Duke Rodriguez

The sparring has already begun between the camps of two potential heavyweight GOP gubernatorial contenders and if, as expected, both join the race big dollars can be expected to do more of the talking.

Marijuana kingpin Duke Rodriguez is the first to go public with an attack as he tries to chase down former Lieutenant Governor John Sanchez whose supporters are plowing the ground for his entry. 

Rodriguez is the president of Ultra Health, among the largest players in the state cannabis industry. He is also was the Human Services department cabinet secretary under GOP Gov. Gary Johnson in the 90's. and is a former CEO of Lovelace Health System.

He achieved fame and fortune (and notoriety) for advancing legal medical marijuana and later legal pot only to become a biting critic of how the state under MLG is handling cannabis.

The 67 year old, who was born in California and moved to NM In 1971, says his chances of becoming a candidate hovers around "90 percent" and is threatening to deploy $2 million in personal money. 

Sanchez is also personally wealthy but more importantly he has  support from the oil and gas industry where campaign cash flows as freely as all that Permian Basin oil. 

Reacting to our characterization of his possible effort as a "longshot" in our recent conversation with Santa Fe radio talker Richard Eeds, Rodriguez comes with this:

Joe, I appreciated your conversation with Richard Eeds. That said, I’d like to offer a different take on who can truly compete—and win—in November 2026.

John Sanchez had his opportunity. In his previous run for governor, he earned just 189,000 votes—failing to break 40%, even while Senator Domenici was pulling in over 314,000 on the same ballot. That was the second-worst Republican performance in a gubernatorial race in four decades. Even the GOP candidate for Secretary of State outperformed him. 

It’s hard to argue that a recycled name with a track record like that is our best shot this cycle. Now, I understand some see me as a long shot. But I also believe I’m the best shot to actually win a general election against Deb Haaland. And based on what I’m hearing, I’m not alone—more and more folks are ready to run with me, not just behind me. They want a new kind of campaign: one grounded in lived experience, smart policy, and a real plan to govern—not just to get elected. always been done. It’s about putting People First. Period. 

Sanchez is quiet, very quiet, but former GOP state chairman Ryan Cangiolosi is in his corner and told one of our GOP sources "he just doesn't see it" for Rodriguez, pointing to deep and lengthy connections Sanchez has within the party as well as the credibility to take down the Democratic nominee. 

But it is the Rodriguez ties to legal marijuana that the Sanchez camp--and not a few Republicans-- think could be the deal breaker for Rodriguez and justifies longshot label. Legal marijuana polls well among most demographic groups with the exception of Republicans who will be voting to decide the next GOP Governor nominee in next year's primary.

While the Rodriguez and Sanchez rivalry heats up Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull can't be forgotten. He is already officially in the race, has raised $200,000 and is beating the bushes for support. 

There's also former state Supreme Court Justice Judy Nakamura in the wings as a possible contender.

But Hull and any others may have to fight to be heard if both Sanchez and Rodriguez get in and make good on the threat to use those multi-million dollar megaphones.

This is the Home of New Mexico Politics.