority of first place votes. Per DPNM Rules, a candidate who receives a majority of first place votes wins automatically without the election utilizing a ranked-choice tally.
The final vote of 2026 Democratic Party Of New Mexico State Central Committee Committee Election to fill Lieutenant Governor vacancy is as follows:
- Stephanie Garcia Richard: 255 votes (53%)
- Harold Pope Jr.: 218 votes (46%)
- Toni Pinedo: 3 votes
- Geoffrey Luehring: 1 vote
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PROCESS USED TO FILL VACANCY
Under New Mexico primary election laws, candidate for governor and lieutenant governor run independently in the primary. The winners of these races who share the same party affiliation are then paired on a ticket for the general election. Under the state’s election code, when a candidate is elected in a Democratic Party primary election, and then drops out, it is the Democratic Party State Central Committee that has the exclusive authority to nominate and select candidates to fill the vacancy. The State Central Committee (SCC) membership are elected every two years by individual County Democratic Party Organizations. Registered voters and members of the county party can attend to elect the SCC membership. Any New Mexico Democrat in good standing is a member of their local county party organization and can run or vote for SCC. Currently, there are 480 SCC members statewide. The 480 SCC members hail from every county in the state and include elected officials, as well as party officials. Approximately 40% of SCC membership are from Bernalillo County.
STEPHANIE GARCIA RICHARDS REACTS
A Tucumcari native raised in Silver City, Garcia Richard was the first woman elected as the state’s commissioner of public lands, winning two terms. Prior to that, she served three terms representing District 43 in the state House after her election in 2012.
When contacted by the Albquerquerqu Journal on her election, Garcia Richard said this:
“It’s kind of been a bit of a whirlwind process, but you know I’m feeling very exhilarated and hopeful and looking forward to November.”
If elected, Garcia Richard said her experience leading the State Land Office and working in the Legislature will be of great benefit in tackling issues such as affordability and healthcare, the latter hitting close to home. Garcia Richard said this:
“I’ve just been through a whole healthcare experience with my husband who was diagnosed with cancer. …It just opened up my eyes, firsthand, to what New Mexicans are facing in their struggle to access quality healthcare — for rural and urban New Mexicans.”
Garcia Richard, a former teacher, said education is also top of mind and said this:
“I’m very passionate about ensuring that we are bringing quality education to New Mexico as well in terms of supporting students and teachers in the classroom.”
DEB HAALAND REACTS
In a statement, Democratic Party nominee for Governor Deb Haaland, who endorsed Stepahnie Garcia Richard, congratulated her and said this:
“Throughout Stephanie’s years of public service, she has brought billions of dollars to our public schools, increased renewable energy production, and safeguarded our public lands. … Together, we will bring decades of combined state and federal experience to win the general election in November.”
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POPE CONGRATULATES GARCIA RICHARD, FAILS TO ENDORSE HAALAND/GARCIA TICKET FOR GOVERNOR AND LT. GOVERNOR
On July 30, Senator Harold Pope issued the following statement:
“While the outcome of this race wasn’t what we hoped for, I want to begin by congratulating Stephanie Garcia Richard on her victory. Running for public office is never easy, and I wish her success as she moves forward in this campaign and in serving the people of New Mexico.
As Democrats, we share a single responsibility that extends beyond any single primary. I want to thank the members of DPNM’s State Central Committee for their thoughtful engagement over the past 6 weeks. The stakes for New Mexico are high, and I hope everyone who supported this campaign will stay engaged in the work ahead. While our ideas may differ, our common purpose remains protecting the values we believe in and ensuring New Mexico continues moving forward.
I also want to express my gratitude for the diverse communities across the state that showed up to support my campaign, including volunteers, endorsers, and anyone who shared our vision for a people-powered movement.
As I continue my work in the Senate, I will continue to encourage and challenge all of our leaders to do what is right for New Mexico and to always put the interests of our people ahead of corporations, billionaires, and special interests. The people of New Mexico are tired of the status quo. They want leaders who stand for something, who are willing to take difficult positions, who will show up in every community, and who will fight for working people even when it’s not politically convenient.
The election might be over, but my commitment to serving our community will not change any time soon. I will keep fighting for affordability, quality education, healthcare, workers’ rights, environmental justice, and a government that answers to the people, not corporations or special interests.
Thank you for standing with me.”
It is noteworthy that in his July 20 statement, Senator Harold Pope congratulated Stephanie Garcia Richard for her win. It is glaring that he did not formally endorse the Haaland/Garcia Richard ticket for Governor and Lt. Governor. His endorsement would have gone along way to promote unity within the Democratic Party party. It would have helped heal the divisions he caused within the party with his candidacy.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
The 2026 Democratic Party ticket for Governor and Lt. Governor is now complete. Deb Haaland is the party nominee for Governor and Stephanie Garcia Richard is the party’s nominee for Lt. Governor. Both have made history with their nominations by being the very first time that two women have been nominated by the Democratic Party for Governor and Lt. Governor.
It was on June 2 that Maggie Toulouse Oliver won the Democratic Party nomination to be New Mexico’s next Lieutenant Governor in a landslide primary election victory over her opponent State Senator Harold Pope. Toulouse Oliver garnered 80% of the vote (168,109) to Pope’s 20% (42,127). On June 18 Maggie Toulouse Oliver announced she was suspending her campaign and dropping out of the race due to health concerns.
On June 25, Maggie Toulouse Oliver officially withdrew as the Democratic Party nominee for Lt. Governor. On the same day the Democratic Party of New Mexico sent out the official call to the Democratic Party State Central Committee to fill the Lieutenant Governor ballot position. Both State Senator Harold Pope and Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard announced almost immediately that they would seek the Democratic Party’s nomination from the Democratic Party State Central Committee.
Senator Harold Pope did far better than he was expected with the State Central Committee coming in a close second securing 46% of the 477 State Central Committee Members who voted. When he ran against Maggie Toulous Oliver he lost to her in a landslide 80% to 20% in the primary. The race between Stephanie Garcia Richard and Harold Pope was nothing short of a “slugfest” between Garcia Richard and Pope.
Deb Haaland’s endorsement of Garcia Richard contributed to the slugfest. Many Democratic Party State Central Party members strenuously objected to the Haaland endorsement saying Haaland should have stayed out of the race and said that Harold Pope deserved to be nominated simply because he ran in the primary. They ignored the fact that Garcia Richard also ran in the primary, raised over $171,000, more than what Pope raised, but dropped out of the race because of her husband’s cancer battle and her need to assist him with his cancer treatment. Pope ran on a highly populous agenda calling it “Pope for the People”. The Pope platform was more of a platform for Governor and not Lt. Governor. Pope relished embracing the far more progressive, some would say socialist, wing of the Democratic Party.
The Pope-Garcia Richard slugfest revealed a nasty, divisive conflict between party regulars and the highly progressive wing of the Democratic Party. Pope’s progressive supporters went after Deb Haaland with a vengeance labeling her a “corporate Democrat” to damage her and her endorsement of Garcia Richard. The attacks on Haaland were an embarrassing turn of events given that Haaland was elected to the ABQ congressional seat and in 2018 immediately caucused with the progressive “Squad” in the United State House of Representative.
Pope’s supporters ignored the fact that Haaland herself was elected in the primary in a landslide victory garnering 72.3% (156,861 votes) of the votes to Sam Bregman’s 27.7% (60,189) cast around New Mexico. Deb Haaland had every right to endorse a candidate given that she is the Democratic Party’s nominee for Governor and the two candidates must run as a ticket. Deb Haaland needed to make her thoughts known as to who she wanted as her running mate for Lt. Governor and especially who she feels she can trust. She needs a team player, something Harold Pope is not known to be in the New Mexico Senate because of his independence. With her endorsement of Stephanie Garcia Richard, Deb Haaland made her feelings known as to who she believes is the most compatible with her, who she feels she can trust and who she will be able to work with once they are elected as a ticket.
Stephanie Garcia Richard is clearly the most qualified candidate to be Lt. Governor. She will bring a sense of stability and full cooperation and communication with Deb Haaland to the table that will ensure the election of the Democratic Party ticket for Governor and Lt. Governor come November 4. Stephanie Garcia Richard is more than capable and will perform the duties and responsibilities of Lt. Governor. More importantly, she is far more qualified than Harold Pope and she can assume the office of Governor should Haaland for some reason leave office before her term ends.
FINAL COMMENTARY
A difficult question that must be answered is given the slugfest between Stephanie Garcia Richard and Harold Pope and the divide it created, will Pope supporters and the extreme progressives within the Democratic Party simply decide not to vote at all in the general election and abandon the Democratic Party? This would be reminiscent of what happened to Hillary Clinton when Bernie Sanders supporters refused to support Clinton for President after Sanders lost to her and they simply stayed home.
At this point, both Deb Haaland and Stephanie Garcia Richard running as a team, need to immediately reach out to all factions of the Democratic Party, especially the most progressive Democrats. They need to reunite the party once again and make assurances they will work with them on Democratic core values and on hot topic areas such as Universal Child Care, reforming the Children’s Youth and Family Department, dealing with solutions for the unhouse crisis, addressing affordability issue and housing shortages and addressing health care and opposing Trump and all of his policies.
Best wishes to both Deb Haaland and Stephanie Garcia Richard as they go forward together.
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