SANTA FE- Dr. Gavin Clarkson, Republican nominee for Secretary of State, released the following statement following the unanimous ruling of the New Mexico Supreme Court overturning Maggie Toulouse Oliver’s unilateral straight-party voting decree:

“Today’s unanimous decision is a total victory for the rule of law and for trust in our public institutions. The role of the Secretary of State is not to make law, but to enforce the laws passed by the people’s elected representatives.

“Today’s ruling is also good news for New Mexicans of all parties, or no party, who are tired of arrogant machine politics and who don’t want to see public officials weaponizing their offices for partisan advantage.

“We need a new Secretary of State who isn’t a radical ideologue, someone with the business background and legal expertise to restore impartiality and integrity to our state’s election system.”

Clarkson co-authored an amicus brief that was repeatedly cited during the court’s oral arguments.

About Gavin Clarkson:
Dr. Gavin Clarkson is the Republican nominee for New Mexico Secretary of State. He is a former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Economic Development in the Department of the Interior and a former Associate Professor in the College of Business at New Mexico State University. He has a BA and MBA from Rice University, is a cum laude graduate of the Harvard Law School and is the first tribal member to ever earn a doctorate from the Harvard Business School (in Technology and Operations Management).