Lawrence Rael
Lawrence Rael, executive director of the Mid-Region Council of Governments, formally announced today that he’s entering the crowded Democratic primary race for lieutenant governor.
“New Mexico faces tremendous challenges, but I also see tremendous opportunities,” Rael said in a news release. “I am running for lieutenant governor because New Mexicans need a leader they can trust who has a proven track record and a demonstrated ability to bring people together to tackle problems and provide real solutions.”
Rael, a Democrat, has been in public service for more than 25 years in New Mexico. He is a former deputy secretary of transportation, an aide to Sen. Jeff Bingaman, and chief administrative officer for the City of Albuquerque. In his current job, he runs an organization that assists in a variety of planning services ranging from transportation and land-use to workforce and economic development.
“Some of my proudest efforts are projects that produced real results for New Mexico families,” Rael said. “As city administrator, we successfully built programs that revitalized educational and family-oriented facilities such as Balloon Fiesta Park, Explora Science Center, the Albuquerque Aquarium and Botanic Gardens, and the Isotopes Baseball Park.”
In his current job, Rael has been instrumental in implementing the New Mexico Rail Runner Express.
Rael was born in Santa Fe and raised in the rural town of Sile. He graduated from Bernalillo High School in 1976 and earned his bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of New Mexico.
Rael serves on the board of the United Way of New Mexico and the State Parks Advisory Board. He lives in Los Ranchos with his wife, Kim, and their three children.
His entry into the race isn’t a surprise. Rael has been saying for some time that he was considering running, and he recently held a fundraiser.
Already in the race are former state Democratic Party Chairman Brian Colón, Santa Fe County Sheriff Greg Solano, state Sens. Linda Lopez and Gerald Ortiz y Pino of Albuquerque and State Rep. Jose Campos of Santa Rosa. Matthew Padilla, a law student and former U.S. Navy officer, and Española Mayor Joseph Maestas say they are considering running.
You can hear Rael’s interview with KKOB-AM’s Peter St. Cyr by clicking here.