1st Congressional District candidates talk housing, fiscal policy

The 1st Congressional District race features incumbent Democrat Melanie Stansbury and Republican challenger Steve Jones.

The district encompasses much of Albuquerque and Rio Rancho, stretches east to include Santa Rosa and Fort Sumner, and south to include part of the Mescalero Apache Reservation and a portion of Roswell.

Stansbury, 45, is running for her second full term as a congresswoman. Her initial term was shorter and came after a special election to replace Deb Haaland, who was appointed Interior Secretary in 2021. Before serving in Congress, Stansbury was a New Mexico House representative.

A retired energy executive and accountant and former Army medic, the 78-year-old Jones has never held political office. Before redistricting in 2021, he ran as an independent write-in candidate in the 2nd Congressional District against Republican Yvette Herrell and Democrat Xochitl Torres Small.

Stansbury’s campaign has raised $1.2 million and has $260,584 cash on hand, while Jones has raised $135,596 and has $0 cash on hand. Jones’ funding includes a $114,737 loan he made to his campaign.

In a televised debate hosted by KOB-TV Channel 4 Thursday, Stansbury and Jones answered topical questions on issues like crime, border security and wildfire management. Jones repeatedly shared his displeasure with hyper-partisan politics, while Stansbury emphasized her concerns about Project 2025, a collection of policy proposals from conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation.

During the debate, Stansbury said that violent crime and property crime are being driven by drug trafficking and drug use, which requires federal investment in technology for law enforcement. Jones said that more money will not improve the situation without changing New Mexico’s court systems, which is a state and not federal issue.

Goals in Congress

Jones, of Ruidoso, believes the biggest issue facing New Mexico is the “dreams of progressive politicians.” He thinks the federal government should focus less on programs like free housing, health care and child care, and more on developing businesses.

“No matter how much money you throw at a problem, if you don’t address the root cause of that problem, all you’ve done is wasted other people’s money, taxpayer money, and you’ve embarrassed, in most instances, the very people you’re trying to help,” Jones told the Journal.

If elected, Jones would like to pursue raising the federal minimum wage and tying it to the formula that regularly increases Social Security, increasing federal support for business incubation and reducing federal spending, which he believes is driving inflation and risking the financial stability of the federal government.

“Unless and until we constrain spending to some percentage of the (gross domestic product), we’re going to end up in a worse situation,” Jones said.

Stansbury, an Albuquerque resident, believes the biggest issue facing New Mexico is the need for every resident to feel safe and “have the opportunity to thrive,” which for her means investment in public safety, behavioral health, housing and jobs.

“Having access to housing is a human right and fundamental to the economic well-being of our communities,” Stansbury told the Journal.

If reelected, Stansbury would like to focus on addressing the fentanyl and behavioral health crisis and continue work on addressing housing affordability and homelessness by increasing funding for affordable housing and to build homeless shelters.

“The big issues that we’re really focused on right now are the fentanyl and behavioral health crisis, because it’s impacting families all across the state, and that’s why we’re working to bring millions of dollars home to rebuild our behavioral health infrastructure,” Stansbury said.

She also wants to protect land and water in the face of climate change and ensure a “just transition” in energy production, make the child tax credit permanent and grow New Mexico’s economy.

Abortion and gun control

Stansbury is a staunch supporter of abortion access. She said she would vote no on an abortion ban and yes on the reinstatement of Roe v. Wade. She has cosponsored legislation to reinstate Roe v. Wade and to protect contraception and fertility care. She said that “no government should ever intervene in your right and ability to decide when, how or if you want a family or a child.”

Jones said he would not vote for a federal abortion ban or federal protections for abortion, because he believes the federal government should not usurp state government authority. But he is opposed to abortion because of his Lutheran religious beliefs and would support the state of New Mexico limiting abortion, with exceptions in cases of rape or incest, or to protect the life of the mother.

Jones said that he abhors violence and has never owned a gun but is opposed to gun control measures because he believes in a literal reading of the U.S. Constitution.

Stansbury supports regulations on guns like universal background checks and an assault weapons ban and has cosponsored gun safety legislation.