Santa Fe County Commissioner Harry Montoya says he first was inspired to run for office in the 1990s when concerns about the school system in Pojoaque led him to run for school board.

However, he admits his wife tells another story.

"She'll tell you that when I was in college, an undergrad in Iowa, I said I'd be a congressman some day," Montoya said in an interview Tuesday.

Montoya is trying to do just that. For the past month he's told anyone who asked that he's running for the 3rd Congressional District seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Tom Udall. Today he'll formally announce his candidacy at a news conference at the Pojoaque Pueblo Boys and Girls Club.

Montoya will be competing in a crowded Democratic field for the seat, which is open for the first time since 1998.

Many consider state Public Regulation Commissioner Ben Ray Luján — son of powerful state House Speaker Ben Luján — the front-runner. Others running or expected to run in the Democratic primary include Santa Fe developer Don Wiviott and outgoing state Indian Affairs Secretary Benny Shendo. Former state Rep. Patsy Trujillo also is considering a run.

Montoya said he's not daunted by the competition. He said he has been traveling to other counties in the district. "I've been meeting people and getting positive feedback," he said. "I believe my experience will resonate. I've not only got experience in policy creation, but policy implementation as well."

Montoya is known as a sharp dresser, usually seen with a Bluetooth device in his ear. He's an ambitious commissioner, who sits on the board of the National Association of Counties and makes several trips a year to Washington, D.C.

Montoya said his top priority if elected would be ending the war in Iraq.

Indeed most of his priorities — protecting the environment, funding public education, health care reform, promoting environmentally friendly business — are mainstream Democratic positions.

However, one issue that puts him at odds with many Democrats is abortion. Montoya said as a Catholic he's personally opposed to abortion; nevertheless, he considers Roe v. Wade — which guarantees a woman's right to abortion — as the law of the land. But he said he could vote for legislation to restrict abortions. "I'd have to look at the ramification on women," he said. Abortion has negative, traumatic effect on women, he said.

He also bucked his party base earlier this year by speaking out against the new medical marijuana law — which was supported by Gov. Bill Richardson and most Democratic legislators. Montoya said the law sends mixed messages to children and criticized Richardson for receiving $25,000 in campaign contributions from a national political action committee that fought for the bill and $25,000 from its founder, George Soros.

A 1977 graduate of Pojoaque Valley High School, most of Montoya's adult work experience has been in the area of substance-abuse prevention. For the past 12 years, he's been chief executive officer of Hand Across Culture Corp., an Española-based nonprofit organization.

HACC specializes in drug-prevention education in Española and Pojoaque schools, Montoya said.

"My main job is writing grants (applications) and seeking funds," he said.

According to federal tax documents, HACC last year had a budget of more than $900,000, nearly all of which came from state and federal government grants. Montoya's salary is about $76,000.

Asked about a potential of conflict of interest being a public official seeking funds for a nonprofit that pays his salary, Montoya said, "I separate what I do as commissioner and what I do for my job.

But he acknowledged his position as commissioner might help with HACC's annual fundraiser golf tournament, which last year pulled in nearly $15,000.

Montoya said he first sought political office when a vacancy occurred on the Pojoaque Valley School Board in 1994. He was one of seven applicants. He won election to the post a few months later and was re-elected without opposition four years later.

"My boys were coming up in the school system," he said. "I wanted to ensure they had as good an academic experience as I had."

In 2002, Montoya ran for county commission, defeating Valerie Espinoza — who now is county clerk — by less than 200 votes in the Democratic primary. He was unopposed for re-election last year.

He said his proudest accomplishments were improving county roads, working with the Chimayó Mutual Domestic Water Association in getting a water system running in the Northern New Mexico community and improving relationships between the county and Indian pueblos.

Contact Steve Terrell at 986-3037 or sterrell@sfnewmexican.com.