Rio Rancho businessman runs for N.M. House seat

RIO RANCHO — A Rio Rancho businessman recently announced he intends to run for a seat with the New Mexico House of Representatives occupied by Joshua Hernandez.

 Zac Anaya, a real estate agent recruiter for The Perry Group, is vying for a seat representing District 60, which includes a large swath of Rio Rancho up to the Sandoval County line.

“I love this community, and I am running because District 60 deserves representation that is present, responsive, and grounded in real life,” Anaya said in a news release. “I believe New Mexico can be safer, stronger, and more affordable, and I believe we can get there with leadership that listens first and delivers.”

He thanked Hernandez, a Republican for whom Anaya campaigned when he was just 19 years old. Hernandez has served in the Legislature since 2021.

“Public service takes real sacrifice, and I respect anyone who steps up to do it," Anaya said in the release. "My campaign will be focused on the future, on listening closely, and on earning the opportunity to represent our district.”

Anaya's platform includes seven priorities: public safety, affordability, water and growth, the workforce, health care, small business, and government. 

Anaya also emphasized his sobriety from drug addiction.

“I am not sharing that for sympathy, and I am not going to let it be used as political blackmail or slander. I am sharing it because it is part of who I am and because recovery is proof that people can change their lives with accountability, support, and hard work," he stated. "If my story can help strengthen our state and our district by reducing stigma, encouraging hope, and pushing for practical solutions that help families, then it belongs in the open.”