New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich on Thursday declined to endorse former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland’s gubernatorial bid, just weeks after the top Energy and Natural Resources Committee Democrat backed out of a potential run himself.
The non-endorsement comes just two days after Haaland launched her bid, prompting a flurry of endorsements from the fully Democratic New Mexico congressional delegation. Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Reps. Melanie Stansbury, Teresa Leger Fernandez and Gabe Vasquez have all thrown their weight behind Haaland within hours of her announcement.
That leaves Heinrich, the delegation’s most powerful member who has won statewide office three times, alone as the only federally elected New Mexican who has not yet endorsed Haaland. In an interview with POLITICO’s E&E News, he did little to clear up his position but left the door slightly ajar.
“If I do, I’ll let you know,” Heinrich said when asked about whether he has plans to endorse Haaland.
