Dan Lewis
The Republican expresses a desire to avoid a ‘party splitting primary’ and says the difficulty of raising money and his loss at Saturday’s preprimary convention were factors.
This is a breaking news story that has been updated and may be again.
Days after GOP insiders dealt his campaign a significant blow by giving opponent Janice Arnold-Jones a huge win at the preprimary nominating convention, Dan Lewis announced today that he’s quitting the 1st Congressional District race.
At a news conference in Albuquerque, Lewis said “the importance of the seat” and “avoiding the kind of party-splitting type of primary” were factors in his decision, as were the difficulty of raising money and his showing at Saturday’s preprimary.
“We’re proud of what we did at that convention, but certainly that weighs in,” Lewis said.
Lewis’ departure from the race all but clears the way for Arnold-Jones to be the Republican Party nominee in what is usually one of the hottest U.S. House races across the country. Assuming she prevails, Arnold-Jones will take on one of three Democrats – Marty Chávez, Eric Griego or Michelle Lujan Grisham – in November.
The other Republican in the race, Gary Smith, failed to win the support of 20 percent of delegates at Saturday’s convention, the threshold that must be met to qualify for the ballot. Though Smith can stay in the race by collecting more signatures, candidates who do that have an awful track record on Election Day.
Still, Lewis declined to endorse Arnold-Jones and said there are two candidates in the primary race.
In a statement released shortly after Lewis withdrew, Arnold-Jones thanked him “for the passion that he has brought to this race.”
“Like many of us, he is concerned about the direction of our country; he sees that it is time for us to change the way Washington works,” Arnold-Jones said. “Running for office is difficult on everyone involved. Many people do not see the sacrifice that families have to make in order to run for public office. It is honorable of Dan to put the needs of his family above all else.”
Smith called Lewis “a stalwart conservative” and said he looks forward “to seeing what the future has in store for Dan Lewis.”
“Republicans voters now have a clear choice to make,” Smith said. “I put on our nation’s uniform and swore to uphold and protect the Constitution of the United States. I refuse to step aside while career politicians make a mockery of it. I want to make sure the people of the 1st Congressional District have the opportunity to elect a fiscal and social conservative who shares their ideals and represents their values.”
An embarrassment for Lewis and the NRCC
On Saturday, Lewis won the support of 34 percent of delegates at the state Republican Party’s preprimary nominating convention, but Arnold-Jones won 63 percent. Smith won 4 percent.
Arnold-Jones promised to do that well a month before the preprimary, but Lewis and Smith balked at her claim. Lewis told NMPolitics.net at the time, “No one outside her campaign believes she has anywhere close to 50 percent.”
Arnold-Jones was right, and in spite of Lewis and Smith having a month to peel away her support, they failed to do it.
Arnold-Jones’ preprimary win was an embarrassment not only for Lewis, but for the fundraising arm of Republicans in the U.S. House, the National Republican Congressional Committee. Its chairman, Pete Sessions, had already lent support to Lewis by saying the NRCC was “looking forward to working with” him because he’d “proven himself by meeting rigorous benchmarks.”
While Lewis significantly outraised Arnold-Jones – $223,151 to $80,579 at the end of the last reporting period – her preprimary win was expected to give her a fundraising boost.
Lewis pointed out during today’s news conference that all Republicans had been outraised thus far by the three Democrats.
“If the Republicans are serious about winning this race and reclaiming this seat, they’d better get serious about giving,” he said. “It’s been difficult for everybody.”
Lewis’ decision to drop out came in the last two days. In spite of his loss at the preprimary, the Albuquerque city councilor said Sunday he was staying in the congressional race in a note posted on Facebook:
“As planned, we are proceeding with reaching the 40,000 Republican voters who will cast their ballots in the June 5th Republican primary election. That has been our goal from the beginning of the campaign, and it remains our focus.
“The number one priority of the Republican party’s pre-primary convention is for a candidate to earn the support of at least 20% of the delegates in order to earn an official place on the primary ballot. With your support, we far exceeded that goal and are now nicely positioned on the ballot. Thank you for your help with the convention; now it is on to the June primary.”
Lewis’ full statement
Lewis sent out this statement via e-mail following today’s news conference:
“I am announcing that I am withdrawing from the 2012 congressional race today to prevent a costly, party-splitting primary campaign. The democrats have made it clear they will hold nothing back, true or not, to cling to this congressional seat. Their candidates have already raised over a half million dollars. A contentious Republican primary will waste much goodwill and badly needed funds better spent in November campaign’s against a heavily financed democrat opponent.
“In this congressional campaign, the democrats have fielded three recycled liberal career politicians peddling more big government schemes that further cripple the economic recovery we need so badly. I believe my decision today will increase the odds that our next congressman will represent the people, not continue to be another rubber stamp for more government and less liberty.
“Our campaign has stood for solid social and fiscal conservative principles of less government, less taxes, less regulation, more American innovation, more American energy, free markets, and private industry. Guided by these proven principles, not by tacking to the center – whether nationally or here in New Mexico, will the Republican Party lead America to strength and prosperity.
“I am truly thankful for the encouragement and support so many of you have shown me and my family during this campaign. It is difficult to describe how much that has meant to us. Hundreds of people volunteering countless hours of their time have fueled this campaign and enabled me to meet and reach thousands of new friends across the first congressional district. Tracy and I will never forget your kindness and sacrifice.
“My dedication as an Albuquerque city councilor fighting for our families and small businesses has been deepened by this experience. I am also committed to help end the corrupt, one-party domination of our state by helping conservative Republicans win elections throughout New Mexico.
“I look forward to the future knowing there will be many challenging opportunities ahead for me to help and serve the people as a public servant, community pastor, and local small business owner.”
Update, 3:25 p.m.
Griego put out a news release stating that Lewis “and fellow Republicans are concerned about the strength of my campaign to fight for New Mexico’s seniors, children and working families. From the strong Democratic coalition representing working families, seniors, young people, conservationists and progressives supporting me, to the more than 14,000 individual donors powering my well-funded grassroots campaign, Janice Arnold-Jones must overcome our broad and deep political, grassroots and fundraising base of support.”
Meanwhile, New Mexico In Focus posted video of Lewis’ news conference. You can watch it here: