A special election was held on June 1, 2021, to fill the vacancy in New Mexico's 1st congressional district created by Representative Deb Haaland's resignation from the United States House of Representatives to become the Secretary of the Interior in Joe Biden's administration.
State Representatives Patricia Roybal Caballero, Georgene Louis and Melanie Stansbury and state Senator Antoinette Sedillo Lopez sought the Democratic nomination. State Senator Mark Moores, radio host Eddy Aragon and activist Elisa Martinez sought the Republican nomination.
The Democratic Party nominated Stansbury; the Republican Party nominated Moores; the Libertarian Party selected Chris Manning; former Commissioner of Public Lands Aubrey Dunn Jr. ran as an independent. Stansbury won the election with over 60% percent of the vote.
Background Representative Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico's 1st congressional district announced in 2016, that she would seek the Democratic nomination for the 2018 gubernatorial election. Deb Haaland, the former chair of the Democratic Party of New Mexico, ran for the seat with the Democratic nomination and won in the 2018 election. She was reelected in the 2020 election.
Haaland was selected by President Joe Biden to serve as Secretary of the Interior and she was approved by the United States Senate by a vote of fifty-one to forty. Haaland resigned from her seat on March 16, 2021, and a special election was ordered by the Secretary of State of New Mexico to be held on June 1. Each party's state central committee selected their candidate for the special election instead of using a primary system.
Democratic committee selection Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, a member of the New Mexico Senate who had run in the 2018 Democratic primary for the seat, and Melanie Stansbury, a member of the New Mexico House of Representatives, announced on December 21, 2020, that they would seek the Democratic nomination for the special election. On January 4, 2021, Georgene Louis, a member of the state house, announced that she would seek the Democratic nomination. Victor Reyes, the legislator director for Governor Lujan Grisham, announced on January 8 that he would seek the Democratic nomination. Patricia Roybal Caballero, a member of the state house, announced her campaign on January 27.
Stansbury won the nomination after defeating Sedillo Lopez, who had placed first in the first round of voting, in the runoff.
Candidates
Selected Melanie Stansbury, state representative
Eliminated in second round Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, state senator and candidate for New Mexico's 1st congressional district in 2018
Eliminated in first round Francisco Fernández, filmmaker Selinda Guerrero, community organizer Georgene Louis, state representative Randi McGinn, attorney Victor Reyes, legislative director for Governor of New Mexico Michelle Lujan Grisham Patricia Roybal Caballero, state representative
Declined Javier Martínez, state representative Maggie Toulouse Oliver, New Mexico Secretary of State
Endorsements
Convention results Democratic convention resultsCandidateFirst round votesFirst round pct.Second round votesSecond round pct. 43 21.61% 103 51.24% 7437.19% 9748.26% 3417.09%Eliminated 189.05%Eliminated 136.53%Eliminated 136.53%Eliminated 21.01%Eliminated 10.50%EliminatedAbstained 10.50% 10.50%Total 199100% 201100%
Republican committee selection State Senator Mark Moores was selected by the Republican state central committee to serve as the Republican candidate in the special election on March 27.
Candidates
Selected Mark Moores, state senator
Not selected Eddy Aragon, radio host and owner of KIVA-AM Michaela Chavez, bookkeeper Ronnie Lucero, finance manager Elisa Martinez, anti-abortion activist and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2020 Tracy Trujillo Jared Vander Dussen, attorney
Withdrew before committee selection Michelle Garcia Holmes, retired police detective, nominee for Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico in 2018, and nominee for this district in 2020
Endorsements
Convention results Republican convention resultsCandidateVotesPct.4940%3428%2017%76%65%54%00%Total121100%
Libertarian committee selection
Candidates
Selected Chris Manning, staff auditor, Arizona National Guard veteran, and Libertarian candidate for New Mexico's 3rd congressional district in 2018
Independents Aubrey Dunn Jr., who had served as the New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands as a Republican and Libertarian, filed to run as an independent for the seat on January 8, 2021. Laura Olivas and Robert Ornelas ran as write-in candidates.
Candidates
Declared Aubrey Dunn Jr., former Republican-turned-Libertarian New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands (2015–2019), Republican candidate for New Mexico's 2nd congressional district in 2018, and Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate in 2018
Certified write-in Laura Olivas Robert Ornelas, perennial candidate (previously associated with the American Independent Party)
Endorsements
General election
Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report June 1, 2021 Inside Elections May 7, 2021 Sabato's Crystal Ball May 26, 2021
Endorsements
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error MelanieStansbury (D) MarkMoores (R) AubreyDunn (I) ChrisManning (L) UndecidedRRH Elections (R)RRH Elections (R)May 18–21, 2021555 (LV)± 4.2%49%33%5%3%9%
Results
By county CountyMelanie StansburyDemocraticMark MooresRepublicanVarious candidatesOther partiesMarginTotal votes#%#%#%#%Bernalillo74,18161.40%41,98434.75%4,6413.84%32,19726.65%120,806Sandoval3,68659.36%2,28936.86%2353.78%1,39722.50%6,210Santa Fe61138.94%87555.77%835.29%−264−16.83%1,569Torrance94534.43%1,50354.75%29710.82%−558−20.33%2,745Valencia41544.58%46049.41%566.01%−45−4.83%931Totals79,83860.36%47,11135.62%5,3144.02%32,72724.74%132,263
See also 2021 United States House of Representatives elections
References
External links Official websites for candidates Aubrey Dunn Jr. (I) for Congress Chris Manning (L) for Congress Mark Moores (R) for Congress Melanie Stansbury (D) for Congress