By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper. — Two Republican state legislators withdrew their endorsements of Sandoval County Commission District 3 candidate Daniel Stoddard after The Paper. reported on a May 1 incident in which a hotel manager said Stoddard drew a revolver and threatened to shoot him — and a December 2024 domestic battery arrest at his Rio Rancho home.
State Sen. Jay Block confirmed he pulled his endorsement after reviewing coverage of the incidents reported by The Paper. Earlier this week. “It was the latest incident in the story you wrote. I’ve known Dan and his wife for a long time, they’re nice people, but I think this is just a bridge too far,” Block told The Paper. Thursday. Block described a face-to-face meeting with Stoddard at his office, where Block said he told the candidate his priority should be “the health and welfare of him and his beautiful wife.” State Reps. Joshua Hernandez and Alan Martinez also withdrew their endorsements. All endorsements shown on Stoddard’s campaign website, votedannm.com, prior to the reporting by The Paper. were removed after the article was published.
LiUNA Local 16, a labor union, had also endorsed Stoddard. Business Manager Darrel Deaguero said the union had “an honest conversation” with Stoddard about the stories but would not pull its endorsement. Stoddard removed the union’s endorsement graphic from his site on his own, according to Deaguero.
Stoddard called the Truth or Consequences hotel incident a “nothing burger” and said the gun was secured on his nightstand, not drawn. The domestic battery case was dismissed without prejudice in April.
Stoddard faces Edwin Paul Linson in the June 2 Republican primary. The winner faces Democrat Frank Smith in the general election.
Sandoval County Commission District 3 — Republican Primary
- Candidates: Daniel Stoddard vs. Edwin Paul Linson
- General election opponent: Democrat Frank Smith
- Early voting: Open now at the Sandoval County Clerk’s Office, 1500 Idalia Rd., Bernalillo; additional locations open May 16
- Primary Election Day: Tuesday, June 2
- More info: sandovalcountynm.gov/countyclerk/