SouthernWorldwide.com – Gregg Hull, the former Mayor of Rio Rancho, has secured the Republican nomination for the open-seat gubernatorial race in New Mexico.
Hull, who was considered a frontrunner leading up to Election Day, based his campaign on key issues such as public safety, his extensive government experience, and fostering economic growth.
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His victory came over competitors businessman Doug Turner and Duke Rodriguez, who formerly served as the New Mexico Human Services Secretary.
Doug Turner presented himself as a business-focused conservative and a political outsider, with a platform centered on job creation and reforming the education system. Duke Rodriguez, a healthcare executive and former state cabinet secretary, focused his campaign on addressing addiction, improving healthcare services, and implementing government reforms.
Throughout the campaign, Hull consistently advocated for more stringent measures to combat violent crime, the trafficking of fentanyl, and to enhance border security. He also frequently criticized the current Democratic leadership in Santa Fe.
Hull’s win effectively consolidates Republican backing behind a candidate whom many within the party believe has a strong chance of winning at the statewide level in the upcoming general election.
He is now set to face Deb Haaland, former Secretary of the Interior under President Joe Biden, in the general election. This contest represents a significant effort by Republicans to reclaim the governor’s office in New Mexico, an office they have not held since 2019.
The race for governor, which will determine who succeeds the term-limited Democratic Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, is anticipated to be one of the most closely scrutinized political battles in the state in 2026.
