Stansbury, Leger Fernández projected to win CD1 and CD3 races

Democratic congresswomen Melanie Stansbury and Teresa Leger Fernández are headed to victory in New Mexico’s 1st and 3rd congressional districts, according to unofficial election results.

Stansbury appears to have secured reelection to her second full term in Congress. She has served as a New Mexico congresswoman since 2021, when she replaced Deb Haaland for a partial term after Haaland was appointed Interior Secretary.

"The next chapter in Congress is going to be dedicated to really addressing those core issues that so many of our communities are struggling with, with a strong emphasis on tackling the climate crisis, the housing issues that our communities are dealing with, and the fentanyl and addiction crisis here in New Mexico," Stansbury said. "But more broadly for the nation, we really have to address the larger issues around our fundamental rights and freedoms, our democracy and climate change."

If Democrats win a majority in the House of Representatives, the Day One priority will be restoring Roe v. Wade, she said.

The 1st Congressional District includes some large population centers, like Rio Rancho and much of Albuquerque. It also stretches east to Santa Rosa and Fort Sumner and south to pick up part of the Mescalero Apache Reservation and part of Roswell.

Stansbury's Republican opponent was retired energy executive and accountant, Steve Jones.

Work still needs to be finished before the new Congress is seated in January, Stansbury said.

"There will be a heavy focus when we get back to Congress after the election on getting a budget completed and getting the (National Defense Authorization Act) across the finish line," she said.

Teresa Leger Fernández is on track to continue representing northern and eastern New Mexico in Congress for her third term, according to unofficial election results.

Leger Fernández is looking forward to passing the Home of Your Own Act, a bill she sponsored that would give first-time home owners down payment assistance, and which is consistent with presidential candidate Kamala Harris' agenda. She also wants to get Native American water rights settlements to the finish line and focus on "protecting freedom."

"There's two issues of freedom we want to do: the freedom to vote and the freedom to make our own health care choices for women, and I think we can get both of those passed," she said.

The 3rd Congressional District encompasses much of northern New Mexico, the state’s capital city Santa Fe, and stretches south along the eastern region of the state to include communities like Clovis, Portales and Artesia.

Her opponent, former Republican state legislator Sharon Clahchischilliage, trailed by more than 30,000 votes as of 8:15 p.m., according to unofficial election results.