Outdoor filmmaker could challenge Hull in gubernatorial primary

SANTA FE — Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull could face competition in the Republican primary for governor if he announces next month he is running for the state's highest elected office.

Brian Gregory Cillessen, of Farmington, registered his candidacy on Monday, making him the first potential GOP challenger to Hull, who teased his run on April 15 and plans to make an announcement about his intentions on June 2, exactly a year before the primary election. The Republican Party of New Mexico previously said it will remain impartial during the primary until a nominee is chosen.

In an email, Cillessen said he has yet to formally announce and wants to "set the conditions for success" before doing so.

Cillessen did not have any campaign contributions listed, according to a database of statewide candidate finance information listed on New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver's website. Cillessen's announcement came weeks after the the first mandatory reporting period; the next is in October.

Cillessen produces and stars in "Beyond Rubicon," an awarding-winning outdoor adventure television series that "captures the reality of hunting — a story of reverence for a hunter’s way of life," according to the show's website. Cillessen's brother and father are also part of the show, which aired on the Sportsman Channel from 2016-23 and has been featured on My Outdoor TV, according to the show's website.

The website also contains an October 2022 post by Cillessen criticizing Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham in her bid for a second term, which she won with 51% of the vote. Cillessen's post noted, "No, I am not throwing my hat in the ring of politics (yet)."

Cillessen is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served as a recognizance officer and earned the Silver Star for his service during the War on Terror, according to the Military Times and his LinkedIn page.

Cillessen earned an associate of arts degree from the New Mexico Military Institute and a bachelor of science in business administration and management from University of Colorado Boulder, his LinkedIn page states.