Dona Ana County Republican Party chairman David Clements has announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat held by Democrat Tom Udall.
Clements, an assistant district attorney in Las Cruces, said in a statement Tuesday that he will focus his candidacy on "advancing free market policies that allow small businesses to create jobs, balancing the federal budget and fighting to preserve the privacy rights of New Mexicans."
He described himself as a "constitutional conservative and economics enthusiast." Clements said "career politicians" like Udall "have created a culture of dependency in New Mexico."
Clements received his law degree from the University of New Mexico. He and his wife, Erin, have a son.
Clements is the only declared GOP candidate running for the Senate seat that Udall won in 2008.
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