First Republican joins race for NM public lands commissioner
A retired New Mexico state government worker and game warden and county-level elected official has entered the race for New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands.
Michael Perry enters as the first Republican running in the June 2, 2026 primary election, according to New Mexico Secretary of State data. Three Democrats also will vie in the race: Juan Sanchez, Jonas Montoya and Matthew McQueen. The general election will take place Nov. 3, 2026.
“If you evaluate resume to resume, this isn’t a political issue,” he told Source NM on Tuesday. “It’s not Democrat or Republican, it’s about making our landscapes green and our watersheds beautiful blue. ”
A Roswell High School graduate, Perry serves on the Chaves County Commission as its vice chair, in the third year of his first term. He also sits on the National Association of Counties’ Public Lands Policy Steering Committee.
https://sourcenm.com/2025/07/08/first-republican-joins-race-for-nm-public-lands-commissioner/