New Mexico state Rep. Joseph Hernandez announced this week that he is withdrawing from his reelection race after Chicago police responded to a hotel where legislators were staying during a national conference, following reports of a man running naked in a hallway. Hernandez, a first-term Democrat representing Shiprock, Hogback and surrounding Navajo communities in District 4, acknowledged the incident in social media posts and said he is seeking help.
In those posts, Hernandez wrote that he is “seeking professional help to address my challenges with alcohol” before announcing he would not continue his campaign. Subsequent reporting has indicated he may have been intoxicated during a second incident at the same hotel, though police were not called in that case.
Joseph Hernandez Faces Calls to Resign
The incident and Hernandez’s withdrawal drew sharp responses from leaders of both parties. House Republican Leader Gail Armstrong said flatly, “Representative Hernandez should resign,” going further than simply accepting his exit from the race. Democratic House Speaker Javier Martínez said in a statement Monday that he was disappointed in Hernandez, adding, “we also want to make sure that Representative Hernandez gets the help he needs to show up as the best version of himself for his family and community.”
The incident was first reported by the Albuquerque Journal. Joseph Hernandez alcohol incident has drawn wide attention across New Mexico political circles given Hernandez’s role representing a majority-Navajo district in the far northwest corner of the state.
Democrats May Be Locked Out of Replacing Hernandez on the Ballot
State law presents a significant obstacle for Democrats hoping to field a replacement candidate. New Mexico requires parties to name alternate candidates “ninety or more days before the general election,” and the November 3 general election is now fewer than 75 days away, making it unclear whether Democrats can legally substitute a new nominee.
Republican Heather Ellison is already running in the district and would effectively run without a Democratic opponent if no replacement can be named. Party officials have not publicly announced a plan to address the vacancy on the ticket, and the legal path forward remains uncertain as the deadline has likely already passed.
