One member of the already crowded field for the Republican presidential nomination will headline an Albuquerque fundraiser for the Republican Party of New Mexico.
Carly Fiorina is a former candidate for U.S. Senate in California and the former CEO of Hewlett-Packard.
“Carly is an example of a diverse set of Republican candidates who are ready to take on the status quo and push for pragmatic solutions to our country’s problems,” said Debbie Maestas Chairwoman for the Republican Party of New Mexico in a statement this week.
The fundraiser will be a Silver Elephant Dinner on May 30.
The Republican Party of New Mexico first announced the selection in March, but it received new attention after Fiorina announced her presidential bid this week.
In a statement as part of the April announcement, Maestas said, “New Mexico has an exciting opportunity to hear from such a high-powered and well-respected business woman paired with her political background.”
Fiorina announced her presidential run on Monday, the same day as former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee announced he would once again seek the nomination. The day before, physician Ben Carson announced his run. They joined a trio of U.S. Senators—Ted Cruz of Texas, Marco Rubio of Florida and Rand Paul of Kentucky—in the race.
Fiorina is considered a long-shot to land the nomination. One reason is the same as her greatest strength, her business experience. Fiorina was forced to resign as CEO of Hewlett-Packard in 2005, though she received a sizable severance package.
The severance package, called a “golden parachute” by her critics and political opponents, became an issue in Fiorina’s U.S. Senate campaign. Fiorina landed the Republican nomination in that contest, but lost in the general election to incumbent Barbara Boxer.
Another half dozen high profile Republicans are considering jumping into the race, including former Florida governor Jeb Bush and New Jersey governor Chris Christie.
