Lt. Gov. John Sanchez
‘A bitter and divisive Republican primary would only diminish our party’s genuine opportunity to bring real change in Washington,’ Sanchez says.
Seven days after NMPolitics.net reported that Republican John Sanchez had decided to drop out of the race to replace the retiring Jeff Bingaman in the U.S. Senate, Sanchez announced today that he’s doing just that.
Sanchez cited the need for GOP unity as a factor in his decision to quit the race, but didn’t endorse the frontrunner in the Republican Senate primary, Heather Wilson, or her only remaining opponent, Greg Sowards.
“A bitter and divisive Republican primary would only diminish our party’s genuine opportunity to bring real change in Washington,” Sanchez said in a news release. “The reality is that the path forward to success in the campaign could cause a negative primary struggle that would leave the eventual nominee bruised, bloody and broke.”
The announcement comes in spite of the Sanchez campaign’s insistence a week ago that NMPolitics.net’s report was erroneous and that Sanchez had “made no plans to exit the Senate race.”
NMPolitics.net stood by its report, which was based on statements from a source with knowledge of the situation and Sanchez’s own refusal to directly answer when NMPolitics.net asked if he would “swear” that he’s not dropping out of the Senate race. Sanchez instead said, “I can tell you as of today I am a candidate for the United States Senate.”
You can read last week’s NMPolitics.net report here. You can also read about the Sanchez campaign raising just over $100,000 in the fourth quarter of 2011, and repaying the candidate $100,000 for a loan he had previously made, by clicking here.
Even before NMPolitics.net’s report, many suspected that Sanchez’s campaign was coming to an end. While Sanchez continued to raise money, there was little activity on his campaign website, Facebook page or Twitter account during the last three months of 2011 and January, and he missed many GOP events the other candidates attended.
Sanchez’s full statement
Here’s the full statement Sanchez released today announcing his withdrawal from the race:
“Eight months ago, our campaign for the U.S. Senate began with one clear objective: to give New Mexicans the opportunity to send conservative leadership to Washington D.C. The timing on this race was not ideal nor did we choose it. But the need for a conservative leader from New Mexico is real.
“Throughout the course of this campaign, it has become clear to me, that in order to ensure that a Republican is elected to represent New Mexico in the U.S. Senate, the G.O.P must stand united. A bitter and divisive Republican Primary would only diminish our party’s genuine opportunity to bring real change in Washington. The reality is that the path forward to success in the campaign could cause a negative primary struggle that would leave the eventual nominee bruised, bloody and broke.
“After much prayer, counsel with my family, and discussions with supporters, I have decided to end my campaign for the U.S. Senate, and continue to serve New Mexico as your Lt. Governor.
“I want to express my sincere thanks to those New Mexicans who joined our campaign. I am forever grateful for the support we received from grassroots leaders, tea party patriots, business owners, GOP activists and everyday citizens. They offered their efforts and their dollars and it meant the world to me. This was not my time, but I will never forget their friendship.
“I am redirecting myself today to helping our party advance the strongest slate of candidates to victory in November, from the Roundhouse to the White House.
“I hope that you will join me in working with Governor Martinez, and all conservatives to complete the important work that we have begun in New Mexico.
“May God Bless and Keep You, and may God Bless America and New Mexico.”