On March 7, New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez pocket-vetoed SB 178. It would have ended primaries for Lieutenant Governor. Instead, party nominees for Governor would have chosen their own Lieutenant Governor running mate after the primaries were over.

Because of the veto, the current system will remain in force, in which candidates for Lieutenant Governor file to run in party primaries, but in November Governor and Lieutenant Governor run as a team. This can result in a Governor and a Lieutenant Governor who are not politically compatible.