Hull postpones gubernatorial campaign announcement

RIO RANCHO — Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull postponed the formal launch of his campaign for governor on Monday, backtracking on his campaign’s previous statement he would do so exactly a year out from the 2026 primary election.

Hull previously issued a news release April 15 in which he stated, “I will be speaking directly to New Mexicans on June 2 about our vision for The Land of Enchantment, so stay tuned.” That release came shortly after he filed a bi-annual report of his campaign expenditures and contributions, totaling over $206,000.

But on Monday, the campaign issued a news release stating it is still in a “strategic growth phase” to expand its operation before making an official announcement. The release said information about an announcement will be shared but did not give an official date or estimate.

“Rather than focusing on political timelines or headlines, Hull is focused on building a winning coalition and a policy-driven campaign that speaks directly to communities too often ignored by Santa Fe,” the release said.

Hull was quoted in the release about his travels throughout the state.

“In every town we visit, from the border to the Four Corners, voters are telling us the same thing: they’re ready for bold, new leadership — not recycled rhetoric,” he said. “They’ve seen what happens when ego and division rule the Roundhouse. We’re building a campaign that listens, respects individual community needs and has a winning vision for New Mexico’s future.”

Hull and his campaign did not immediately respond to an interview request following the issuance of the release.

Hull, considered a longshot for the state’s top office, could join a field of six candidates and counting vying to succeed Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who is barred by the New Mexico Constitution from running again after winning elections in 2018 and 2022.

The latest likely candidate to enter the gubernatorial race is pastor and activist Gene Pettit, of Radium Springs, who filed as a nonpartisan on Friday.

Former Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima, a Democrat, filed April 19 before publicly announcing May 27.

Outdoorsman and filmmaker Brian Cillessen, a Republican, filed April 28 but has not formally announced his intentions. He told the Observer he will decide by August.

Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman and former U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, both Democrats, publicly announced their intentions April 10 and Feb. 11, respectively.