Retired executive seeks Pearce’s seat

An Army veteran and retired pharmaceutical industry executive turned activist is running for U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce’s congressional seat.

Tony Martinez, a Democrat from Las Cruces, launched a campaign over the weekend to flip the 2nd Congressional District from red to blue.

Martinez is the fourth Democrat to jump into the race as Pearce considers a run for governor. Many Democrats argue they have a better chance at winning if the conservative Republican does not seek re-election in a district where he has won comfortably in the past.

But Martinez, 58, argues Pearce would have a tougher time winning in the district even if he does run again.

“I believe the constituents of the district are noticing what he stands for,” Martinez said.

Born and raised in Southern New Mexico, Martinez graduated from Gadsden High School and attended the New Mexico Military Institute as well as New Mexico State University.

Martinez enlisted in the U.S. Army and served on active duty from about 1981-91. He joined the U.S. Army Reserves and served in the Middle East during the Iraq War.

Meanwhile, he rose through the pharmaceutical industry, retiring at the end of 2014 as a senior vice president at the drug manufacturer Endo.

Martinez moved back to Las Cruces in 2015 and after the 2016 election, helped found a local chapter of Indivisible, a national movement that grew as a reaction to President Donald Trump’s victory.

Seizing on criticisms of the new administration, Martinez said he will campaign on health care, protecting public lands and bolstering the New Mexico economy, which has lagged behind the rest of the country.

“We need to invest in alternative energy, we need to invest in [trade on] our southern border,” Martinez said. “It’s not an issue of building a wall. It’s an issue of building bridges.”

No Republicans have jumped into the race but several Democrats are also vying for the party’s nomination. David Baake, a lawyer with experience in environmental protection, launched his campaign last week.

In the race, too, are Madeleine Hildebrandt, a Coast Guard veteran and college history instructor residing in Socorro, and Ronald Fitzherbert of Las Cruces, who works in risk management for a health care clinic.