New Mexico far-left, anti-police lawmaker once told to 'f*** off' by own party won't seek re-election

A controversial, far-left state lawmaker in New Mexico who was previously told to "f*** off" by a member of his own party announced that he will not seek re-election, according to a report.

State Sen. Jacob Candelaria, a Democrat representing Albuquerque, announced Friday that he will not seek re-election in 2024 because he plans to start a family with his husband, Kory Tillery, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported. A licensed attorney who has served in the state Senate since 2013, Candelaria is known for challenging members of his own party, including Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.

"It’s been a beautiful chapter — it’s been incredibly rewarding — but it’s also incredibly demanding," Candelaria said, explaining his decision to retire from state government. "At this point, I’m happy to say that my husband and my future children require my full measure of attention. They need to come first, and I just can no longer give what it requires to do the job, honestly, and it’s time for someone else to step in and do that."

"We need more people challenging the status quo in this state because we should be demanding more of our state government and its institutions," he said. "We should demand more from people in elected office, and I think as a private citizen, all of those folks can look forward to me being even blunter about my views."

Candelaria drew controversy in March for forcing debate on Senate Bill 71, which would create the Patients’ Debt Collection Protection Act. Supporters of the proposed legislation said it would protect low income patients by banning collections on medical debt for those whose income is at 200 percent or less of the federal poverty line – but Candelaria contended it did not have enough protections for the poor.

"Why don’t you just f*** off and put an amendment on like the rest of us?" Democrat Majority Leader Peter Wirth reportedly shouted at Candelaria for calling a procedural move that would summon every member into the chamber to debate the legislation before it could come to a vote.

"I’m sort of heartbroken," Candelaria told the Santa Fe New Mexic... (Read more)

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