New Mexico officially has a new political party just in time for election season. Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver’s office confirmed on May 15 that the New Mexico Forward Party, a state affiliate of the national party started by businessman and former presidential candidate Andrew Yang, achieved minor party status, qualifying the party to appear on November ballots, if its candidates gather enough signatures to qualify.
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The party is already recruiting for State House and county seats ahead of a June 25th deadline for minor party candidates to qualify, but five candidates have already announced their intentions to run under the new party banner. The initial slate includes Bob Perls, a UNM professor, for U.S. Senate, Michael Vigil for State Auditor, Karin Hendrickson for State House District 43, Dennis Dinge for Public Education Commission District 3, and Curtis Clough for Public Education Commission District 6. The Forward Party continues to recruit additional local and state candidates before the June 25 deadline for minor party declarations.
According to a press release from the organization, the newly formed political group submitted more than 5,500 signatures to qualify, surpassing the state requirement of 3,500 signatures. Their pitch to voters includes an invite for “For Independent (Decline to State; DTS) New Mexico voters. And Democratic New Mexico voters who want to get problems solved. And Republican New Mexico voters who no longer recognize their own party.”
Perls, who serves as the party’s senate candidate and state chairman, stated that the party gives voters a genuine alternative to the traditional two-party system, aiming to move the state “not left, not right, but Forward.” Interested voters can update their voter registration to the new party at their local county clerk’s office or find more details at nmforwardparty.org