Historic election ahead

Democratic front-runner heavily favored to win, but regardless of outcome, New Mexico will become first state in nation to have all its House seats filled by women of color

New Mexico’s sprawling 3rd Congressional district encompasses the northern half of the state and include’s Santa Fe, the capital. No matter who wins the race on Nov. 3, it will be a historic first, with all three of the state’s Congressional seats held by women of color.

Democrat Teresa Leger

Fernandez and Republican Alexis Martinez Johnson are both Latina.

The other two New Mexico Congressional districts are currently represented by women of color, both Democrats – Rep. Deb Haaland, Dist 1, and Xochitl Torres Small, Dist. 2 – and both face Republican challengers who are women of color in the general election. Haaland, who is Laguna Pueblo, faces Michelle Garcia Holmes, a Latina. Torres Small, also Latina, is challenged by Yvette Herrell, an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation.

Democrat Ben Ray Luján, who has represented the district and its nearly 700,000 residents since 2008, is running for U.S. Senate.

He faces Republican political newcomer Mark Ronchetti in the November election.

Five of the 11 counties in CD3 – San Juan, Harding, Curry, Quay and Union – voted Republican in the last three elections. One – Colfax – voted for Democrat presidential candidate Barack Obama twice but then shifted to Republican

Donald Trump in 2016. The other counties in the district – which include Taos, Río Arriba, Los Alamos and parts of Santa Fe – have all voted solidly Democratic for years.

Read on for more about the CD3 candidates.