The 2018 New Mexico gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 2018, to elect the next

Governor of New Mexico , insignia = Seal of the Governor of New Mexico.svg , insigniasize = 110px , insigniacaption = Seal of the Governor , image = File:Michelle Lujan Grisham 2021.jpg , imagesize = 200px , alt = , incumbent = Michelle Lujan Grisham , inc ...

, concurrently with the

election An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy has opera ...

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe, New Mexico, Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque, New Mexico, Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Albuquerque metropolitan area, Tiguex , Offi ...

's Class I U.S. Senate seat, as well as other elections to the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and ...

in other states,

elections An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy has opera ...

to the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together the ...

and various local elections. Incumbent Republican Governor

Susana Martinez Susana Martinez (born July 14, 1959) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 31st governor of New Mexico from 2011 to 2019. A Republican, she served as chair of the Republican Governors Association (RGA) from 2015 to 2016. She ...

was term-limited and could not seek reelection to a third consecutive term. Following party primaries on June 5, 2018, U.S. Representative Steve Pearce was the Republican nominee and U.S. Representative

Michelle Lujan Grisham Michelle Lynn Lujan Grisham (; born October 24, 1959) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the 32nd governor of New Mexico since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, Lujan Grisham previously served as the U.S. representative for ...

was the Democratic nominee. Lujan Grisham won the election by a substantial margin, which in fact was a complete and exact reversal of the 2014 gubernatorial results. Her win also signaled a continuation of the pattern of the partisanship of the office changing every two terms, beginning with Gary Johnson's first election in

1994 File:1994 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1994 Winter Olympics are held in Lillehammer, Norway; The Kaiser Permanente building after the 1994 Northridge earthquake; A model of the MS Estonia, which sank in the Baltic Sea; Nelson Ma ...

. Furthermore, the pattern of the partisanship changing with each officeholder was continued, a pattern first started after Toney Anaya left office in 1987. Furthermore, the margin between the candidates (57.2% to 42.8%) was the same as the previous election, albeit with the parties switched.

Background

At the presidential level, New Mexico has begun to trend into a Democratic-leaning swing state. It has gone Democratic in all but one presidential election since 1992. The only break in this trend came in 2004, when George W. Bush won it by less than a point. However, in 2008,

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...

won the state over John McCain by 15 points and in 2012 by 10 points over

Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American politician, businessman, and lawyer serving as the junior United States senator from Utah since January 2019, succeeding Orrin Hatch. He served as the 70th governor of Massachusett ...

. In 2016, Democrat

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States senat ...

defeated Republican

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of ...

by eight points. However, in 2010, then-District Attorney of New Mexico's Third Judicial District

won the election, becoming the first US Latina Governor, over Lieutenant Governor

Diane Denish Diane Daniels Denish ( ; born March 7, 1949) is an American politician, who was the 28th lieutenant governor of New Mexico. She was elected in 2002, running on the same ticket as Governor Bill Richardson, and was re-elected in 2006. Denish is t ...

, former running mate of two-term Democrat

Bill Richardson William Blaine Richardson III (born November 15, 1947) is an American politician, author, and diplomat who served as the 30th governor of New Mexico from 2003 to 2011. He was also the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and Energy Secretary ...

, by approximately seven points. In 2014, Martinez was re-elected over state Attorney General Gary King by nearly 15 points. It has been described as one of the Democrats' best chances at a pickup, due to Gov. Martinez's unpopularity and because "she's leaving behind a high unemployment rate and struggling education system." The 2018 primary election results show 116,311 votes for Democratic candidate

and a total of 175,182 for all three Democratic candidates while Republican candidate/nominee Steve Pearce received 74,705; note that 23% of New Mexico's registered voters are third party or independents (280,000), who do not vote in the primary election.

Republican primary

Governor

Candidates

=Nominated

= * Steve Pearce, U.S. Representative, candidate for the U.S. Senate in

2000 File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...

and nominee for the U.S. Senate in

2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing ...

=Declined

= *

Aubrey Dunn Jr. Aubrey Lyle Dunn Jr. (born 1955 or 1956) is an American politician and banker from the state of New Mexico. He served as New Mexico commissioner of public lands from 2015 to 2019, and was a candidate for the U.S. Senate in the 2018 election. El ...

New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands The New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands is an elected constitutional officer in the executive branch in charge of managing all state lands and mineral rights, as well as overseeing leases and royalties on state land, in the U.S. state of New ...

and candidate for NM-02 in

John Sanchez John A. Sanchez (born January 11, 1963) is an American politician who served as the 29th lieutenant governor of New Mexico from 2011 to 2019. Early life Sanchez, the youngest of eight children, was born and raised in North Valley, New Mexico. ...

Lieutenant Governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

and nominee for Governor of New Mexico in 2002

Results

Lieutenant Governor

Candidates

=Declared

= * Michelle Garcia Holmes, former chief of staff to

Attorney General In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general or attorney-general (sometimes abbreviated AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. The plural is attorneys general. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have exec ...

Gary King, former police detective and candidate for

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well as ...

Albuquerque Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding i ...

2017 File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...

=Withdrew

= * Kelly Zunie, former secretary of the New Mexico Indian Affairs Department

=Declined

= *

Ted Barela Ted Barela is an American Republican politician formerly serving in the New Mexico Senate. He was appointed by Governor Susana Martinez in 2015 to replace Phil Griego, who resigned. Barela previously served as mayor of Estancia, New Mexico Est ...

, former state senator *

Mark Moores Mark David Moores (born April 28, 1970) is an American businessman and politician serving as a member of the New Mexico Senate for the 21st district. Elected in November 2012, he took office on January 15, 2013. He was the Republican nominee for t ...

, state senator *

Cliff Pirtle Cliff R. Pirtle is an American lawmaker and a Republican member of the New Mexico Senate representing District 32 since January 15, 2013. Controversy On March 12, 2023, Santa Fe, NM, police officers were dispatched to home that Cliff R. Pirtl ...

, state senator

Results

Democratic primary

Governor

Candidates

=Nominated

= *

, U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

* Jeff Apodaca, businessman and son of former governor Jerry Apodaca * Joe Cervantes, state senator

=Declined

= *

Hector Balderas Hector Hugo Balderas Jr. (born August 16, 1973) is an American lawyer and former prosecutor who has been the attorney general of New Mexico since 2015. In 2006, Balderas became the youngest statewide Hispanic elected official in the nation when h ...

( running for re-election) * Javier Gonzales, former

of Santa Fe (running for lieutenant governor) *

Martin Heinrich Martin Trevor Heinrich (; born October 17, 1971) is an American businessman and politician serving as the senior United States senator from New Mexico, a seat he has held since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, Heinrich served as the U.S ...

, U.S. Senator ( running for reelection) *

Tim Keller Timothy Keller may refer to: * Tim Keller (pastor) (1950–2023), American Christian pastor, author and speaker * Tim Keller (politician) (born 1977), American politician and mayor of Albuquerque See also *Keller (surname) Keller is a surname ...

and former State Auditor *

Ben Ray Luján Ben Ray Luján ( ; born June 7, 1972) is an American politician who has served as the junior United States senator from New Mexico since 2021. He served as the U.S. representative for from 2009 to 2021 and the assistant House Democratic leader ...

, U.S. Representative * Tom Udall, U.S. Senator * Alan Webber,

of Santa Fe and candidate for

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...

Endorsements

Polling

Results

New Mexico gubernatorial Democratic primary, 2018

Lieutenant Governor

Candidates

=Declared

= * Billy Garrett, Doña Ana County Commissioner *

Rick Miera Rick S. Miera (born July 20, 1951 in Albuquerque, New Mexico) is an American politician who served as a member of the New Mexico House of Representatives, representing the 11th District. Miera did not seek reelection in 2014. Early life and educ ...

, former Majority Leader of the

New Mexico House of Representatives ) is the lower house of the New Mexico State Legislature. There are 70 members of the House. Each member represents roughly 25,980 residents of New Mexico. The most recent elections were held on November 3, 2020. Composition Leadership C ...

* Howie Morales, state senator and candidate for governor in

=Withdrew

= * David McTeigue, juvenile probation officer * Jeff Carr, retired teacher and former New Mexico Public Education Commissioner *

Michael Padilla Michael Padilla (born June 13, 1972 in Albuquerque, New Mexico) is an American politician and a Democratic member of the New Mexico Senate representing District 14 since January 15, 2013. Padilla is the Senate Majority Whip. Early life and ...

, state senator * Javier Gonzales, former

of Santa Fe

=Declined

= *

Brian Colón Brian S. Colón is an American lawyer and politician who served as the New Mexico state auditor from 2019 to 2023. He is the former chairman of the Democratic Party of New Mexico. In 2010, he ran for and lost his bid for Lieutenant Governor of Ne ...

, former chairman of the Democratic Party of New Mexico, nominee for lieutenant governor in 2010 and candidate for

( Running for State Auditor) * Bill O'Neill, state senator

Results

New Mexico lieutenant gubernatorial Democratic primary, 2018

Libertarian primary

Based on the party's voter registration numbers and presidential nominee

Gary Johnson Gary Earl Johnson (born January 1, 1953) is an American businessman, author, and politician. He served as the 29th governor of New Mexico from 1995 to 2003 as a member of the Republican Party. He was the Libertarian Party nominee for Presid ...

's result in 2016, the Libertarian Party holds major-party status in New Mexico. Under New Mexico law, both gubernatorial and lieutenant governor candidates must receive each at least 230 signatures from registered Libertarian voters to formally receive the nomination and be placed on the ballot as the Libertarian nominees. Both Walsh and Dunn failed to meet that requirement and were not on the ballot.

Governor

Candidates

=Declared

= * Bob Walsh, retired mathematician

=Declined

= *

Aubrey Dunn, Jr. Aubrey Lyle Dunn Jr. (born 1955 or 1956) is an American politician and banker from the state of New Mexico. He served as New Mexico commissioner of public lands from 2015 to 2019, and was a candidate for the U.S. Senate in the 2018 election. Ele ...

, Commissioner of Public Lands( ran for the U.S. Senate, but dropped out) *

, former Republican governor and nominee for president in

2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...

and 2016( running for the U.S. Senate)

Results

Lieutenant Governor

Candidates

=Declared

= * Robin Dunn, wife of

Results

General election

Endorsements

Debates

Complete video of debate
September 19, 2018

Predictions

Polling

Results

By county

By congressional district

Notes

;Partisan clients

References

External links

Candidates
at

Vote Smart Vote Smart, formerly called Project Vote Smart, is a non-profit, non-partisan research organization that collects and distributes information on candidates for public office in the United States. It covers candidates and elected officials in si ...

Candidates
at

Ballotpedia Ballotpedia is a nonprofit and nonpartisan online political encyclopedia that covers federal, state, and local politics, elections, and public policy in the United States. The website was founded in 2007. Ballotpedia is sponsored by the Lucy Bur ...

;Official Governor campaign websites
Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) for GovernorSteve Pearce (R) for GovernorBob Walsh (L) for Governor
;Official Lt. Governor campaign websites
Michelle Garcia Holmes (R) for Lieutenant GovernorHowie Morales (D) for Lieutenant Governor
{{DEFAULTSORT:New Mexico gubernatorial election, 2018 2018 New Mexico elections 2018 2018 United States gubernatorial elections