New Mexico State University Regent Javier Gonzales says he’s seriously considering running for lieutenant governor next year.
The Democrat, who is a former Santa Fe County commissioner and chairman of the board of regents at New Mexico Highlands University, confirmed that he is “actively considering a run” for lieutenant governor.
“The election of our next governor is critical to the future success of our state. I believe that I have a unique background in both the public and private sector to assist that governor in successfully leading our state,” Gonzales said.
The new member of the NMSU regents said he will make a final decision this summer on whether to run and, in the meantime, remains focused “on my service to my alma mater, New Mexico State University, and reacquainting myself with friends in the Mesilla Valley.”
Gonzales pointed out that he has served as an elected or appointed official for 14 years, and said “the desire to continue to serve remains.”
“I believe in a bright future for our state. I feel privileged to live in a multicultural state that is on the cusp of becoming an economic powerhouse in our new economy while preserving our historical way of life,” he said. “And while much work as been done to achieve that status, much more remains.”
Gonzales is a former president of the National Association of Counties and has served on a number of boards in New Mexico including the National Hispanic Cultural Center Foundation board, according to a biography that is still posted on Highlands’ Web site.
In the early 1990s, Gonzales cofounded La Voz Broadcasting, New Mexico’s largest privately-owned Spanish language radio station. In 2003, he founded IronStone Consulting to help companies work with local governments. He currently works for Santa Fe Studios.
Gonzales attended high school in Pojoaque and earned his bachelor’s in accounting from NMSU in Las Cruces.
State Auditor Hector Balderas and Lawrence Rael, who heads the Mid-Region Council of Governments, are among the others most commonly named as potential 2010 Democratic candidates for lieutenant governor.