Stephanie Garcia Richard is suspending her campaign for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor of New Mexico, citing her husband’s health.
Garcia Richard, who is also currently the state’s Public Land Commissioner, broke the news on her campaign’s Facebook page on Thursday afternoon that her husband was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year.
“Over the past several months, we’ve made multiple trips out of state for treatment, and after much thought and consideration, we’ve come to the hard decision that we need to prioritize his health. For that reason, I am suspending my race for Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico,” Garcia Richards wrote in the post.
She also expressed her thanks to her supporters and vowed to continue fighting “for our communities, our families and the future of our state.”
Garcia Richard, in March, became the first candidate from either party to officially enter the race for lieutenant governor. A former teacher, who resides in Los Alamos, she served three terms in the New Mexico House of Representatives from 2013 until 2019. She was elected to the office of public land commissioner in 2018 and reelected four years later.
The news came just as reports released this week showed Garcia Richard’s campaign had raised $165,605, significantly more than her two competitors for the nomination, state Sen. Harold Pope (D-Albuquerque) and Jackie Lee Onsuarez, a Loving village councilor.
Manuel Lardizabal, a former New Mexico Senate candidate from Albuquerque, is the only Republican in the race so far.
Current Lt. Gov. Howie Morale, a Democrat, is unable to seek reelection due to term limits.