Christopher Roybal, a filmmaker, will attempt to get on the New Mexico ballot next year as an independent candidate for Governor. If he succeeds, he will be the first independent candidate for Governor to ever appear on a New Mexico ballot. New Mexico did not even permit independent candidates until 1977. New Mexico and Alabama are tied for having the most severe petition requirement for statewide independent candidates. Each state requires 3% of the last gubernatorial vote. No other state is more difficult than 2% of the last vote cast. See this story.
And, the state has made it illegal for independent and minor party candidates to circulate petitions before March 1, giving Mr Roybal and others only four months to get the signatures
What’s his objective? To give half of his campaign donations to charity? Really? Why would anyone donate to him?
He appears to be yet another confused snowflake. If he really wants to make an impact by being elected, he should be running for the NM legislature as a Democrat (which appears to be his philosophical home given the issues he seems interested in).
Probably the least negative way to spin his time/money wasting campaign is that he just wants to use other people’s money to further his career by getting his name in the public spotlight.
Roybal family can trace its roots in New Mexico back hundreds of years. Roybal comes from a family that is committed to public service and helping their community if anything this may give light to the fact the NM needs to change the way the view-independent candidates.