Doug Turner (Photo by Heath Haussamen)
Republican gubernatorial candidate Susana Martinez has been trotting out a lot of endorsements from state legislators recently, but in the last few days, one of her opponents has unveiled a couple of significant endorsements of his own.
Doug Turner has announced the support of two former cabinet secretaries who served in the administration of New Mexico’s last Republican governor, Gary Johnson – former Economic Development Secretary John Garcia and Health and Human Services Secretary Robin Dozier Otten.
“New Mexico needs the kind of leadership and vision to turn the state around,” Garcia said in a news release from the Turner campaign. “Doug Turner knows what it takes to get high-wage jobs to our state. As governor, Doug Turner will create a better business climate for our future prosperity.”
Otten said Turner “has the experience and insight to fix our stressed social services system. As governor, he will improve our children’s opportunities for success in life.”
“A Turner administration will ensure that our public schools provide our kids with the quality education they’ll need to succeed, whether as employers or employees, in a competitive world,” Otten said.
Turner was state director for Johnson’s first campaign in 1994 and manager of his re-election campaign in 1998. Johnson has not endorsed Turner, but has said he believes Turner would “do a great job” as governor.
“He’s a very good people person, he communicates well, he’s got all the ingredients, so I think he’s got a good shot,” Johnson has said.
In addition to Martinez, Turner is competing in the primary against state Rep. Janice Arnold-Jones and former state GOP Chairman Allen Weh.