ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – In northern New Mexico, Democratic attorney Teresa Leger Fernandez is projected to win over Republican engineer Alexis Johnson for the open seat to succeed U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján as he runs for U.S. Senate.
Fernandez will become the first woman to hold the 3rd District seat since its creation in 1983. Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans nearly 2-1 in the district, which overlaps portions of the Navajo Nation and includes other Native American communities.
Leger Fernandez supports new investments in renewable energy and a transition toward a single-payer health care system. Johnson campaigned on an anti-abortion platform that emphasized limited government in the heavily Roman Catholic district.
It is important to note that this seat has been a big stepping stone in the past with Bill Richardson going on to serve as governor and Tom Udall moving to the U.S. Senate. New Mexico has assured an all-female delegation to the U.S. House next year after Democrats and Republicans nominated women in all three congressional races.
“We are so proud to send Teresa Leger Fernandez to Congress to represent New Mexico’s third district. A lifelong champion of equity and progress, we know that Teresa will be an asset to our state with her commitment to hard work and her passion for bettering the lives of her fellow New Mexicans. Congratulations Teresa Leger Fernandez!”
Democratic Party of New Mexico Chair Marg Elliston
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