Albuquerque, NM – New Mexico native Michelle Garcia Holmes announced her candidacy today for Lieutenant Governor. With the experience of 30 years as a commissioned law enforcement officer, chief of staff for Attorney General Gary King, and advocate for children, Garcia Holmes will work hard to make New Mexico a better place to live and raise a family.

“People need jobs and they need to feel safe in their homes and their communities,” Garcia Holmes said. “We have to build a brighter future for New Mexico by addressing our economic needs and fighting the crime that has taken over our cities and towns. I will work hard to make New Mexico safe and strong. I come from a family that knows the value of a hard day’s work.”

Garcia Holmes’ great grandfather was a rancher in northern New Mexico, her grandmother was a teacher in Santa Rosa and her father was a Marine Corps veteran who fought in World War II.

Garcia Holmes is uniquely qualified to fight on behalf of New Mexico families and tackle the state’s failing education system, rampant crime, and broken government.

She has spent her career protecting children from sexual predators, child abuse and human trafficking. Garcia Holmes has never backed down from the fight to keep our streets safe and our children away from gangs and drugs.

As Chief of Staff for the state’s top law enforcement officer, Michelle Garcia Holmes oversaw projects that provided outreach and education to rural and tribal communities. She worked across cultural backgrounds to educate New Mexicans on the dangers of methamphetamine. She also worked on collaborative efforts to fight government corruption, starting New Mexico’s first Government Accountability Division.

“I truly believe the Republican Party is the best party for creating economic growth, prosperity, and responsive and open government that is committed to the people it serves,” Garcia Holmes added. “That is why I changed my voter registration to Republican.”

Garcia Holmes knows how to bring people together to achieve positive goals, shown through her work to pass bills like New Mexico’s first anti-human trafficking law and tougher Child Pornography laws.

“I have always worked to make a difference in people’s lives and I have a vision for our state to be economically strong and a safe place to raise a family,” Garcia Holmes said. "I want to be New Mexico’s Lieutenant Governor to make that vision come true.”