Lujan-Grisham plans new campaign

On Monday, former New Mexico Secretary of Health Michelle Lujan Grisham is expected to formally announce her candidacy for the Democratic nomination for Bernalillo County Commissioner-District 1, a seat currently held by Alan Armijo.

Lujan Grisham — a 12th generation New Mexican — campaigned in 2008 for congress, but lost in the Democratic primary to Martin Heinrich.

She has served in the administrations of three governors after being first appointed Director of the state’s Agency on Aging by former Governor Bruce King 1991. Governor Gary Johnson retained her in that position, before Richardson elevated her her to Secretary of the Department of Health.

Lujan Grisham, a nationally recognized authority on aging and health care issues, has continued to work on access to health care and social services in New Mexico.

Originally from Los Alamos and Santa Fe, she is the widow of the late Greg Grisham and the granddaughter of former New Mexico Supreme Court Chief Justice Eugene Lujan, and received both her Bachelors and law degree from UNM.

Lujan plans to make her announcement at at the Rio Grande Nature Center in Albuquerque at 3:30pm.

Armijo is term-limited, and lost his own bid to return to the Albuquerque City council in October.

Our friends at Democracy for New Mexico report Loretta Naranjo-Lopez is also running in the Democratic primary for District 1 County Comissioner. She retired from her post as city planner at the City of Albuquerque in 2003 after 25 years of service. She ran also ran for County Commission in District 1 in 2006, and served as President of AFSCME, Local 3022, in 2001.