New Mexico Sen. Joseph Cervantes has announced he is running for governor of New Mexico.

"New Mexico is in crisis," Cervantes said. "The only opportunity to turn the state around is to have an effective governor. We have many legislators, but it takes the governor to draw the vision together."

He was born and raised in southern New Mexico. "I received two degrees in architecture, before I decided to go into law. As an architect, I always have a vision, which becomes a plan and then I go to work building it. We have a lot of potential in the state. We just need to build public support."

Cervantes said change is needed in the state. "My grandparents ranched by Cooke's Peak. As a child, it was a treat for me to come to Silver City and Lake Roberts. Being at the ranch gave me an appreciation for rural New Mexico and an appreciation for hard work. If the water troughs were iced over, we had to break them for the cattle. There were no shortcuts to hard work."

He said the only idea when one is a farmer is always to be mindful of the next generation. "That was passed down to me. I'm still a farmer. We work on the pecan trees planted by my grandparents. They ranched near Cooke's Peak. We used to visit Silver City and Lake Roberts. This all gave me an appreciation of rural New Mexico and an appreciation for hard work."

Cervantes said when the troughs iced over, "we broke the ice. There are no short cuts to hard work. A farmer is always mindful of the next generation. It's passed down. I'm still a farmer."

He noted that two of the announced candidates have raised a lot of money while they have served in Washington D.C, and they have name recognition. One is Republican Steve Pearce and the other is Democrat Michelle Lujan Grisham. Both are U.S. representatives.

"I spent my life building businesses, including my law practice and farming," Cervantes said. "My background differs from Michelle's. She has spent her life in government. The things that I think it will take to change New Mexico are things like my broader experience. I have employed people. New Mexico is lacking the opportunity for jobs for youths."

He said it's still early in the campaign. "I'm confident I will make a clear contrast in what we can offer." Cervantes said he is still licensed as an architect in California. Photography is a passion. Architecture is also creative. New Mexico needs creative people who don't try the same things over and over."

He said he is very independently minded. "I don't believe in the budget process being done in secret as it used to be. When I got to Santa Fe, the budget used to be reconciled in secret. Six people could make the decision. No one could attend the meeting. The open conference system is what we have now. I'm proud of the open process. We need someone to reach across the aisles. "

Cervantes alleged that no governor has come from the Legislature since 1978. "I want to shake up things in the way the Legislature and the state work. Colleagues trust me to be fearless. I think the greatest opportunity to change New Mexico is through the governor. I'm looking forward to building New Mexico and to building opportunity for New Mexicans."