Ronchetti leaves KRQE to consider run for governor

Oct. 22—Mark Ronchetti has resigned as KRQE-TV's chief meteorologist to consider a run for governor.

"We have not made a final decision yet," Ronchetti said Friday in a statement.

"Krysty and I will continue to talk to our girls and pray about the direction we're going to head in next," he added, referring to his wife and two young daughters. "We hope to have a final decision by next week."

During Thursday night's news broadcast, the station reported that Ronchetti had "handed in his resignation to News 13 effective immediately" to consider a run for governor.

A political science professor at the University of New Mexico said recently Ronchetti would be the Republican front-runner if he threw his name into the ring.

Unlike the seven Republicans who already have announced their intention to seek the nomination, Ronchetti has statewide name recognition and proved his fundraising prowess when he ran for the U.S. Senate against Ben Ray Luján last year. A political novice at the time, Ronchetti won 46 percent of the vote in the three-way Senate race, performing unexpectedly well against Luján, a more seasoned politician.

News of his resignation signals Ronchetti is likely to get into the gubernatorial race. On Thursday, his Senate campaign website was changed to read "Mark Ronchetti Governor."

"Join team Ronchetti and together we'll win in 2022," the website stated before it was pulled down a short time later.

The Republican nominee for governor will face off against Democratic incumbent Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham in the November 2022 election.

This is a developing story. Stay tuned for updates.

Follow Daniel J. Chacón on Twitter @danieljchacon.