Crash kills S.F. County Democratic leader
Retired educator, teachers union official known for hard work
The chairwoman of the Santa Fe County Democratic Party died in a car crash over the weekend, friends confirmed Monday.
A retired educator and teachers union official, Susan Popovich only assumed leadership of the local party in March but had already won a reputation in Santa Fe politics for hard work, and the news of her death came as a shock to colleagues.
New Mexico State Police reported early Monday that the driver of a 2012 Mazda had died at the scene when hit by a semi-truck traveling south on U.S. 285 near Eldorado shortly before noon Sunday.
According to state police, the Mazda “drove into the intersection” at Avenida Vista Grande and was struck by the 2005 Peterbilt 18-wheeler.
Authorities initially withheld the driver’s identity, but friends later confirmed Popovich, 69, had been behind the wheel of the Mazda.
Police were still investigating the crash Monday and asked that witnesses or anyone with information to call 505-841-9256 (option 3).
A resident of Eldorado, Popovich was born in Pennsylvania and worked as an educator as well as a teachers union official in California before retiring to the Santa Fe area a little more than a decade ago.
Popovich served as a ward chair for the Santa Fe County Democratic Party.
“She was always the first one to arrive and the last one to leave,” Debra Haaland, a candidate for Congress and a former state party chairwoman, wrote on Facebook.
In March, members voted overwhelmingly — 332 to 38 — to make Popovich chairwoman of the county party.
Heading into an election year in a Democratic stronghold, Popovich pledged to develop local activists and turn the smallest political districts such as wards and precincts into hubs for the party.
“She was hard working,” said Willie Marquez, a vice-chairman of the New Mexico Democratic Party. “She spent a lot of time bringing us together.”