The newly approved party says its slate includes Bob Perls for U.S. Senate, Michael Vigil for state auditor and three down-ballot candidates.

Organ Mountain News report

SANTA FE - The Forward Party of New Mexico announced five candidates for the 2026 general election, about six weeks after the Secretary of State approved the group as a political party.

The party said its slate includes Bob Perls for U.S. Senate, Michael Vigil for state auditor, Dennis Dinge for Public Education Commission District 3, Frances Kava for Luna County magistrate judge and Harry Montoya for Santa Fe County magistrate judge.

The Secretary of State approved the Forward Party of New Mexico on May 14 after the party turned in more than 5,500 signatures May 8, according to a news release from the party.

“This is a significant achievement to go from collecting signatures, to qualifying as a party, to recruiting five strong candidates all in less than 6 months,” State Party Chairman Bob Perls said. “It was a team effort made possible by the hard work of dozens of volunteers and paid staff.”

The party framed the announcement around ballot access, arguing that New Mexico’s election system makes it difficult for minor-party and independent candidates to reach the ballot.

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“Elections aren’t rigged the way President Trump talks about them, but they are rigged by both major parties to make it very difficult for minor party and independent candidates to get on the ballot — yet half of New Mexicans self-identify as independent with no independent or minor party elected officials in the entire state,” Perls said.

The party said statewide major-party candidates need about 2,500 signatures to qualify for the ballot, while minor-party candidates need 7,200 and independent candidates need 14,200. The Forward Party said it plans to work with state lawmakers during the 2027 legislative session to change ballot-access requirements.

“New Mexico has the greatest number of non-competitive races in the nation combined with some of the highest ballot access signature requirements, as well,” Perls said. “This is unfair and discriminatory while depriving voters of important choices at the ballot box.”

Perls also said each of the party’s candidates is running in a race with only one other opponent.

“If our candidates aren’t on the ballot, there’s no voter choice, no competition, no mandate to govern,” he said.

Melanie Johnson Hope Greenham, the party’s executive director, criticized Republican write-in candidates for U.S. Senate and state auditor, saying voters would have to decide whether they are credible.

“Our candidates are better qualified than the Democrat incumbents by any objective measure, plus they’re free to vote their conscience and represent all New Mexicans — not the national and state party leaders,” Greenham said.