Heath Haussamen / NMPolitics.net
Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez. (Photo by Heath Haussamen)
Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, D-Belen, is disputing a prior report on this site stating that he has decided not to run for governor.
But he’s not saying anything beyond that.
“…no final decision as of today. Can’t elaborate but will let you know personally,” he wrote in a brief e-mail to me this morning.
Earlier this week, I quoted a source with knowledge of the situation as saying Sanchez had decided not to run. I stand by that source, and I’ll believe otherwise when Sanchez proves the source wrong.
Many Democrats don’t want Sanchez in the race because they want Lt. Gov. Diane Denish to avoid a primary battle while the four Republicans who have declared their candidacy duke it out in a primary. Other Democrats don’t like Denish’s candidacy, and some of them want Sanchez to run.
Time will tell what’s really going on, but it’s worth noting that Sanchez started down this road by grabbing headlines in late May when he posted a note on his Facebook page stating that he “has formed an exploratory committee and is still contemplating a run for governor.”
He didn’t include any details or comment further, and there’s been little public activity out of his apparent exploratory committee since.
Update, 3:05 p.m.
Let me clarify what I meant earlier. I’m not saying Sanchez is lying or is currently not considering running for governor. I’m saying that I’m confident that, at the time of my prior report on Tuesday, Sanchez had decided against running for governor. Sometimes people change their minds.