Marijuana magnate and GOP gubernatorial hopeful Duke Rodriguez didn’t just want legal weed in New Mexico—he was willing to pay for it. A decade of campaign finance records reveals an unabashed pattern of financial support for the very Democrats who made legalization a reality.

Records from the past ten years show 70 donations to state Democrats from Rodriguez's Ultra-Health and his personal funds totaling $184,000.

The report of Rodriguez's liberal giving to Dems was compiled and circulated by political operatives who hope to slow momentum for Rodriguez before the state GOP's March 7th pre-primary convention in Ruidoso. Delegates there will vote to place candidates on the June 2 ballot. 

The operatives' report shows only four Rodriguez-related donations over the period to state Republican candidates totaling less than $16,000. But we have not yet confirmed those as his only GOP donations.  

Rodriguez’s fortune was built on the back of medical marijuana, but his success exploded when adult-use cannabis was legalized in 2021. That victory followed intense prodding by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (MLG), who called a special session to push the bill over the finish line.

It's been previously noted that Rodriguez donated $11,000 to MLG's 2018 gubernatorial campaign but  records show he gave even bigger to the "The Speaker's Fund"--a $20,000 donation to that leadership PAC in August of 2023 and another $5,000 donation in May 2024. 

That $25,000 is the most Rodriguez donated to any Democratic official or group during the past 10 years. His other large donations to Democrats include $10,000 to the NM Senate Democrats in 2019 and another $12,500 to that PAC in 2020.  

The Speaker's Fund is currently run by Democratic House Speaker Javier Martinez who was selected for the post in 2023. Beyond the leadership PAC, Rodriguez personally bolstered Speaker Martinez’s own campaigns, cutting checks for $5,000 in 2020 and $3,000 in 2022.

The Speaker, who represents District 11 in the heart of ABQ, was and is an ardent advocate of legalized marijuana. He was the chief sponsor of the legalization bill. He and the Governor argued legalization would lead to an economic boom but it turned into somewhat of a bust when too many marijuana shops were licensed and caused an industry downsizing.

Rodriguez was also generous with donations to Santa Fe area Rep. Brian Egolf who served as House Speaker from 2017-'23. He donated $7,500 to Egolf's Speaker's Fund in 2021. 

Since the 2021 legalization of cannabis, Ultra Health--the state’s largest cannabis operator--has been  active in shaping the legal and regulatory landscape. The company has frequently used litigation to challenge state agencies and push for broader interpretations of the Cannabis Regulation Act (CRA)..

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Duke Rodriguez

Rodriguez is the only GOP guv hopeful who has spent significant money in the early going, making a splash with full page newspaper ads and a heavy digital presence. 

Rodriguez says he will bet upwards of $2 million of his own fortune that Republican voters will prioritize his business acumen.

That announcement and making good on it in the opening campaign days has made him the perceived front-runner for the nomination, regardless of his performance at the upcoming pre-primary. 

Marijuana legalization is widely supported in the state but polls show the remaining pockets of opposition are among Republicans. 

Rodriguez remains unapologetic about his past Dem donations. He says all of them are driven by a "fully objective goal" of influencing how specific industries—particularly cannabis--are managed in New Mexico. In a 2021 interview, he said, "I'm proud of that," declaring that he supported lawmakers who were willing to work on the "proper execution" of state laws. 

The central question for the Ruidoso convention is whether delegates will view Rodriguez as a pragmatic businessman or a party outsider who funded the opposition. However, history suggests his background might not be a deal-breaker. Republicans previously rallied behind Darren White for ABQ Mayor despite his similar cannabis ties and history of Democratic donations.

Whether the state GOP is willing to "go green" with Rodriguez remains the most expensive question of the 2026 cycle.

This the Home of New Mexico Politics.