By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper.
New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver is stepping back from her campaign for Lieutenant Governor, citing recent changes to her health.
Toulouse Oliver announced the decision Thursday morning in a statement posted to social media, saying she’ll take the step “in the coming days.” She said the choice came after reflecting on her commitments to her family and to New Mexicans, calling it “an incredibly difficult decision, but a necessary one.”
Suspending the campaign lets her focus on her family while she continues serving out her term as Secretary of State, she said.
“My office will continue to conduct stellar, gold-standard election practices that prioritize ballot access and safe, secure elections,” Toulouse Oliver said, thanking voters who backed her run.
Gubernatorial nominee Deb Haaland responded with her own statement Thursday, calling the decision courageous.
“It is a courageous decision to run for office and it’s a decision all New Mexicans understand when you must step back to prioritize your family and health,” Haaland said. “Thank you to Maggie for your exceptional, longstanding work for New Mexico, your friendship and your courage.”
Toulouse Oliver topped state Sen. Harold Pope in the Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor.
Democratic Party of New Mexico Communications Director Daniel Garcia gave New Mexico Political Report the following statement:
“Per state statute, an election to nominate a Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor will take place through the State Central Committee as dictated by DPNM Rules. As we speak, the timeline for that process is being finalized and we will share more details as soon as they are available. New Mexicans should know that this is a secure, well-established process that has been used successfully for many years, including to fill the CD-1 vacancy in 2021 and nominees for HD-53 and SD-28 in 2024.”
This is a developing story and will be updated as we gather more information.