Another Democrat is facing consequences after being involved in a public scandal.
New Mexico Democratic state Rep. Joseph Hernandez has ended his reelection campaign following an alcohol-related incident at a Chicago hotel in which police responded to reports of a man running naked through a hallway and knocking on guests’ doors.
Hernandez, a first-term lawmaker from Shiprock who represents House District 4 in northwestern New Mexico, announced Aug. 25 that he was withdrawing from the November election and would instead focus on his health and family.
He said he intends to remain in office through the end of his current term.
The decision followed several days of scrutiny surrounding a heavily redacted Chicago Police Department report describing an overnight disturbance at the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza at Wolf Point, where lawmakers were staying during a National Conference of State Legislatures gathering.
According to reporting based on the police report and witness accounts, officers were called to the hotel during the early morning hours of July 29 after receiving complaints about a naked man running along the 17th floor and banging or knocking on guests’ doors.
The man described in the report was subsequently identified in news reports as Hernandez.
Hernandez does not appear to have been criminally charged in connection with the incident.
One witness also told the Albuquerque Journal that Hernandez pushed him near an elevator before police arrived.
The same reporting described a separate episode during the trip in which Hernandez allegedly passed out on a hotel lobby couch after drinking, though police were not involved in that encounter.
Hernandez initially offered a much less detailed description of what had happened.
In an earlier statement released through New Mexico House Democrats, he referred to having had a “negative interaction” involving hotel security and Chicago police.
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After the police report became public and additional details emerged, Hernandez issued a more expansive apology and acknowledged that alcohol had played a role.
“I want to sincerely apologize to my family and my community for my behavior during a recent stay in Chicago,” Hernandez said in his subsequent statement.
He said his conduct did not reflect the responsibilities of his office and added that he was “seeking professional help to address my challenges with alcohol.”
Hernandez characterized what happened as a lapse in judgment and said he accepted responsibility for his behavior.
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Two days later, he formally withdrew from the general-election contest.
“After careful consideration, I have made the difficult decision to withdraw my candidacy from the upcoming general election,” Hernandez said.
“At this time, I believe the best decision for me and those I love is to focus on my health and my family, while continuing to serve the community that entrusted me with this office through the remainder of my term.”
Hernandez has represented District 4 since January 2025. The district is based in San Juan County and includes Shiprock and other communities in the northwestern corner of the state.
Hernandez, a community organizer before entering the Legislature, serves on the New Mexico House Appropriations and Finance Committee and the Transportation, Public Works and Capital Improvements Committee.
The controversy also produced immediate political fallout.
Republican House Minority Leader Gail Armstrong called on Hernandez to resign his legislative seat entirely.
Democratic House Speaker Javier Martínez said he was disappointed by Hernandez’s conduct while also saying Hernandez should receive the help necessary to address his problems and support his family and community.
Hernandez’s departure from the race quickly created another problem for New Mexico Democrats: finding a replacement candidate in time to appear on the Nov. 3 ballot.
The Democratic Party of San Juan County selected former state Rep. Anthony Allison, who represented District 4 before Hernandez, as its replacement nominee.
But state election officials concluded that the substitution came too late under New Mexico law.
The dispute eventually reached the New Mexico Supreme Court, which ruled 4-1 on Sept. 3 that Allison could not be placed on the ballot.