McFall launches Republican bid to unseat Rep. Luján
Jerald Steve McFall, a Republican from Angel Fire, is continuing his quest to unseat Democratic U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján.
McFall said this week he will run to represent Northern New Mexico in Washington.
But McFall acknowledges the reliably blue district could be called a long shot for just about any Republican. Luján won re-election last year with 62 percent of the vote, and a Republican has not represented the 3rd Congressional District since 1999.
Critical of what he describes as career politicians and arguing “the biggest thing that needs to happen … is to get everybody out of Washington,” McFall has made a goal of ousting Luján, launching campaigns during the past several elections but never going toe-to-toe with the Democrat by getting on the general election ballot.
Still, McFall is undeterred with an agenda that includes term limits, reducing the number of immigrants allowed into the country and opposing abortion in all circumstances.
Though McFall supports President Donald Trump, the Angel Fire resident said he might not have voted for the health care legislation the administration has pushed, arguing it still would not be a return to the free market.
“Everything needs to be back in the free market,” he said.
Born in Raton, McFall is a farmer who also works in the ski industry and has never held elected office.
But he has said that he knows what it is like to be poor, having been homeless at one point and once fighting a legal battle with the state after the Children, Youth and Families Department took custody of his child.
McFall argues voters’ frustration with national politics gives a candidate like him a chance in Northern New Mexico.
“I don’t care if it’s a Democrat or a Republican,” he said, “they’re looking for somebody different.”
So far, McFall is Luján’s only competition for the 3rd Congressional District. The primary election is scheduled for June 5.