Jon Barela
State Economic Development Secretary Jon Barela, who ran unsuccessfully for the 1st Congressional District seat in Congress in 2010, won’t try again this year.
Barela made the announcement Friday.
“This was a difficult decision, because there can be so much done on the federal level to improve the economy and the lives of Americans, but I feel this is the time for me to focus on working to make New Mexico the best place to do business so New Mexicans have the opportunity to be prosperous and achieve the American dream,” Barela was quoted by the Albuquerque Journal as saying.
That leaves former State Rep. Janice Arnold-Jones, Albuquerque City Councilor Dan Lewis and Army veteran Gary Smith seeking the GOP nomination for the Albuquerque-area seat in Congress.