Republican county chairman resigns

The chairman of the Sandoval County Republican Party has resigned, leaving the organization facing an election for new leadership less than three months before the November general election.

Richard Gibbs announced health issues were forcing him to step aside effective immediately.

Plans to elect a new chairman at Saturday’s regular monthly meeting were put on hold for a month. Gibbs announced the executive committee unanimously endorsed Todd Hathorne, vice-chairman of the Sandoval County Planning and Zoning Commission and unsuccessful candidate for Rio Rancho City Council, to succeed him. But two members of the executive committee, party first vice chair Mary Kwapich and secretary Sara Huskins, objected to Gibbs’ characterization, saying they were not present when the executive committee met Monday.

Five of seven committee members made the endorsement. The executive committee is made up of party officers and others appointed by the chairman.

Kwapich and others also said Saturday’s meeting was not legitimate because a formal “call,” or written notice of the meeting, had not been sent to members as is required by party rules. It was not immediately clear who was responsible for issuing the call under the current party structure. Several members were sent e-mails stating the date, time and place of the meeting, but Kwapich said party rules do not consider e-mail a formal notice because some members do not have computer access.

After Gibbs announced his resignation and left the meeting at the beginning of the meeting, Kwapich took over as presiding officer and will remain so until the party’s next meeting on Aug. 9. Kwapich had previously made it known she is resigning as vice-chairman to run her own campaign for county clerk, but stayed on because of Gibbs’ uncertain health.

Nominations for chairman and vice-chairman will be taken from the floor at the Aug. 9 meeting.

“All I wanted to do was help the party if they wanted me to help,” Hathorne said after the meeting. “If I am nominated at the next meeting I will stand for election, and if elected I will gladly serve.”