Influential Business Group Endorses NM Gov. Susana Martinez as Running Mate for GOP Ticket

— -- While the Republican presidential nominee has yet to be decided, the influential U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce has officially endorsed New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez as the Republican running mate.

“As New Mexico’s first female governor and the first Hispanic female elected governor in the United States, Governor Martinez turned the largest structural deficit in New Mexico’s history into a surplus, without raising taxes and while protecting key priorities like education and health care,” Javier Palomarez, USHCC president said in a statement to ABC News about the endorsement.

The non-partisan Chamber of Commerce represents more than 4 million Hispanic-owned businesses in the U.S.

The group previously endorsed Obama administration Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro for the Democratic ticket. Castro was the former mayor of San Antonio, Texas.

The group has not endorsed a candidate in either party for president.

“Governor Martinez is an admirable public servant. And like Secretary Castro, has an incontestable track record for supporting American business, diverse communities, and reaching across the aisle to advance the common good,” Palomarez said. “It’s time that Hispanic leaders of the Governor's caliber be recognized and chosen to assume one of our nation’s highest political offices. We are confident that she is ready to take on the Vice Presidency of the United States.”

The USHCC endorsement is not the first time that Martinez has been linked to a potential vice-presidency. Marco Rubio specifically mentioned the governor while discussing running mates at an event in November. In December, Jeb Bush’s son, George, said that his father had referred to a potential running mate as "she."

"So, we can deduce that it could be Condi Rice, it could be Sen. Ayotte from New Hampshire, Gov. Haley from South Carolina (or), who knows, Gov. Martinez," he said of Bush's hypothetical VP.

Chris Christie and Martinez stumped for each other during their respective gubernatorial re-election campaigns. In 2013, Martinez said that she would support Christie “in anything he decides to do in life.”