The 2014 New Mexico gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 2014, to elect the governor of New Mexico. Incumbent Republican Governor Susana Martínez successfully ran for election to a second term in office, defeating Democratic Attorney General Gary King.
This was one of nine Republican-held governorships up for election in a state that Barack Obama won in the 2012 presidential election. Unlike in most states, New Mexico's governor and lieutenant governor are elected in separate primaries. The winning candidates then run together on the same ticket. Primary elections were held on June 3, 2014.
As of , this is the last time that Republicans won a non-judicial statewide election in New Mexico, and stands as the best performance by a Republican gubernatorial candidate in New Mexico history. This is also the last time that the winner of the New Mexico gubernatorial election won a majority of counties.
Republican primary
Candidates
Declared Susana Martínez, incumbent governor
Declined Gary Johnson, former governor of New Mexico, businessman and Libertarian Party nominee for president in 2012 and 2016
Endorsements
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared Gary King, attorney general of New Mexico, candidate for governor in 1998 and 2002, nominee for NM-02 in 2004, and son of former Governor Bruce King Linda M. Lopez, state senator Howie Morales, state senator Lawrence Rael, former state executive director of the Farm Service Agency, former CAO of Albuquerque and candidate for lieutenant governor in 2010 Alan Webber, businessman
Declined Hector Balderas, state auditor of New Mexico and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2012 (running for attorney general) Jeff Bingaman, former U.S. senator Joseph Cervantes, state senator Tim Keller, state senator (running for state auditor) Antonio Maestas, state representative Michael S. Sanchez, majority leader of the New Mexico Senate
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror GaryKing Linda M.Lopez HowieMorales LawrenceRael AlanWebber UndecidedJournal PollJournal Poll May 20–22, 2014 631 ± 3.9% 22% 5% 12% 16% 16% 29%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling March 20–23, 2014 327 ± 5.4% 34% 13% 15% 7% 5% 27%
Endorsements
Results
General election
Candidates Gary King (Democratic), attorney general of New Mexico Susana Martínez (Republican), incumbent governor of New Mexico
Predictions Source Ranking As of The Cook Political Report November 3, 2014 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 3, 2014 Rothenberg Political Report November 3, 2014 Real Clear Politics November 3, 2014
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror SusanaMartínez (R) GaryKing (D) Other UndecidedResearch & Polling Inc.*Research & Polling Inc.* October 21–23, 2014 614 ± 4% 53% 38% — 9%CBS News/NYT/YouGov*CBS News/NYT/YouGov* October 16–23, 2014 962 ± 6% 50% 38% 0% 12%Public Opinion Strategies*Public Opinion Strategies* October 5–7, 2014 500 ± 4.38% 55% 36% — 9%Gravis MarketingGravis Marketing September 27 – October 1, 2014 727 ± 4% 48% 44% — 8%CBS News/NYT/YouGovCBS News/NYT/YouGov September 20 – October 1, 2014 1,093 ± 4% 48% 41% 2% 9%Rasmussen Reports*Rasmussen Reports* September 22–23, 2014 830 ± 4% 50% 37% 6% 6%Research & Polling Inc.*Research & Polling Inc.* September 9–11, 2014 603 ± 4% 54% 36% — 10%CBS News/NYT/YouGovCBS News/NYT/YouGov August 18 – September 2, 2014 1,096 ± 4% 48% 43% 2% 7%Research & Polling Inc.*Research & Polling Inc.* August 12–14, 2014 606 ± 4% 50% 41% — 9%CBS News/NYT/YouGov*CBS News/NYT/YouGov* July 5–24, 2014 931 ± 3.6% 51% 44% 3% 2%Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports July 21–22, 2014 860 ± 4% 43% 43% 7% 7% July 7–10, 2014 600 ± 4% 45% 39% — 15% June 24–26, 2014 600 ± 4% 54% 38% — 8%BWD Global*BWD Global* June 10–11, 2014 1,526 ± 2.5% 53% 40% — 7%Public Policy Polling March 20–23, 2014 674 ± 3.8% 47% 42% — 11%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling July 13–16, 2012 724 ± 3.6% 51% 39% — 10%
Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror SusanaMartínez (R) HectorBalderas (D) Other UndecidedPublic Policy Polling July 13–16, 2012 724 ± 3.6% 50% 37% — 13%
Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror SusanaMartínez (R) DianeDenish (D) Other UndecidedPublic Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling June 23–26, 2011 732 ± 3.6% 53% 44% — 4%
Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror SusanaMartínez (R) Linda M.Lopez (D) Other UndecidedPublic Policy Polling March 20–23, 2014 674 ± 3.8% 50% 36% — 15%
Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror SusanaMartínez (R) HowieMorales (D) Other UndecidedPublic Policy Polling March 20–23, 2014 674 ± 3.8% 48% 34% — 17%
Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror SusanaMartínez (R) LawrenceRael (D) Other UndecidedPublic Policy Polling March 20–23, 2014 674 ± 3.8% 47% 36% — 17%
Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror SusanaMartínez (R) AllanWeber (D) Other UndecidedPublic Policy Polling March 20–23, 2014 674 ± 3.8% 48% 32% — 20%
Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror SusanaMartínez (R) WalterWhite Other UndecidedPublic Policy Polling March 20–23, 2014 674 ± 3.8% 52% 26% — 23%
* Internal poll for Susana Martínez campaign ^ Internal poll for Gary King campaign
Results
By county Martinez was the first Republican to carry Grant County since Edwin L. Mechem in 1950, the first Republican to carry McKinley County since Mechem in 1958, and the first Republican to ever carry Cibola County since its establishment in 1981. County Susana MartinezRepublican Gary K. KingDemocratic Margin Total votes cast # % # % # %Bernalillo93,44254.98%76,50045.02%16,9429.97%169,942Catron1,41382.39%30217.61%1,11164.78%1,715Chaves10,09477.62%2,91122.38%7,18355.23%13,005Cibola3,29658.00%2,38742.00%90916.00%5,683Colfax2,80665.91%1,45134.09%1,35531.83%4,257Curry5,62870.67%2,33629.33%3,29241.34%7,964De Baca61577.07%18322.93%43254.14%798Doña Ana22,16153.61%19,17846.39%2,9837.22%41,339Eddy9,04677.80%2,58122.20%6,46555.60%11,627Grant4,96554.43%4,15745.57%8088.86%9,122Guadalupe1,10558.96%76941.04%33617.93%1,874Harding34967.24%17032.76%17934.49%519Hidalgo1,00167.73%47732.27%52435.45%1,478Lea7,07077.80%2,01722.20%5,05355.61%9,087Lincoln4,90479.26%1,28320.74%3,62158.53%6,187Los Alamos4,77360.41%3,12839.59%1,64520.82%7,901Luna3,16965.35%1,68034.65%1,48930.71%4,849McKinley7,46550.24%7,39349.76%720.48%14,858Mora96245.48%1,15354.52%-191-9.03%2,115Otero9,82576.71%2,98323.29%6,84253.42%12,808Quay1,82067.96%85832.04%96235.92%2,678Rio Arriba4,49044.28%5,65155.72%-1,161-11.45%10,141Roosevelt2,53466.97%1,25033.03%1,28433.93%3,784San Juan22,46174.97%7,49725.03%14,96449.95%29,958San Miguel3,24740.58%4,75559.42%-1,508-18.85%8,002Sandoval23,80561.89%14,66138.11%9,14423.77%38,466Santa Fe15,70232.47%32,65867.53%-16,956-35.06%48,360Sierra2,68472.72%1,00727.28%1,67745.43%3,691Socorro3,05057.41%2,26342.59%78714.81%5,313Taos3,69534.73%6,94365.27%-3,248-30.53%10,638Torrance3,03865.57%1,59534.43%1,44331,15%4,633Union98470.79%40629.21%57841.58%1,390Valencia11,84463.60%6,77936.40%5,06527.20%18,623Total293,44357.22%219,36242.78%74,08114.45%512,805
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Cibola (largest city: Grants) Grant (largest city: Silver City) McKinley (largest city: Gallup)
By congressional district Martinez won all three congressional districts, including two that elected Democrats. District Martinez King Representative 55.36% 44.64%Michelle Lujan Grisham 65.39% 34.61%Steve Pearce 52.46% 47.54%Ben Ray Luján
References
External links New Mexico gubernatorial election, 2014 at Ballotpedia
Official campaign websites (archived) Susana Martínez incumbent Gary King Linda Lopez Lawerence Rael Howie Morales Alan Webber