◆Congressional candidates at a glance.
DEMOCRAT Teresa Leger Fernandez
Age: 61
City or area of primary residence: Santa Fe
Educational background:
Yale University, 1982; Stanford Law School, 1987
Occupation: Social impact attorney
Relevant experience: Leger Law and Strategy, LLC; before 2012, Nordhaus Law Firm, worked for 30 years in the community and New Mexico on a variety of boards; vice chair, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, appointed by President Obama; White House Fellow, appointed by President Clinton; special assistant to U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
Have you ever been charged or convicted of a crime, including drunken driving? No.
Have you ever filed for bankruptcy or been involved in a bankruptcy proceeding, either personally or in business? No.
Have you ever been the subject of liens for unpaid taxes? No.
Policy questions:
1. As a Latina candidate for Congress, how would you use your platform and policies to uplift underrepresented communities in New Mexico?
This district deserves to be represented by someone who knows its beauty, but also its poverty and opportunities. I will take the lived experience from our economically struggling, but culturally rich rural, Latino and Native American communities to Congress. If we are not in the room, our issues aren’t raised.
2. What’s the most important issue in politics or policy right now you’d like to fix in Congress and how would you go about solving that problem?
We must pass a bold and historic economic recovery bill that also addresses our existing inequities and multiple crises of health care, racial injustice and climate change. We must fund a broad definition of infrastructure that includes health facilities, clean energy, housing, schools, and a WPA for our creative sector.
3. What would you say to voters who might be on the fence about whether to vote for you or your opponent?
For 30 years, I’ve worked on the issues that matter to New Mexicans: building rural health centers, businesses, broadband and infrastructure; fighting for voting rights; and protecting our environment. Vote for me if you want someone with the experience, commitment and heart to lead on these issues in Congress.
4. What did you learn from fighting in a competitive primary you’ll take with you into the final weeks of the general election campaign?
In the primary, we inspired record turn-out with a message of protecting the things we love — our democracy, our health care, our future and this beautiful place we call home. The same message of rejecting a politics of fear and instead embracing a politics of opportunity will win in November.
REPUBLICAN Alexis Martinez Johnson
City or area of primary residence: Santa Fe Educational background:
Vanderbilt University, New Mexico Tech, Bachelor of Science, Engineering Occupation: Engineer
Relevant experience: Has worked in the oil and gas industry, and was responsible for working with federal agencies, engineers, and the community to promote responsible energy production and practices at Exelon. Most recent position as of this spring was in the oil and gas industry of the Permian Basin, with Larson and Associates, where she designed and oversaw the construction of facilities to maintain energy supply.
Have you ever been charged or convicted of a crime, including drunken driving? No.
Have you ever filed for bankruptcy or been involved in a bankruptcy proceeding, either personally or in business? No.
Have you ever been the subject of liens for unpaid taxes? No.
Editor’s note: Martinez Johnson did not supply information to an election questionnaire. Background information was supplied before the primary. In September, she pleaded no contest to violating the city of Santa Fe’s mask ordinance.