Melanie Ann Stansbury (D), Mark Moores (R), and four other candidates are running in New Mexico’s 1st Congressional District special election on June 1, 2021. The election was called following incumbent Debra Haaland’s (D) appointment as secretary of the interior in Joe Biden’s (D) presidential administration.
Stansbury and Moores were elected to run at Democratic and Republican Party conventions, respectively. Stansbury has served in the New Mexico House of Representatives since 2019. She has received endorsements from incumbent Debra Haaland (D) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D), EMILY’s List, and the Sierra Club.
Moores has served in the New Mexico State Senate since 2013. He has been endorsed by Rep. Yvette Herrell (R), the Albuquerque Journal, and the National Federation of Independent Businesses.
As of May 12, Stansbury led in fundraising and spending, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission. She had $1,348,453 in receipts and $874,861 in disbursements. Moores had raised $595,423 and spent $469,868.
Christopher Manning (L), Aubrey Dunn (I), write-in Laura Olivas (I), and write-in Robert Ornelas (I) are also running.
Haaland had represented New Mexico’s 1st since after the 2018 election. She was re-elected in 2020 58.2% to 41.8%. In the 2020 presidential election, Biden defeated Donald Trump (R) in the district 60.2% to 37.4%. The district last elected a Republican to Congress in 2006 when it backed incumbent Heather Wilson.
The outcome of this race will affect partisan control of the U.S. House of Representatives in the 117th Congress. Democrats have a 219 to 211 majority over Republicans. Five seats are vacant.
Additional reading: