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Patriots Jet Team Headlines Holloman Air Show with High-Flying Aerobatics

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Patriots Jet Team Headlines Holloman Air Show with High-Flying Aerobatics

Patriots Jet Team leads off performances at Legacy of Liberty Air Show

The Patriots Jet Team is made up of six pilots with decades of experience.

Featuring alumni from renowned air show performance groups the U.S. Thunderbirds and Blue Angels The Patriots will highlight the 2026 Legacy of Liberty Air Show at Holloman Air Force base this Saturday and Sunday, April 18-19.

The California-based team is the largest civilian-owned aerobatic jet team in the western hemisphere and is owned by one of the performing pilots, Randy Howell. After serving as a United Airlines pilot, Randy founded the six-ship team in 2003 that has flown in more than 1,500 air shows.

Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Dean “Wilber” Wright, who was stationed at Holloman three times during his U.S. Air Force career, will be the lead pilot for the Patriots Jet Team this weekend.

“Holloman is an amazing base to conduct an air show,” Wright said. “It is unique in that there is so much air space available from the surface to the moon.”

The Patriots Jet Team performs in six Czech-built Aero L-39 Albatros aircraft. Wright said the planes have an advantage over T-Bird and Blue Angel jets performing for air shows because they are “simple” jets to fly and to maneuver as a team.

“The L-39s work to our benefit because they can stay in front of the crowd at all times,” Wright said. “It is a family-friendly jet—they have one engine and no after-burners so they are a little less noisy and they have clearance to fly even as low as 6 feet.”

Wright compared the Patriots Jet Team performance to a perfectly choreographed dance routine in the sky. Every movement by each individual pilot is practiced countless times and complete concentration is required for the planes to safely fly so closely in proximity.

“When you’re strapped in the cockpit and ready to fly there is a focus that allows your training to take over,” Wright said. “Our pilots stay relaxed and focused on the mission. Everyone involved with the Patriots Jet Team are volunteers—we love what we’re doing and the live shows are the payoff.”

One aspect that makes each performance unique is the jet-loops they perform while red, white and blue smoke exhausts out of each plane simultaneously. Music accompanies the synchronized jets as they climb and dive giving thrills and amazement to everyone watching the skies.

“The Patriots Jet Team strives to leave the audience with a memory of our formations and air acrobatics,” Wright said. “We all enjoy doing the show and then we like to come out of our cockpits to hear all the applause and see the fist-pumps.”

The team is based out of Byron, California at the “Hanger of Dreams”, a 35,000-square-foot jet hanger that houses all the aircraft between performances. Howell and his family operate a non-profit called the Patriots Jet Team Foundation which raises money in support of science-related educational projects in their community.

Learn more at www.patriotsjetteam.com.

Artesia school shooting threat part of nationwide ‘swatting’ prank, police say

Adrian Hedden
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Artesia school shooting threat part of nationwide ‘swatting’ prank, police say

Adrian Hedden and Moriah Lovato | Artesia Daily Press

Editors note: Stay with the Artesia Daily Press for updates as information is made available.

Artesia High School was temporarily placed on a “shelter in place” order by local police Tuesday afternoon after authorities said they were investigating a potential shooting threat.

Investigators later discovered the call came from Louisiana and alleged that it was made to schools throughout the U.S. including at least one more in New Mexico at Ruidoso High School.

By Tuesday night, the call was deemed to be not credible, police said, but led to Artesia High and Junior High schools being let out early, following a brief shelter-in-place order which asked students and staff to remain in classrooms until further notice.

The caller was described as an unknown person who contacted the high school via telephone and said there would be a school shooting on Tuesday, said Commander Pete Quinoes with the Artesia Police Department.

He said the caller did not give a specific time or location, and that police were working to identify the person who made the call.

Investigators were notified of the possible threat at about 1:15 p.m. by a school resource officer and gave the shelter in place order “out of an abundance of precaution.”

Shelter in place means students and staff within school buildings were asked to stay in their classrooms and not move around campuses.

The incident was being investigated by the Artesia Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division along with school resource officers, the post read.

At least one officer was deployed to each school in the district, police said.

An alert sent out at 1:53 p.m. to parents of students in the district said classes were proceeding as normal, but that entrances to each school were secured amid the potential threat.

“At this time, there is no confirmed or credible threat, and the investigation is ongoing,” read a statement from the police department posted on Facebook at about 2 p.m. “The safety of students, staff, and the community remains our highest priority.”

Police Chief Kirk Roberts addressed the incident during the Tuesday, April 14 Artesia City Council, commending multiple law enforcement agencies for a quick response.

He said the U.S. Border Patrol and New Mexico State Police aided local police in investigating the call. Artesia Police Department (APD) determined the call came from Louisiana.

Chief Roberts reported the caller threatened multiple schools across the country, labelling the threat as “swatting”, a fake emergency call designed to trigger a heavy police response.

In response to praise from the council for APD’s decisive reaction, Chief Roberts used the positive feedback to commend a healthy relationship with the Artesia Public School District and the department’s habit of training alongside dispatch, fire and other emergency services.

“Building relationships gets you to a point where you can do this kind of stuff – where we can react quickly,” he said.

Ruidoso Municipal Schools in a Tuesday statement on Facebook said the Ruidoso Police Department received a similar “threat” against Ruidoso High School on the night of April 13, which was being investigated by law enforcement.

“We appreciate quick communication and the partnership with our school resource officer and the Ruidoso Police Department in addressing this matter,” read the statement. “We encourage all students and families to report any concerns immediately to school staff so that they can be addressed quickly and appropriately.”

For Mondragon, hardest goodbye came after final buzzer

Adrian Hedden
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For Mondragon, hardest goodbye came after final buzzer

JT Keith
Artesia Daily Press
jtkeith@elritomedia.com

When former Bulldog basketball coach Michael Mondragon stood in front of his players and their families at the boys basketball banquet, he was not just saying goodbye to a season.

He was saying goodbye to a chapter of his life without knowing it.

Tears flowed as Mondragon addressed his 10 seniors from the 2025 class — the last group he would ever coach on a basketball floor — his voice breaking as the weight of the moment settled in. These were not just players. They were young men he had believed in and grown alongside for years.

Next year, Mondragon will begin a new journey as principal of Roselawn Elementary School, trading locker rooms and late-night film sessions for classrooms and morning announcements. But the goodbye, the one that hurt the most, came with the realization that his time with this team — this family — was over.

Mondragon said losing a state championship still stings. It always will. But it is not the loss that lingers. It is everything that came before it.

He said he will miss the grind — players showing up early before practice to get extra shots, staying late after everyone else had gone home, the quiet talks in his office, and long summer trips. Most of all, he will miss the look in the players’ eyes — the belief that maybe, just maybe, they could become the next LeBron James.

Mondragon said he never had the heart to tell them they couldn’t.

Instead, he told them to believe. To work. To stay present. To trust the process. That with enough grit and heart, anything was possible.

Mondragon has always believed in the power of a dream. He has lived it.

That belief carried him to All-State honors in football and basketball and into a coaching life that was modeled for him by his father, aunts and family — a life he always knew he wanted. Coaching was never just a job. It was who he was. And now, he feels called to coach on a bigger stage.

Basketball, he said, was no longer enough.

Now, Mondragon wants to coach teachers and nearly 150 students at Roselawn Elementary, shaping lives the same way he has shaped programs for the past 16 years.

“It was just time,” Mondragon said. “After much prayer and consideration, I want to spend time with my family and watch them grow up. I want to help develop the future Bulldogs at the lower levels.”

Mondragon led with his heart in basketball, and the results followed. Over time, he became the school’s all-time wins leader with a 209-124 record, including a 58-21 mark in district play. He won seven consecutive District 4A-4 championships, reached nine quarterfinals and semifinals in 12 seasons, appeared in three state championship games and captured the 2025 title. This year’s team set a school record with 25 wins.

Still, Mondragon said the numbers were never the point.

Long after the final buzzer fades, he believes what remains matters far more than any trophy.

Mondragon wants to build a culture of family. As he heads to Roselawn, he wants to help develop boys and girls who will one day become good husbands, wives and productive members of society.

“It’s way more than basketball,” he said. “I love them (the team).

“They’re like my sons,” Mondragon said of the group. “I’ve been so close to them.”

One of his favorite memories came just weeks before the state tournament, when he invited the team to his home for a steak dinner. Players mixed with his children, assistant coaches and their families — a simple night, but one that captured how intertwined their lives had become.

Mondragon said moments like that were supposed to be emotional. If they weren’t, he said, then he wasn’t doing it right.

“I’m proud of the way they finished,” he said. “I’m proud of how they represented our school, our town, our program and themselves.”

For a coach who measured success by relationships rather than championships, that pride meant everything.

“Mike took the program in a really good direction,” Artesia Athletic Director Jeremy Maupin said. “He advocated for kids, and we will miss what he brought to the program.”

After the loss to Highland, Mondragon walked into the media center at The Pit in Albuquerque and paused before speaking.

“First of all, God’s good,” he said. “It has been a hell of a journey.”

For Mondragon, the journey isn’t over.

It’s just moving to a different court.

JT Keith can be reached at 575-420-0061, or on X @JTKEITH1.

State Sen. David Gallegos: If someone wanted to hold New Mexico back…

Michael Smith
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State Sen. David Gallegos: If someone wanted to hold New Mexico back…

Sen. David Gallegos, and candidate for lieutenant governor

If someone wanted to devise a strategy to hold the state of New Mexico back from prosperity, growth, and a bright future, what would they do?

Certainly it wouldn’t be an easy task. After all, our state is naturally beautiful, and rich with diverse cultures and natural resources. It’s also home to some of the most amazing and kind-hearted people on the planet. So whatever their plan is, it would have to be sustained long-term; holding back a state like ours couldn’t happen overnight.

The first thing they might do is perhaps the easiest– simply refuse to address New Mexico’s current issues. Inaction would inevitably worsen the issues facing our communities like out-of-control crime, homelessness, poor educational outcomes, etc. Of course, to falsely reassure concerned New Mexicans, they would need to “say” publicly that steps were being taken to address these problems! But gaslighting is easy for those who want to hold us back.

Next, they would focus on damaging New Mexico’s top industries. If they could make New Mexico unattractive to large companies, investors, and innovative entrepreneurs, they wouldn’t have to worry about communities expanding or families being able to earn more with better job opportunities. Unsurprisingly, they would focus their attacks on the state’s vital oil & gas industry and stack the deck against those pesky small business owners by piling on taxes and burdensome regulations.. In short, they merely would have to drive out existing companies while discouraging any future business ventures.

Of course, they would also need to ensure that the next generation of New Mexicans are unprepared academically. And for those highest-performing students who succeed in spite of our 50th ranked education system, they would have to encourage them to take their talents elsewhere. This would accomplish two goals: making sure that the most talented young people leave New Mexico, while those who remain struggle to find meaningful opportunities. For the plan to really work, many of those young people who stay will instead choose to engage in illegal activities or not even want to work at all!

Speaking of not wanting to work, perhaps they would make New Mexicans generationally dependent on government assistance. They would raise taxes on hard-working families and businesses and then turn around and give those taxpayer dollars to the other half of the state. By creating more dependency on state government, they could protect their political future, as those receiving public benefits are sure to re-elect candidates who vote to continue and even expand these benefits.

Come to think of it, the progressive Democrats running New Mexico are already taking these exact steps. These radical leftists are indeed holding New Mexico back from prosperity, growth, and a bright future.

On the contrary, I want our state to move forward, not continue to slide backwards. I want New Mexico families to prosper. I want our children to choose to stay here to raise their families. I want our communities to experience less violence and more growth. That’s why I am advocating for common sense leadership. Progressives have a stranglehold on state government, and while some of them may claim to have good intentions for New Mexico, the reality is that their policies and “leadership” actively work to not only hold our state back, but to destroy it.

Ninety years of one-party Democrat rule has brought us here. I say: Let’s vote red instead and get back to common sense leadership instead of radical-left insanity.

*Senator Gallegos is an advocate and leader in his local community, serving on the Eunice school board for over 20 years. He retired from the natural gas industry after 30 years and currently works as a Senior Superintendent in construction. He has been married to the love of his life, Sonya, for over 45 years. Together they have two daughters and one granddaughter.

He served in the New Mexico House of Representatives from 2013-2020 and the State Senate from 2021.

New Mexico Sen. David Gallegos represents the state’s 41st Senate District and is seeking the GOP’s nomination to run for lieutenant governor.

Scenes from the Artesia baseball game against Carlsbad

JT Keith
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Scenes from the Artesia baseball game against Carlsbad
Artesia baseball player Destin Pacheco is getting ready for a game against Carlsbad on Saturday.
Artesia baseball player Hayden Moser gets ready to play catch during innings in the game against Carlsbad.
Artesia second baseman Derrick Warren throws out a Carlsbad batter in the first inning.
Artesia Elijah Carrasco makes a throw to first base against Carlsbad on Saturday.
The Bulldogs celebrate after getting out of a jam.
Artesia players looking out in the field against Carlsbad on Saturday.
Hayden Moser hits the ball against Carlsbad on Saturday.
Hayden Moser after making an out against Carlsbad on Saturday.
Artesia Jett Fuentes looks at a ball during a 3-2 count against Carlsbad on Saturday.
Jett Fuentes talks with Artesia’s first base coach, Gentry Doolittle, after getting a hit against Carlsbad.
Artesia Jett Fuentes slides back into first base after a Carlsbad pitcher throws over to first base.
Artesia’s Derrick Warren gives coach Doolittle his batting helmet and hitting gloves after making an out.
Artesia pitcher Jack Byers gets the ball and high-fives teammates before pitching to Carlsbad.
Brant Usherwood looks for a sign from the Bulldog coaches before giving the signal to pitcher Jack Byers.
Artesia pitcher Jack Byers looks back at a Carlsbad runner at first base during the third inning.
Artesia outfielder Charlie Campbell IV and catcher Brant Usherwood celebrate after getting Carlsbad out in the fourth inning.
Artesia Daelon Paheco gives coach Doolittle a hand slap after making an out against Carlsbad.
Artesia Jett Fuentes gets ready to steal second base against Carlsbad on Saturday.
Artesia’s Hayden Moser slides back into first base after a pickoff throw from Carlsbad.
Artesia pitcher Jack Byers throws a strike against Carlsbad on Saturday.

Renowned Ruidoso artist Gordon Snidow dies at 89

Michael Smith
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Renowned Ruidoso artist Gordon Snidow dies at 89

Staff Reports

Gordon Snidow, considered one of the most popular Western-themed artists of his generation, died Sunday, April 12, at his home in Ruidoso. He was 89.

“He was an incredible human being with so much natural talent and ability,” said Snidow’s former wife Grace Griffin Snidow, who was married to the artist for 19 years and maintains a website chronicling his work.

“His paintings are so easy to market because they can tell an entire story of a subject without words,” she said. “There are so very few artists that captured the true contemporary Western way of life better than Gordon Snidow.”

“Colorado Coolade” by Gordon Snidow Courtesy David Shultz

Snidow was born in Paris, Missouri, in 1936. His family moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he grew up hearing stories about Western cowboys. His talent for drawing and sketching was obvious at a young age.

He attended the ArtCenter College of Design in California, where family members say he developed the technical discipline that would define his work, graduating in 1959 and going on to become a charter member of the Cowboy Artists of America.

After graduation, Snidow moved to Albuquerque and worked for Sandia National Laboratories. But his life soon revolved around Western art, leading him to relocate in Ruidoso to take up his passion full time.

Snidow’s work has been shown around the world, including Russia, France, England, China and Germany, and his paintings hang in the permanent collections of numerous museums, according to Griffin Snidow’s website.

A retrospective featuring the artist’s sketches and paintings had a 45-day showing in 2003 at the Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building in Washington D.C.

Also in 2003, the New Mexico Legislature named him “Artist of the American West.” He received the 1998 New Mexico Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts.

Some of Snidow’s most famous subjects were shown holding a beer can. “Colorado Coolade,” a portrait of a ranch hand sitting on a fence enjoying a brew, is one of a series of paintings commissioned by Coors Brewing Company in the 1970s. Prints from that series remain valuable collector’s items today.

According to ArtzLine, an online Western art gallery website, Snidow’s artwork recorded “every aspect of his time. Those include his American woman series, the homeless, wildlife, and one specific work recognizable anywhere in the country today – an adobe wall covered with graffiti. All parts of his view of the “whole fabric” of the modern West. He paints it not as he would like it to be, but the way it is – warts and all.”

Snidow’s son, Steven Snidow, offered a personal perspective on his father’s life and work.

“Not long ago when asked about his career my dad stated that each next piece, like each next day, he wanted to ‘be better,’” Steven said. “I think we see this in his body of work and in his unwavering commitment to not only his craft, his art, but the lived truth of the American West.

“As he stated, he started his career with the white-faced Hereford and ended it with the black angus on the range. He did not like the ranches being populated with wind turbines and other more modern technology. I believe he painted what he saw – people meeting the challenge of the day, every day, as he himself did.”

In addition to son Steven, 60, of Ruidoso, Gordon Snidow is survived by two other children – Chris Snidow, 67, of Ruidoso and Laurie Snidow, 63, of Dallas, Texas.

D-Day C-47 “That’s All Brother” to Headline Holloman Legacy of Liberty Air Show

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D-Day C-47 “That’s All Brother” to Headline Holloman Legacy of Liberty Air Show

Photos of the C-47 Provided by the Legacy of Liberty Air Show

C-47 that led Normandy invasion flies to Legacy of Liberty Air Show at Holloman AFB

What might be the most significant Douglas C-47 Skytrain in U.S. history is scheduled to appear at the Legacy of Liberty Air Show at Holloman Air Force Base April 18-19.

“That’s All Brother,” which served as the lead C-47 in front of more than 800 C-47s that dropped 13,000 Allied paratroopers into the Battle of Normandy, will be on display courtesy of the Commemorative Air Force’s Central Texas Wing.

The battle, a pivotal moment in World War II began on June 6, 1944 with the Allied Powers, led by the U.S., invading Nazi-controlled France on what became known as D-Day.

The battle concluded in August of that year with the liberation of western Europe, about a year before the war ended on Sept. 2, 1945.

“It is only through a series of miracles that we still have her today,” Robb Gudgel said. He is the development officer and airshow coordinator for the Central Texas Wing located in San Marcos. “This aircraft has actually been lost, put in line to be scrapped and nearly dismantled.”

Fortunately, the C-47 has been restored to its 1944 condition that includes a D-Day paint scheme. The pilot that flew the aircraft on June 6, 1944 was Lt. Col. John Donaldson. He allowed his crew to name the plane—they chose “That’s All Brother” as a direct message to Adolph Hitler signifying that his dominance in the European war theater was coming to an end.

“That’s All Brother” led the main airborne invasion and suffered bullet-holes in the fuselage that day. Only one soldier, a radio operator, was shot in the leg on board—all others escaped as they dropped their load of parachuters.

The plane served in four other World War II missions before the Air Force returned the plane to the United States in 1945 where it was sold on the civilian market. With many owners through the decades, “That’s All Brother” ended up lost to history winding up as a plane in line to be scrapped for parts in a boneyard in Wisconsin.

In 2007, two Air Force Reserve historians, Matt Scales and Ken Tilley, started researching “That’s All Brother” and the plane’s history of ownership. They traced the plane’s tail number to the boneyard, and it was purchased by members of the Commemorative Air Force Central Texas Wing.

“We had a number of volunteers who got involved with the restoration project to bring the aircraft back to life,” Gudgel said. “The plane flew back to Normandy, France twice to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the invasion in 2019 and again for 80th anniversary in 2024, and we are currently booked at air shows throughout the country every year to carry out the Commemorative Air Force’s mission to educate, honor and inspire.”

The pilots that are flying “That’s All Brother” to Holloman this weekend are Nathan Harnagel, Rod Anthony and Mindy Russell.

During World War II, the C-47 was a common carrier for personnel and cargo. The plane could carry thirty passengers, 20 paratroopers, six thousand pounds of cargo and 18 stretchers. A C-47 had a maximum speed of 232 miles per hour with a range of 1,513 miles.

Gregg Hull stops in Artesia in campaign for governor

Adrian Hedden
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Gregg Hull stops in Artesia in campaign for governor

Editor’s note: For full coverage of Gregg Hull’s campaign event, check back with the Artesia Daily Press in print and online.

Gregg Hull touted his record of bringing new industries into his community in hopes of earning the Republican nomination for governor.

He was elected to his third term as mayor of Rio Rancho in 2022 and is one of two frontrunners in this year’s GOP Primary Election on June 2, hoping to take on the Democratic nominee in the November General Election.

The winner will replace Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who was term limited and will leave office at the end of 2026.

At a Tuesday, April 14 morning gathering at coffee shop Kith and Kin in Artesia of about 10 residents and government leaders, Hull, 59, pointed to increases in Rio Rancho’s local industries such as aerospace and manufacturing, which he said he supported as mayor. 

“The business climate in Rio Rancho was just horrible,” Hull said of the city before he was elected. “When I started complaining about it, people started saying I should do something about. I realized it’s just like running a small business.”

American Hero Honor Ride rolls through Artesia honoring veterans and first responders

Michael Smith
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American Hero Honor Ride rolls through Artesia honoring veterans and first responders

Photos by Mike Smith, Artesia Daily Press

The Combat Hero Bike Build’s (CHBB) “American Hero Honor Rides” stopped in Artesia Tuesday afternoon.

“Our goal is to enhance the motorcycle experience of our heroes and supporters,” read the organization’s website.

The rides are designed to raise awareness of sacrifices made by the military and first responders.

The ride started Sunday in Phoenix with overnight stays in Lordsburg and Alamogordo.

Tuesday in Artesia the motorcycles ventured through downtown as the trip concludes in Boerne, Texas Friday as a custom-made motorcycle will be presented to a veteran.

GOP lieutenant governor primary race set

Michael Smith
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GOP lieutenant governor primary race set


Bob Campbell
Lovington Leader

State Sen. Gallegos faces two primary opponents after signatures tallied

New Mexico Sen. David Gallegos of Eunice hopes to run for the state’s No. 2 leadership post against either Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver or Albuquerque Sen. Harold Pope Jr.

Gallegos will face off with two other Republican candidates for lieutenant governor this summer in New Mexico’s June 2 Primary Election.

If chosen, Gallegos will take on the Democratic Party’s nominee, after that party’s voters select either Pope or Toulouse Oliver.

The Republican nominee will be paired with the party’s gubernatorial hopeful in the Nov. 3 general election.

When asked how big of a voting bloc he will need from the Permian Basin in southeast New Mexico to win statewide, Gallegos said he had not yet done the math, but will run a vigorous issue-oriented campaign focused on the needs of rural areas like his Senate District 41 in Lea and Eddy counties.

He said he is well-respected among Republicans statewide as neither of his primary opponents, attorney Aubrey Blair Dunn and investor Manuel Lardizabal, both of Albuquerque, got enough support at the March 8 GOP Pre-Primary Convention to get on the primary ballot.

Lardizabal and Dunn will be on the primary ballot though, after gaining enough signatures by the March 17 deadline, which the Secretary of State’s office finished counting on Tuesday, March 24.

Dunn and Lardizabal got 77 and 61 votes respectively at the convention to Gallegos’ 278.

With Lt. Gov. Howie Morales not seeking re-election and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham term-limited, the Republican nominees will face the Democrats in the Nov. 3 general election where a new governor will be decided, along with lieutenant governor.

“I was the only one who had enough votes at the convention to get on the ballot and mine is the only rural voice in this election,” Gallegos said. “That’s the reality, so it’s worth the fight.”

The senator is in a period now of intense fund-raising and he does not plan to spend a lot of money on TV but rather to concentrate on social media, newspaper and radio advertising, mailers to voters and personal campaigning.

“We will do with what we have,” Gallegos said. “I don’t know that we need TV.”

He touted his experience as New Mexico lawmaker, after serving in the Senate since 2021 and in the House of Representatives from 2013 to 2021.

“The lieutenant governor presides over the New Mexico Senate and I have the experience in the Roundhouse,” Gallegos said. “I will also stand in as governor when the governor leaves the state or the country.”

Gallegos’ said he envisions protecting New Mexico’s economy and working families by defending energy jobs and American production.

He said he will also work to secure the U.S.-Mexico border and stop drug trafficking, ensuring safer communities and real public safety.

Education was also critical, Gallegos said. He serves on the Eunice School Board and said he will prioritize standing with parents and strengthening public education, while also supporting agriculture, water resources and rural communities.

“It’s important to have a rural voice and someone who has actually been in legislative office,” Gallegos said.

On the Democratic side, Pope released a statement via Facebook on April 6 that he would not accept donations from any oil and gas companies or special interests.

He said his campaign was about “leadership that isn’t afraid to take on powerful interests and speak the truth.”

Toulouse Oliver, who is currently serving as New Mexico Secretary of State most recently touted in an April 3 Facebook post an endorsement from current Lt. Gov. Morales.

“I will be honored to take up the work Howie (Morales) has built as a champion for students, teachers, and all New Mexicans,” read the post.

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