![\"GOP\"](\"http:\/\/www.nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/08\/GOP.JPG\" "\\"GOP\\"")
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Former state representative and Republican gubernatorial nominee\u00a0John Sanchez<\/a> is jumping into the\u00a0race for lieutenant governor.<\/p>\n Sanchez, 46, announced his decision to enter the race Thursday in Albuquerque.<\/p>\n \u201cI have been encouraged by many friends and supporters to run for governor, but I am determined to avoid a potentially divisive Republican primary race. Running for and winning the office of lieutenant governor will allow me to maintain the essential balance of my commitments to my family,\u00a0our business and employees, and to public service in New Mexico,\u201d Sanchez said in a news release.<\/p>\n \u201cI believe that my business and political experience will strengthen the Republican ticket in 2010, and that I will bring energy and enthusiasm to the election process, and that, once elected, that I will be effective in a vital role of new leadership for New Mexico,\u201d he said in the release.<\/p>\n In\u00a02000, Sanchez was elected to the\u00a0New Mexico House of Representatives, defeating 30-year incumbent and\u00a0Speaker of the House\u00a0Raymond G. Sanchez.\u00a0 After one term he won the Republican gubernatorial nomination but, in 2002, he lost to Bill Richardson<\/a>.<\/p>\n Four\u00a0other Republicans candidates have announced their candidacies for lieutenant governor — state Sen.\u00a0Kent Cravens<\/a>, former state Rep.\u00a0Brian Moore<\/a>, 2006 Republican gubernatorial candidate\u00a0J.R. Damaron<\/a> and Albuquerque nurse\u00a0Bea Sheridan<\/a>.<\/p>\n Six Democrats \u2014 former Democratic Party of New Mexico Chairman\u00a0Brian Col\u00f3n<\/a>, State Rep.\u00a0Joe Campos<\/a> of Santa Rosa, former Mid-Region Council of Governments Executive Director\u00a0Lawrence Rael<\/a>, state Sens.\u00a0Linda Lopez<\/a> and\u00a0Gerald Ortiz y Pino<\/a> of Albuquerque, and\u00a0 Santa Fe County Sheriff\u00a0Greg Solano<\/a> \u2014 have also launched campaigns for lieutenant governor.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Former state representative and Republican gubernatorial nominee John Sanchez is jumping into the race for lieutenant governor. Sanchez, 46, announced his decision to enter the race Thursday in Albuquerque.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":481,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,1],"tags":[108,107],"class_list":["post-10448","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news-and-analysis","category-uncategorized","tag-2010-election","tag-roundhouse"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10448","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/481"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10448"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10448\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10448"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10448"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10448"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}