Hull teases announcement on campaign for governor

RIO RANCHO — Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull made it all but official Tuesday that he is running for governor of New Mexico.

Hull issued a news release via his campaign stating he has raised over $200,000 in his bid for the state’s highest elected office and will speak publicly on June 2 about “our vision for The Land of Enchantment.” Hull urged people to “stay tuned” about further details regarding the public announcement. The statement did not address whether he will run for a fourth term as mayor next year.

Hull declined further comment for this story and referred to his campaign spokesperson, Corey Stevens.

“Mayor Gregg Hull appreciates the outpouring of support and encouragement he has received to run for Governor of New Mexico,” Stevens wrote in an email. “Over the coming weeks, Mayor Hull will continue to meet with New Mexicans, local leaders and Republican stakeholders leading up to an official kickoff event on June 2,” exactly one year before the 2026 primary election.

The public can refer to the campaign’s website, gregghull.com, for updates, Stevens wrote.

“I’m running for Governor because I know that our state’s most pressing issues can be solved if we understand each community’s concerns with a state government that supports local solutions,” Hull wrote on his campaign’s website. “This campaign will focus on the future instead of dwelling on the past. I have a vision for our state that doesn’t make excuses for where we are, but looks for solutions that will take us to where we want to be.”

Hull’s campaign website also includes information about himself and the issues he cares about, including crime, jobs and the economy, education and infrastructure.

Hull is the first Republican to enter the 2026 gubernatorial race to succeed the two-term, term-limited Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who was elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022. Hull has rumored for months to be running for governor, but he answered that publicly by stating he was weighing his options.

On Monday, former U.S. Senate candidate Nella Domenici, daughter of former longtime Sen. Pete Domenici, said she has ruled out a campaign for governor or any other statewide office in 2026, according to a report from the Albuquerque Journal.

If elected, Hull would be the first Republican to serve as governor since Susana Martinez, who served from 2011-19.

If he wins Republican primary for governor, Hull could face Democrats Deb Haaland or Sam Bregman, the only other candidates to announce so far, according to the New Mexico Secretary of State’s website. Haaland, considered the frontrunner in the Democratic race after announcing in February, served as Interior secretary during President Joe Biden’s administration. Bregman, the Bernalillo County district attorney, announced his campaign on April 10. Former Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima has also said he’s considering a bid for the Democratic nomination, according to the Journal.