State Sen. Harold Pope Jr. enters lieutenant governor race, setting up primary showdown
Pope, who was first elected to a West Side Albuquerque district in 2020, is a U.S. Air Force veteran and the first African American state senator in New Mexico history.
As a state senator, Pope has pushed unsuccessfully for a rule change that would bar senators from drinking alcohol before or after floor sessions or committee hearings.
He said in a Wednesday interview he would have a "bigger voice" for New Mexico residents as lieutenant governor, while adding he would push to expand veterans' services statewide, among other initiatives.
Pope also said he would be an electoral asset to whichever candidate emerges from a three-way gubernatorial primary race next year.
"I believe I would strengthen the Democratic ticket for November 2026," Pope said.
While Pope expressed appreciation for former U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland's past support, he said he plans to stay neutral in the gubernatorial contest.
"We need to be in a situation where there's no bad blood" regardless of the primary election's outcome, Pope said.
Along with Haaland, Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman and former Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima are also vying for the Democratic nomination in the June 2026 primary contest.
Under New Mexico's system, governor and lieutenant governor candidates run independently in the primary election. The winners of those races who share the same party affiliation are then paired on a ticket for the November general election.
Pope will not have to give up his Senate District 23 seat to run for lieutenant governor, since the four-year term he was elected to last year does not expire until 2028. He said Wednesday he plans to remain in the Senate and would only step down if elected to statewide office.
As for Garcia Richard, he said he's discussed the lieutenant governor race with the outgoing land commissioner, who is term-limited in her current post and announced her campaign in March.
"We're going to keep it friendly and professional," Pope said of the race between the two candidates, while adding he believes he has certain advantages, including his relationship with other state senators.
Under the state Constitution, the lieutenant governor is tasked with presiding over the state Senate while the Legislature is in session.
Recent New Mexico lieutenant governors have not gone on to win higher office, and current Lt. Gov. Howie Morales announced last month his decision not to run for governor next year.
Meanwhile, in response to Pope's campaign announcement, Senate GOP floor leader William Sharer of Farmington blasted his fellow senator for representing an "out-of-touch ideology."
As evidence for that claim, Sharer cited Pope's support for past legislation such as a 2024 paid family leave bill and a proposed "green amendment" that would enshrine environmental rights in the state Constitution.
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