2018 United States House of Representatives elections in New Mexico

The 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in New Mexico were held on November 6, 2018, to elect the three U.S. representatives from the state of New Mexico, one from each of the state's three congressional districts. The elections coincided with the gubernatorial election, as well as other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate and various state and local elections.

The Democratic party gained the 2nd Congressional seat, gaining unitary control of New Mexico's Congressional (House and Senate) delegation for the first time since 2008 and improving the advantage in the House delegation for New Mexico from 2–1 in favor of Democrats to 3–0.

Overview Results of the 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in New Mexico by district:

DistrictDemocraticRepublicanOthersTotalResult Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes %District 1 147,336 59.13% 90,507 36.33% 11,319 4.54% 249,162 100% Democratic holdDistrict 2 101,489 50.93% 97,767 49.07% n/a 199,256 100% Democratic gainDistrict 3 148,501 60.64% 76,427 31.21% 13,265 5.42% 244,893 100% Democratic holdTotal 404,026 58.27% 264,701 38.18% 24,584 3.55% 693,311 100%

District 1

The 1st district is centered around the Albuquerque metropolitan area. Democrat Michelle Lujan Grisham, who had represented the district since 2013, was reelected to a third term with 65% of the vote in 2016. Lujan Grisham did not run for reelection and instead successfully ran for governor of New Mexico.

New Mexico's 1st district was one of 36 Democrat-held House districts targeted by the National Republican Congressional Committee in 2018.

Democratic primary Candidates Declared Deb Haaland, former chair of the New Mexico Democratic Party and nominee for lieutenant governor of New Mexico in 2014 Damian Lara, attorney Damon Martinez, former United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, former law professor and executive director of Enlace Comunitario, an anti-domestic violence non-profit

Withdrew Annie Chavez, Sandia National Laboratories government relations official Pat Davis, Albuquerque city councilman (endorsed Haaland) Dennis Dinge, physicist

Declined Terry Brunner, USDA Rural Development state director and former state director for former U.S. senator Jeff Bingaman Jacob Candelaria, state senator Tanya Giddings, Bernalillo County assessor Javier Martinez, state representative Michael Padilla, state senator Ken Sanchez, Albuquerque city councilman Maggie Hart Stebbins, Bernalillo County commissioner

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error PatDavis DebHaaland DamianLara DamonMartinez PaulMoya AntoinetteSedillo-Lopez Other UndecidedAlbuquerque JournalAlbuquerque Journal May 20–24, 2018 395 ± 4.9% 5% 19% 4% 22% 3% 17% — 29%Lake Research Partners (D)Lake Research Partners (D) May 13–14, 2018 390 ± 5.0% — 20% — 23% — 25% 5% 27%Public Policy Polling (D)Public Policy Polling (D) April 13–15, 2018 508 ± 4.4 11% 15% — 7% — 15% — 43%

Endorsements

Debate + 2018 New Mexico's 1st congressional district Democratic primary debate Date Host Moderator Link Democratic Democratic Democratic Democratic Democratic Democratic Democratic DemocraticKey: Participant  Absent  Not invited  Invited Withdrawn Annie Chavez Pat Davis Dennis Dinge Deb Haaland Damian Lara Antoinette Sedillo Lopez Damon Martinez Paul Moya1 May. 20, 2018 KOAT-TVAlbuquerque Journal Doug FernandezYouTube

Pre-primary convention results Candidates for the Democratic nomination needed to either receive the votes of 20% of the delegates at the convention on March 10, or collect and submit signatures to the secretary of state to have made it to the June 5 primary. Candidate Percentage of delegates won Automatically on ballot Pat Davis13.55% Deb Haaland34.80% Damian Lara12.09% Damon Martinez10.81% Paul Moya3.66% Antoinette Sedillo-Lopez25.09%

Results

Republican primary Candidates Declared Janice Arnold-Jones, former Albuquerque city councilwoman (2013–2014) and former state representative (2003–2011)

Declined Richard Berry, former mayor of Albuquerque (2009–2017) Wayne Johnson, Bernalillo County commissioner John Sanchez, lieutenant governor of New Mexico and nominee for governor of New Mexico in 2002

Results

Libertarian primary Candidates Declared Lloyd Princeton, business consultant

Results

General election Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political ReportNovember 5, 2018 Inside ElectionsNovember 5, 2018 Sabato's Crystal BallNovember 5, 2018RCPNovember 5, 2018Daily KosNovember 5, 2018538November 7, 2018

Forum + 2018 New Mexico's 1st congressional district candidate forum Date Host Moderator Link Democratic Republican LibertarianKey: Participant  Absent  Not invited  Invited Withdrawn Deb Haaland Janice Arnold-Jones Lloyd Princeton1 Sep. 20, 2018 KENW (TV)KNME-TVKRWG-TV Gene GrantLorene MillsYouTube

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error DebHaaland (D) JaniceArnold-Jones (R) LloydPrinceton (L) UndecidedResearch & Polling, Inc.Research & Polling, Inc. October 26 — November 1, 2018 419 ± 4.8% 50% 38% 5% 7%Carroll StrategiesCarroll Strategies October 29, 2018 452 — 51% 43% 3% 2%Emerson CollegeEmerson College October 24–26, 2018 327 ± 5.7% 51% 41% — 6%Research & Polling, Inc.Research & Polling, Inc. September 7–13, 2018 410 ± 4.8% 49% 41% 3% 8%Carroll StrategiesCarroll Strategies June 15–16, 2018 419 — 47% 43% 4% 6%

Results

District 2

The 2nd district is very expansive, covering rural Southern New Mexico, including Alamogordo, Las Cruces, and Roswell. Republican Steve Pearce, who had represented the district since 2011 and previously represented the district from 2003 to 2009, was reelected to a fourth consecutive and seventh total term with 63% of the vote in 2016. Pearce did not run for reelection and instead ran unsuccessfully for governor of New Mexico.

New Mexico's 2nd district was one of the 80 Republican-held seats that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee was targeting in 2018.DCCC Announces Battlefield Expansion It was successfully picked up by the Democrats.

Democratic primary Candidates Declared Madeline Hildebrandt, U.S. Army veteran and history professor Xochitl Torres Small, water rights attorney

Withdrew David Baake, attorney Ronald Fitzherbert, activist Tony Martinez, former pharmaceutical industry executive Adolf Zubia, former Las Cruces Fire Chief

Disqualified Angel Peñas

Declined Joe Cervantes, state senator (running for governor) Howie Morales, state senator and candidate for governor of New Mexico in 2014 (running for lieutenant governor)

Forum + 2018 New Mexico's 2nd congressional district Democratic candidate forum Date Host Moderator Link Democratic DemocraticKey: Participant  Absent  Not invited  Invited Withdrawn David Baake Madeline Hildebrandt1 Dec. 12, 2017 KRWG-TV Fred MartinoYouTube

Pre-primary convention results Candidates for the Democratic nomination needed to either receive the votes of 20% of the delegates at the convention on March 10, or collect and submit signatures to the secretary of state to have made it to the June 5 primary.

Candidate Percentage of delegates won Automatically on ballot Xochitl Torres Small65.75% Madeline Hildebrandt34.25%

Results

Republican primary Candidates Declared Gavin Clarkson, former professor at New Mexico State University Clayburn Griffin, former staffer for Gary Johnson's 2012 and 2016 presidential campaigns Yvette Herrell, state representative Monty Newman, former mayor of Hobbs and former chair of the Republican Party of New Mexico

Withdrew Aubrey Dunn, New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands (running for U.S. Senate as a Libertarian)

Endorsements

Results

General election Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political ReportNovember 5, 2018 Inside ElectionsNovember 5, 2018 Sabato's Crystal BallNovember 5, 2018RCPNovember 5, 2018Daily KosNovember 5, 2018538November 7, 2018

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error YvetteHerrell (R) XochitlTorres Small (D) UndecidedResearch & Polling, Inc. October 26 — November 1, 2018 413 ± 4.8% 46% 45% 9%Carroll Strategies October 29, 2018 338 — 47% 42% 11%Emerson College October 24–26, 2018 278 ± 6.1% 47% 47% 6%NYT Upshot/Siena CollegeNYT Upshot/Siena College October 19–23, 2018522 ± 4.6% 45% 44% 11%The Tarrance Group (R)The Tarrance Group (R) September 30 — October 2, 2018 400 ± 4.9% 49% 45% 6%NYT Upshot/Siena CollegeNYT Upshot/Siena College September 13–18, 2018 503 ± 4.9% 45% 46% 10%Research & Polling, Inc.Research & Polling, Inc. September 7–13, 2018 405 ± 4.9% 48% 41% 11%Carroll Strategies June 15–16, 2018 334 — 49% 35% 17%DCCC Targeting & Analytics (D)DCCC Targeting & Analytics (D) June 6–11, 2018 456 ± 4.6% 45% 43% —

Results

District 3

The 3rd district covers Northern New Mexico, including the capital Santa Fe, as well as Farmington, Las Vegas, and Taos. The district also expands into parts of rural Eastern New Mexico, taking in Clovis and Portales. Democrat Ben Ray Luján, who had represented the district since 2009, was reelected to a fifth term with 62% of the vote in 2016.

New Mexico's 3rd district was one of 36 Democrat-held House districts targeted by the National Republican Congressional Committee in 2018.

Democratic primary Candidates Declared Ben Ray Luján, incumbent U.S. Representative

Results

Republican primary Candidates Declared Jerald McFall, farmer and former ski instructor

Results

Libertarian primary Candidates Declared Christopher Manning, auditor

Results

General election Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political ReportNovember 5, 2018 Inside ElectionsNovember 5, 2018 Sabato's Crystal BallNovember 5, 2018RCPNovember 5, 2018Daily KosNovember 5, 2018538November 7, 2018

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error BenRay Luján (D) JeraldMcFall (R) ChristopherManning (L) UndecidedCarroll Strategies October 29, 2018 410 — 57% 33% 4% 6%Emerson College October 24–26, 2018 331 ± 5.7% 54% 37% — 5%Carroll Strategies June 15–16, 2018 446 — 58% 30% 5% 7%

Results

References

Notes

Partisan clients

External links Candidates at Vote Smart Candidates at Ballotpedia Campaign finance at FEC Campaign finance at OpenSecrets

Official campaign websites of first district candidates Janice Arnold-Jones (R) for Congress Deb Haaland (D) for Congress

Official campaign websites for second district candidates Yvette Herrell (R) for Congress Xochitl Torres Small (D) for Congress

Official campaign websites for third district candidates Ben Ray Luján (D) for Congress Jerald Steve McFall (R) for Congress