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For an interview taking place over Zoom, Doug Turner sat at an empty desk in front of a plain brick wall in a pressed shirt. 鈥淲hat are we doing today?鈥� he asked, gamely.

A seasoned campaign strategist and communications professional, Turner appeared comfortable in the candidate鈥檚 seat, his answers and political arguments frank, unhurried and unaffected.

Turner is running for governor in a Republican primary field with former Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull and former state Human Services secretary-turned-cannabis executive Duke Rodriguez.

鈥淚鈥檓 a builder. I create things,鈥� Turner said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot that can be done in this state. I don鈥檛 need this job, I really don鈥檛; but I think if the right people get in for the right reasons, good things can happen.鈥�

Sixteen years have passed since Doug Turner first ran for governor in 2010.

After leading former Gov. Gary Johnson 鈥� a Republican who later switched to Libertarian 鈥� to election wins in 1994 and 1998, Turner pursued the office himself as Democrat Bill Richardson concluded his second term.

Although he came in third place behind future-Gov. Susana Martinez in the Republican primary, Turner drew more than 11% of the vote with a platform calling for lower taxes and public education reform, including parity for charter schools and workforce preparation.

Turner mounts his second campaign for governor as, once more, a two-term Democrat 鈥� Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham 鈥� prepares to leave office at the end of the year.

Since his last run, the communications firm Turner founded, Agenda, has grown to serve an international clientele including the United Nations. He is the father of three children between the ages of 12 and 19. He was elected in 2024 to the Taos Ski Valley village council. His late wife, University of New Mexico political science professor Mala Htun, died last year after a six-year struggle with breast cancer. 

Turner said that despite increased revenues, driven mainly by booming oil and gas production, and larger budgets with expansive spending for capital projects, early childhood development and pre-K education, law enforcement resources and business development 鈥� many of New Mexico鈥檚 disappointing metrics remain in place. Public schools continue to underperform, he said, while taxes remain high, crime persists and behavioral health resources are lacking across the state.

Despite some high-profile industrial investments in New Mexico, Turner was concerned that small businesses were not receiving enough support and that younger New Mexicans were leaving the state, taking their education and expertise with them. Meanwhile, he said the state is failing to prepare the workforce for the industries it is recruiting, particularly in sectors like technology and aerospace.

鈥淲e have a lot more resources to do some things we maybe couldn鈥檛 do 15 years ago, but it doesn鈥檛 feel like we鈥檙e doing them. We still have many of the same problems,鈥� Turner said. State leadership needed to focus squarely on those problems and enact solutions, he argued, without shying away from issues that have eluded solutions thus far.

鈥淚鈥檓 a believer in doing things that people say can鈥檛 be done,鈥� he said. 鈥淩educing personal income tax to 3% is a few years of work. Eliminating or completely restructuring our gross receipts tax system is a few years of work. It doesn鈥檛 happen because you鈥檙e a dictator and you walk in saying, 鈥業鈥檓 going to magic this away.鈥欌��

鈥淚 think you have to start with the how, and I don鈥檛 hear anyone else doing that,鈥� he added.

Resisting political labels

In 2010, Turner at being labeled a 鈥渕oderate Republican,鈥� touting his commitment to conservative principles. At a Journal Town Hall event last month, he also declined the 鈥淢AGA鈥� label, saying, 鈥淚 am a pragmatic person; I am independent-minded; I am practical and I think I am fair. I think that all people in this state deserve someone like that in office who is not going to make a decision because someone else told them what to do.鈥�

Turner refrained from criticizing his fellow Republicans directly, but rebuked Democratic primary front-runner Deb Haaland for making opposition to President Donald Trump a central theme of her campaign.

鈥淎ny governor has to deal with whoever is the president in whatever administration, whether we are supportive or not,鈥� Turner said. 鈥淟eaders find ways to work with people they don鈥檛 get along with or agree with.鈥�

That also described how he promised to approach governance if Democrats continue to hold majorities in the state Legislature in 2027.

鈥淭he facts will be the facts, no matter what: The facts of what our budget is, the facts of our tax system and structure, the fact that our education system is 50th out of 50 鈥� that鈥檚 a fact,鈥� Turner said. 鈥淭hose are not partisan narratives. I would argue that most people, if they can get their own politics out of the way, can admit those things are true and work together to find solutions.鈥�

Turner argued that his professional work, along with 15 years chairing the nonprofit Public Charter Schools of New Mexico as an advocate for school choice, has immersed him in a broad range of policy issues spanning mining, oil and gas, uranium cleanup, utilities and power generation and public education 鈥� a range he says eclipses that of his primary rivals.

Endorsements, cash roll in

Turner entered the contest only in February, yet raised more than $500,000 in two months, with far more cash on hand than Hull or Rodriquez with less than two months before the primary.

In the latest campaign finance , Turner鈥檚 total haul has exceeded $700,000, and his campaign spent $359,000 during the reporting period, ending with $281,087 in cash as of Monday.

Among his top contributors are individuals and organizations associated with the oil and gas industry. Regarding the state鈥檚 reliance on petroleum, Turner said, 鈥淭he contribution that oil and gas makes to this state needs to be recognized, and I don鈥檛 think we should have an environment that makes it onerous for people to operate in that space.鈥�

Turner has also secured the endorsement of prominent Republicans in the state, in part because of his commitment to lead the state party away from recent infighting, back to holding legislative majorities and perhaps New Mexico鈥檚 congressional delegation as well.

Among his supporters is former southern New Mexico congresswoman Yvette Herrell, who told the Journal, 鈥淒oug鈥檚 commonsense pro-growth approach is exactly what we need in the Governor鈥檚 Office, and I know he鈥檚 a leader all New Mexicans can be proud of.鈥�

Former Lt. Gov. John Sanchez, who served from 2011 to 2019 under Martinez, called him 鈥渁 good, solid, consistent conservative鈥� who can work across party lines in good faith.

鈥淭he Democrats in New Mexico want to see the state improve,鈥� Sanchez told the Journal. 鈥淭hey are parents. They are business owners. They live here in the state. They want to see the best; but their policies are misguided.鈥�

Sanchez added: 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 run a successful public relations firm, like Doug has, and not know how to build relationships; and that鈥檚 really what we need now.鈥�

And despite eschewing the MAGA brand, Turner attended a $10,000 to $25,000 fundraiser supporting him and Alaskan governor candidate Bernadette Wilson at Donald Trump鈥檚 Palm Beach Mar-a-Lago Club earlier in May.

An invitation to the event, hosted by media executives Chris and Ashlee Clarke, said Turner and Wilson are 鈥減oised to shape the future of American energy independence, national security and secure President Trump鈥檚 America First agenda.鈥�

Yet Turner kept his focus on New Mexico, praising medical malpractice reform during New Mexico鈥檚 2026 legislative session as an example of bipartisan leadership motivated by public pressure.

鈥淲e all have the same endgame,鈥� Turner said. 鈥淲e want to improve the quality of life for people in this state. We want more jobs; we want better education. I think there is a path. I don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 an easy path, because all kinds of other stuff gets in the way, but at the end of the day I think our issues are very common.鈥�

Algernon 顿鈥橝尘尘补蝉蝉补 is the Journal鈥檚 southern New Mexico correspondent. He can be reached at adammassa@abqjournal.com.