Santa Fe County Commissioner Harry Montoya, a Democrat, says he is thinking about running for land commissioner.
Montoya, who ran unsuccessfully for the 3rd Congressional District seat last year, confirmed in an e-mail his interest in the race, and said he’s looking at making an announcement later this month or early in October.
Former state Land Commissioner Ray Powell is the only Democrat who has formally announced his candidacy for the seat. Like Montoya, former state Attorney General Patricia Madrid has said she’s thinking about running.
On the Republican side, GOP activist Bob Cornelius and retired law-enforcement agent Errol Chavez are running.
They’re all battling to replace the GOP’s Pat Lyons, the current land commissioner who is term limited from seeking re-election.
Montoya was first elected county commissioner in 2002. In 2006, he ran unopposed and won re-election. Before elected to the commission, he served eight years on the Pojoaque Valley School Board, and he is a past president of the state school board association.
He’s a native New Mexican who has been married to Doris for 28 years. They have two children, Brian, 27 and Angelo, 22, and three grandchildren. He is CEO of Hand Across Culture Corp., a non-profit agency involved in community mobilization efforts that includes educational, health and social services programs.
Montoya has a master’s degree in counseling psychology from New Mexico State University and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Westmar University in LeMars, Iowa.