As the votes started rolling in during New Mexico’s primary election Tuesday, the results of one race in particular surprised even the candidate in question. At the Republican Party of New Mexico headquarters Tuesday night, Larry “Lead” Marker not only met, but far exceeded the number of write-in votes needed to get on the November ballot as a candidate for U.S. Senate.
The election watch party was a remarkably light-hearted and optimistic affair despite the odds in a state that’s traditionally a Democratic stronghold.
The one spot of pessimism came from the question of whether Marker would know if he had made it on the ballot that night. Both Republican officials and Marker himself doubted enough votes would roll in considering many counties planned on counting write-in ballots in the following days.
“And then when Bernalillo County came in with all of the early votes, it came in at 4500, which was pretty phenomenal, considering Bernalillo County, where we're at in the state of New Mexico. So that tells you that we have some momentum,” Marker said.
Marker said he was a late addition to the race after the state Republican party failed to get enough signatures to get another candidate on the ballot. For a few weeks, Democratis incumbent Ben Ray Lujan faced the possibility of an uncontested race for his U.S. Senate seat. But against the odds, Marker said he was able to certify as a write-in candidate in time, and he began an aggressive grassroots campaign.
Marker said the meeting between what he calls a grassroots “patriot” conservative movement and more traditional Republicans, was key in securing his victory.
"We're gelling. We've got a lot of good traditional candidates, and we've got a whole lot of grassroots candidates now. So, the fact that we were able to get this many wright-in votes, is actually pretty phenomenal. And you're going to have to contribute that to the Republican Party," he said. “The Republican Party, they got on board, they supported everything that we did. The grassroots people were out knocking doors, so it was definitely a joint effort.”
Marker has run for public positions in the past as an Independent, but said he is much more comfortable with the current Republican Party of New Mexico.
Marker said he wears his policies and his Christianity on his sleeve. He said in previous years candidates were told not to bring up their religion or more controversial stances.
“It was almost like people were telling us, ‘well, don't tell them really what you're about, let's win an election, then tell them,’” he said. “Well, this group of candidates we have now, I guarantee, is the most pro-life group of candidates that New Mexico has ever had, and you're not going to get us on the stage, and we're not going to mention Jesus Christ. I'm a little rough around the edges, I get a little bit salty at times, but that's okay. Jesus knows that, and He sent me here to be here. I'm proud of that. I'm very, very proud of the spiritual stance that our candidates are taking,”
He said he’s part of a new conservative movement in the state, which he sees as growing.
“Write-in votes are tough to get, they're absolutely tough to get,” Marker said. “Nationwide, I think this is going to wake some people up. They're going to take a different look at New Mexico. We're supposed to be this hardcore blue state. We're really not. I've traveled this state for years now, and especially the last few months, New Mexico is definitely swinging in the conservative direction.”
Now he said he’s buckling in for another hard fought campaign for the general election.
Support for this coverage comes from the W.K.Kellogg Foundation.
