SANTA FE — Democratic gubernatorial nominee Deb Haaland is taking an unusually direct role in selecting her own running mate, announcing she will interview candidates, send them a written questionnaire and issue a public endorsement before party insiders make a final decision — a process that has already prompted state Auditor Joseph Maestas to withdraw from consideration.
Haaland informed Democratic Party of New Mexico State Central Committee members in a letter that she plans to interview potential replacements for the November general election and issue an endorsement before the committee makes its selection.
Maestas announced Tuesday he would not seek the nomination, citing logistical complications his departure from the auditor’s office would create. In a statement, he said it became clear after conversations with Haaland’s campaign that his candidacy posed practical challenges.
State Democratic Party spokesman Daniel Garcia stopped short of saying committee members would be bound by Haaland’s endorsement but acknowledged her preference would carry political weight in how members cast their votes.
The development is notable because New Mexico law does not ordinarily give gubernatorial nominees a role in selecting their running mates. Governor and lieutenant governor candidates run independently in the primary, and the winners who share party affiliation are paired on a ticket for the general election. The vacancy created by Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver’s June 18 withdrawal gives the State Central Committee — not Haaland — the legal authority to fill the slot.
Haaland framed her involvement as a matter of responsibility. “In my role as the Democratic nominee for governor and with a deep concern for the direction of New Mexico, I also carry a responsibility to ensure we have the best candidate,” she wrote to committee members.
The field taking shape includes three declared or expected candidates. State Sen. Harold Pope Jr. of Albuquerque, who lost to Toulouse Oliver in the June primary, has said it is his “full intention” to be the replacement nominee. State Sen. Leo Jaramillo of Española is also pursuing the nomination.
Outgoing Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard is also expected to seek the seat. Garcia Richard had originally entered the lieutenant governor race but suspended her campaign in October 2025 due to her husband’s cancer diagnosis. After Toulouse Oliver’s withdrawal, Garcia Richard indicated her husband’s health had improved and signaled she would be ready to serve, and has since received at least one public endorsement from a former state party chair.
The timeline for the process remains uncertain. Toulouse Oliver had not formally filed her withdrawal with the Secretary of State’s Office as of Tuesday. Once she does, state party chairwoman Sara Attleson will be required to call a meeting and give committee members at least 30 days’ notice of its timing and location.
Republicans have been critical of the selection process, comparing it to the 2024 Democratic maneuver that placed Kamala Harris on the presidential ballot in place of Joe Biden. The GOP ticket features gubernatorial nominee Gregg Hull paired with state Sen. David Gallegos, both of whom won contested primaries earlier this month.
