The campaigns are over, the ballots have largely been counted, and Southern New Mexico's voters have delivered a series of decisions that will shape government from the Doña Ana County Sheriff's Office to the halls of Congress.
Tuesday's general election brought a new governor to New Mexico, returned the state's congressional delegation to Washington and shifted representation in some of the region's most closely watched legislative districts. Doña Ana County voters also chose a new sheriff, two county commissioners and a new direction for the city's public library. Across the state, Democrats won every statewide executive office on the ballot, while several competitive races in Southern New Mexico produced wider Democratic margins than in previous elections.
This largely mirrored results coming in from across the country, where Democrats had success in states that had largely been considered out of reach.
But even as candidates celebrated Tuesday night, the results remained unofficial Wednesday, with the canvassing and certification process still ahead. The Doña Ana County Clerk's Office reported more than 67,000 ballots cast, with fewer than 100 absentee ballots remaining to be processed when election officials recessed late Tuesday. The review of write-in votes in County Commission District 3 also was scheduled to continue Wednesday.
A changing political landscape
Among the most significant results for Southern New Mexico was Democratic U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez's victory in the 2nd Congressional District. Vasquez, first elected in 2022 by a margin of less than one percentage point, won a third consecutive term, this time defeating Republican Greg Cunningham by a substantially wider margin. His campaign characterized the victory as a double-digit win.
The progression is notable in a congressional district that supported Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election. Vasquez defeated Republican Yvette Herrell in both 2022 and 2024, increasing his margin in the second contest before expanding it again Tuesday.
“I am honored that the hardworking people of NM-02 have elected me to be their voice and fighter in Congress for a record-breaking third term,” Vasquez said in a statement.
He described the election as a reminder of the power of voters rather than political organizations or special interests.
“My promise to every New Mexican in our district is this: in Congress, I’ll keep fighting for you, whether you voted for me or not,” he said.
Vasquez identified lowering fuel prices, addressing immigration, protecting public lands and ending the war in Iran among his priorities. New Mexico's other two Democratic members of the U.S. House, Melanie Stansbury and Teresa Leger Fernández, also won re-election. Democratic U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján won another six-year term, defeating Republican Larry Marker.
Luján said his campaign travels across New Mexico had brought him face to face with residents' concerns about household expenses, health care and the future of their communities.
“Throughout this campaign, I traveled across our state, visiting communities big and small in every corner,” Luján said. “At rallies and around kitchen tables, New Mexicans shared their hopes, their frustrations, and the challenges keeping them up at night.”
He said lowering costs, ending hunger and improving access to health care would remain priorities.
New leadership in Santa Fe
New Mexico voters elected Democrat Deb Haaland governor, defeating Republican Gregg Hull in the contest to succeed term-limited Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. Haaland, a former congresswoman and U.S. secretary of the interior, will become the first Native American woman to serve as governor of a U.S. state. Stephanie Garcia Richard was elected lieutenant governor on the Democratic ticket.
The statewide results also included a promotion for a familiar Doña Ana County official. County Clerk Amanda López Askin defeated Republican Ramona Goolsby to become New Mexico's next secretary of state. She will succeed Maggie Toulouse Oliver, who could not seek another consecutive term.
The move will take López Askin from supervising elections in Doña Ana County to overseeing elections statewide, along with the office's other responsibilities.
Democrats also retained the attorney general, state auditor and state treasurer offices. Raúl Torrez defeated Republican Samuel Kane, a Las Cruces attorney, for attorney general, while Joseph Maestas and Laura Montoya won additional terms as auditor and treasurer, respectively.
Democrat Juan de Jesus Sanchez III won the race for commissioner of public lands, succeeding Garcia Richard.
Legislative races tell another story
The statewide Democratic victories were reflected in several Southern New Mexico legislative contests, including two districts where the margins carried particular significance. In House District 38, Democrat David Mooney defeated Republican incumbent Rebecca Dow, changing the district's representation from Republican to Democratic.
The district, which includes parts of Doña Ana, Sierra and Socorro counties, had been one of the region's closely watched legislative contests. Mooney credited organizers and volunteers who supported his campaign, emphasizing access to health care, protection of water resources and environmental concerns. He also extended an acknowledgment to his opponent.
“I would like to congratulate Rebecca Dow on a well-run campaign,” Mooney said. “I share her campaign's priorities of protecting healthcare and water in the district.”
In House District 53, Democratic Rep. Sarah Silva won a second term by a substantially larger margin than the one that first sent her to Santa Fe. Silva defeated Republican Ben Luna Jr. by 1,772 votes, according to unofficial returns, compared with her 158-vote victory in 2024.
The difference was particularly significant to Silva because of the district's competitive political makeup.
“Two years ago, I was elected to represent House District 53 by just 158 votes,” she said. “The narrow margin was no surprise. This is a 50/50 district.”
Silva characterized the election as a rejection of the Trump administration's policies, while crediting her campaign's organizing efforts for expanding her support.
“I'm working to build a people-focused majority in the district,” she said. “Tuesday was the first test of our efforts.”
Other area legislative results included victories for Democratic incumbents Micaela Lara Cadena in District 33 and Nathan Small in District 36, while Republican Jenifer Jones retained District 32. Democrat Lori Martinez won the District 37 seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Rep. Joanne Ferrary.
Democrats Raymundo Lara in District 34, Angelica Rubio in District 35 and Doreen Gallegos in District 52 were unopposed.
Together, the results leave Southern New Mexico with a mix of returning legislators and new representatives, including a change in party representation in District 38.
New faces in county government
In Doña Ana County, voters chose Democrat Vanessa Ordoñez as their next sheriff, replacing Kim Stewart, who was ineligible to seek a third consecutive term. Ordoñez, a former Anthony police chief, defeated Republican Todd Garrison, who previously served as county sheriff.
Unofficial returns showed Ordoñez with 39,970 votes, or approximately 61.5%, compared with 25,025 for Garrison. Ordoñez said the victory represented a responsibility extending beyond the people who supported her campaign.
“I am incredibly humbled and grateful for the trust the people of Doña Ana County have placed in me,” she said. “This success belongs to our entire community. It represents hope, unity, and a shared commitment to a safer, stronger Doña Ana County.”
She emphasized that the election was only the beginning of the work ahead.
“This campaign may be over, but our work together is just beginning. I want everyone to know that I will be a Sheriff for everyone, every family, every neighborhood, and every community across Doña Ana County deserves to feel safe, respected and heard.”
The election also brought changes to the County Commission.
In District 1, Democrat Daisy Maldonado defeated Republican Samantha Barncastle Salopek for an open seat, receiving 8,259 votes to Salopek's 5,548.
In District 3, former Democratic state Rep. Willie Madrid led independent incumbent Susie Kimble and Democratic write-in candidate Julia Brown.
Madrid had 7,112 votes to Kimble's 4,578 and Brown's 212 in the unofficial returns. Election officials said the adjudication of write-in votes would continue Wednesday.
Madrid's apparent victory returns him to elected office after previously representing House District 53 in the Legislature.
County Assessor Eugenia Montoya Ortega and Probate Judge Judith Baca, both Democrats, were unopposed.
Voters approve ballot measures
Beyond choosing candidates, New Mexico voters supported four proposed constitutional amendments and three statewide general obligation bond measures. One of the most consequential amendments authorizes salaries for state legislators, who have historically served without annual legislative pay, although they receive per diem allowances.
Another changes the governor's veto authority, including requirements for explaining veto decisions. The remaining amendments address school election scheduling and the appointment process for university regents.
Voters also supported bond funding for senior citizen facilities, libraries and higher education institutions. The largest statewide bond measure authorizes approximately $352 million for higher education improvements, potentially benefiting institutions throughout New Mexico, including New Mexico State University.
Closer to home, Las Cruces voters approved a $26 million general obligation bond for improvements to the Thomas Branigan Memorial Library. The proposal received approximately 69% support in unofficial returns, authorizing borrowing for library improvements and modernization.
The outcome provides a significant step toward addressing the library's infrastructure and service needs, although decisions about specific projects and expenditures will follow.
The work after the election
Despite the apparent outcomes, the official election process was not complete Wednesday. The Doña Ana County Clerk's Office announced that its Absent Voter Election Board had recessed Tuesday night under a state law requiring election officials to stop work by 11 p.m. and resume no earlier than 9:30 a.m. the following day.
Officials said the adjudication of write-in ballots in County Commission District 3 would continue, with election judges reviewing ballots to determine voter intent. The clerk's office said it “prioritizes accuracy over expediency” in reporting results.
All results remain unofficial until the required canvassing and certification process is completed.
For the candidates elected Tuesday, the next challenge will be translating campaign commitments into policy and public service. Although the election produced clear winners and losers, several of those preparing to take office expressed a similar commitment to serving residents across political lines.
Ordoñez put it simply in her message to Doña Ana County voters: “This victory isn’t mine alone. It belongs to every person who believed in us, stood beside us, and helped make this moment possible.”
The votes will soon become official. What those decisions mean for Southern New Mexico will unfold over the years ahead.
