Former Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima announced Friday that he was ending his bid for New Mexico governor and endorsed the GOP nominee for the seat.
The announcement came at about 2 p.m., July 17 via a news release posted to Miyagishima’s Facebook page.
He endorsed former Rio Rancho Mayor and Republican nominee Gregg Hull in the same release.
The race for New Mexico governor will be decided in the Nov. 3 General Election when Hull faces Democrat former congresswoman and former U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland.
Miyagishima previously left the Democratic Party in February and announced his bid as an independent but was unable to secure the petition signatures required to be added to the ballot.
The former mayor was considering a lawsuit, hoping a court would order he be placed on the ballot anyway, read the news release, but instead threw his support behind Hull.
“I have known Mayor Hull for almost 12 years. He is intelligent, hardworking and a man of integrity,” read a statement for Miyagishima. “His record reflects his dedication to the people of both Rio Rancho and New Mexico.”
Hull defeated Taos businessman Doug Turner in the June 2 Primary Election, while Haaland secured her party’s nomination over Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman.
“Ken’s support demonstrates our shared commitment to the people of New Mexico,” Hull said in a statement, according to Miyagishima’s news release. “Together, we will tackle the challenges in our communities, stimulate our economy, and ensure that every New Mexican has a voice in government.”
Miyagishima was first elected to mayor of Las Cruces in 2007 and was reelected to four-year terms in 2011 and 2015. He was elected to the post again in 2019 and served as mayor until 2023.
He previously served as a Dona Ana County Commissioner and Las Cruces City Council.
