GRANTS, N.M. – Grants Mayor Erik Garcia will not continue his campaign for Cibola County Commission District 3 after appearing on the Republican primary ballot earlier this month. He submitted a withdrawal of candidacy form on June 16 and will not appear on the November ballot.
Garcia told the Cibola Citizen he signed paperwork to withdraw his candidacy and said his run for county commission was intended to make a point about the Grants City Charter and whether city officials can hold more than one public office at the same time.
Garcia said he does not believe the charter allows a city elected official to hold a second office and said he entered the county commission race after concerns arose inside city government over how the charter should be interpreted.
“The charter is the city’s constitution,” Garcia said. “You do not interpret it however you want to. It doesn’t bend.”
Garcia said his decision to run was tied to ongoing debate within the city about whether an elected city official could also hold another public office, like county assessor or commissioner. He said he wanted to demonstrate that the same standard must apply to him if he sought county office while serving as mayor.
“At the end of the day, I cannot hold two positions,” Garcia said. “One, the charter doesn’t do it. And two, my brain can’t do two. I’m focused on Grants, and I would like to help with the county but my attention is focused on Grants; I don’t have time to learn the county’s systems.”
Garcia said that if he were to pursue the county commission seat, he would step down as mayor. But he said that was never his goal.
“My intention was never to run for county commission,” Garcia said. “My mission is to try to make Grants the cleanest and safest community in New Mexico.”
Garcia said he plans to remain focused on his role as mayor and hopes to seek a second term. He said he believes the city has momentum on issues including equipment replacement, department coordination, infrastructure, and long-term planning, and that leaving the mayor’s office now would interrupt work he wants to continue.
“I feel like if I left right now,” he trailed off, “Grants is not there yet,” Garcia said. “I do have a second term as mayor, and I hope to win that so I can continue on the momentum.”
Garcia received 191 votes in the Republican primary for County Commission District 3. On the Democratic side, Martin M. Vigil won the primary with 206 votes, or 30%, in a five-candidate race. Robert Francis Horacek received 153 votes, George Rodriguez received 131, Michael W. Lewis received 118, and Stanley E.
Michael received 69.
Garcia previously told the Cibola Citizen he had contacted Vigil after the primary. Vigil confirmed that Garcia contacted him and said he is preparing for the role if he ultimately secures the seat.
Vigil said the campaign was a valuable experience and that he is compiling a list of constituent concerns brought to him during the race. He said he plans to bring those issues to the existing county commission as part of a transition.
The issue also comes as the City of Grants continues broader discussions over its charter. Garcia said the city has sought legal guidance from attorneys with municipal and charter experience and said he believes the public should better understand the role the charter plays in city government.
“We run by a charter,” Garcia said. “That’s what we run by, and we have to follow it.”