United States House of Representatives elections in New Mexico, 2008
Encyclopedia
The 2008 congressional elections in New Mexico were held on November 4, 2008 to determine New Mexico
's representation in the United States House of Representatives
. The party primary elections were held June 3, 2008. Martin Heinrich
, Harry Teague
, and Ben R. Luján
, all Democrats
, were elected to represent New Mexico in the House. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; the winners of the election currently serve in the 111th Congress
, which began on January 4, 2009 and is scheduled to end on January 3, 2011. The election coincided with the 2008 U.S. presidential election
and senatorial
elections.
New Mexico has three seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States Census. Its 2007-2008 congressional delegation consisted of two Republicans
and one Democrat
. All three incumbents chose to vie for New Mexico's open Senate seat
. The election resulted in all three New Mexico seats are being occupied by freshman Democrats
. Districts 1
and 2
changed from Republican to Democratic; CQ Politics had forecast that these seats might be at risk for the Republican Party.
This district includes the central area of New Mexico
, in and around Albuquerque
. An open seat, CQ Politics forecast the race as 'No Clear Favorite'. The Rothenberg Political Report rated it 'Pure Toss-Up'. The Cook Political Report ranked it 'Lean Democratic'.
The 2006 race between incumbent Republican Heather Wilson
and Democratic state Attorney General Patricia Madrid was a cliffhanger, with Wilson being reelected by 861 votes. John Kerry
narrowly won the district with 52% in 2004 (CPVI=D+2). With the retirement of longtime U.S. Senator Pete Domenici
, Wilson ran and lost as a candidate for the Republican nomination in the race for an open U.S. Senate seat, leaving this an open seat. The Democratic nominee was Martin Heinrich
(former Albuquerque City Councilor). The Republican nominee was Bernalillo County
Sheriff Darren White
.
In the general election, Heinrich defeated White by a margin of 11%. When sworn into Congress in January 2009, Heinrich became the first Democrat to ever represent this district in the House.
This district covers the southern half of the state of New Mexico
, including Las Cruces
and Roswell
. CQ Politics forecast the race as 'Leans Republican'. The Rothenberg Political Report rated it 'Pure Toss-Up'. The Cook Political Report ranked it 'Republican Toss Up'.
Republican incumbent Steve Pearce
won his party's nomination over Heather Wilson for the U.S. Senate, leaving this an open seat. This district usually votes Republican. George W. Bush
won the district 58% to 42% over John Kerry
in 2004 (CPVI=R+6). Nevertheless, Democratic nominee Harry Teague
defeated Republican Edward R. Tinsely III in the general election and is the first Democrat to represent this district since 1981.
Teague is a Hobbs
business owner, civic leader and former Lea County Commissioner.
Edward R. Tinsley III (R)
Tinsley is a restaurateur.
This district covers the northern half of the state of New Mexico, including the capital, Santa Fe
. An open seat, CQ Politics forecast the race as 'Safe Democrat', as did The Rothenberg Political Report and The Cook Political Report.
Democratic incumbent Tom Udall
won his party's nomination for Pete Domenici
's open U.S. Senate seat,. The Democrats tend to hold the advantage in the district: John Kerry
received 54% of the vote there (CPVI=D+6) in 2004. The Democratic nominee was State Public Regulation Commissioner Ben R. Luján
. Luján's father
serves as Speaker of the New Mexico House of Representatives
. The Republican nominee was small business owner Dan East. Carol Miller, a 1997/1998 Green Party candidate, was seeking the seat as an independent.
Luján won the three-way race fairly easily and was sworn into Congress in January 2009.
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
's representation in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
. The party primary elections were held June 3, 2008. Martin Heinrich
Martin Heinrich
Martin T. Heinrich is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Democratic Party.The district includes the central area of the state, in and around Albuquerque.- Early life, education and career :...
, Harry Teague
Harry Teague
Harry Teague is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
, and Ben R. Luján
Ben R. Lujan
Ben Ray Luján is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is based in Santa Fe, the state capital, and includes most of the northern portion of the state....
, all Democrats
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, were elected to represent New Mexico in the House. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; the winners of the election currently serve in the 111th Congress
111th United States Congress
The One Hundred Eleventh United States Congress was the meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government from January 3, 2009 until January 3, 2011. It began during the last two weeks of the George W. Bush administration, with the remainder spanning the first two years of...
, which began on January 4, 2009 and is scheduled to end on January 3, 2011. The election coincided with the 2008 U.S. presidential election
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
and senatorial
United States Senate election in New Mexico, 2008
The 2008 United States Senate election in New Mexico was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Pete Domenici decided to retire instead of seeking a seventh term. All three of New Mexico's U.S. Representatives chose to retire from the U.S. House of Representatives in order to...
elections.
New Mexico has three seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States Census. Its 2007-2008 congressional delegation consisted of two Republicans
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
and one Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. All three incumbents chose to vie for New Mexico's open Senate seat
United States Senate election in New Mexico, 2008
The 2008 United States Senate election in New Mexico was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Pete Domenici decided to retire instead of seeking a seventh term. All three of New Mexico's U.S. Representatives chose to retire from the U.S. House of Representatives in order to...
. The election resulted in all three New Mexico seats are being occupied by freshman Democrats
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. Districts 1
New Mexico's 1st congressional district
New Mexico District 1 of the United States House of Representatives serves the central area of New Mexico, in and around Albuquerque. The current Representative is Democrat Martin Heinrich, who became the district's first Democratic representative in 2009.-History:Until the 1968 elections, New...
and 2
New Mexico's 2nd congressional district
New Mexico's second congressional district to the United States House of Representatives serves the southern half of New Mexico, including Las Cruces and Roswell. Geographically, it is the sixth largest district in the nation, and the 2nd-largest not to comprise an entire state...
changed from Republican to Democratic; CQ Politics had forecast that these seats might be at risk for the Republican Party.
Match-up summary
| District | Incumbent | 2008 Status | Democratic | Republican | Independent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 New Mexico's 1st congressional district New Mexico District 1 of the United States House of Representatives serves the central area of New Mexico, in and around Albuquerque. The current Representative is Democrat Martin Heinrich, who became the district's first Democratic representative in 2009.-History:Until the 1968 elections, New... |
Heather Wilson Heather Wilson Heather A. Wilson , is a former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives representing from 1998 to 2009... |
Open | Martin Heinrich Martin Heinrich Martin T. Heinrich is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Democratic Party.The district includes the central area of the state, in and around Albuquerque.- Early life, education and career :... |
Darren White Darren White (politician) Darren White is a former Sheriff of Bernalillo County, New Mexico, having been elected that post in 2002, and re-elected in 2006. Prior to his election as Sheriff, he served as Secretary of the New Mexico Department of Public Safety in the Cabinet of Governor Gary Johnson. White resigned his... |
None |
| 2 New Mexico's 2nd congressional district New Mexico's second congressional district to the United States House of Representatives serves the southern half of New Mexico, including Las Cruces and Roswell. Geographically, it is the sixth largest district in the nation, and the 2nd-largest not to comprise an entire state... |
Steve Pearce Steve Pearce Stevan Edward "Steve" Pearce is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Republican Party. He previously held the seat from 2003 to 2009 and was an Assistant Minority Whip.-Early life, education and career:... |
Open | Harry Teague Harry Teague Harry Teague is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.... |
Edward R. Tinsley, III Edward R. Tinsley Edward Roy Tinsley, III , is an attorney, rancher, and businessman with interests in oil, natural gas, and restaurants who has twice failed in Republican bids for the United States House of Representatives from the 2nd congressional district of his adopted state of New Mexico... |
None |
| 3 New Mexico's 3rd congressional district New Mexico's 3rd Congressional District serves the northern half of New Mexico, including the state's Capital, Santa Fe. The current Representative is Democrat Ben R... |
Tom Udall Tom Udall Thomas Stewart "Tom" Udall is the junior United States Senator from New Mexico and a member of the Democratic Party. He had represented as a member of the United States House of Representatives since 1999. Udall was elected as the junior United States senator from New Mexico on November 4, 2008,... |
Open | Ben R. Luján Ben R. Lujan Ben Ray Luján is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is based in Santa Fe, the state capital, and includes most of the northern portion of the state.... |
Dan East | Carol Miller |
District 1
This district includes the central area of New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, in and around Albuquerque
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...
. An open seat, CQ Politics forecast the race as 'No Clear Favorite'. The Rothenberg Political Report rated it 'Pure Toss-Up'. The Cook Political Report ranked it 'Lean Democratic'.
- Martin HeinrichMartin HeinrichMartin T. Heinrich is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Democratic Party.The district includes the central area of the state, in and around Albuquerque.- Early life, education and career :...
(D) (campaign website) - Darren WhiteDarren White (politician)Darren White is a former Sheriff of Bernalillo County, New Mexico, having been elected that post in 2002, and re-elected in 2006. Prior to his election as Sheriff, he served as Secretary of the New Mexico Department of Public Safety in the Cabinet of Governor Gary Johnson. White resigned his...
(R) (campaign website)
The 2006 race between incumbent Republican Heather Wilson
Heather Wilson
Heather A. Wilson , is a former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives representing from 1998 to 2009...
and Democratic state Attorney General Patricia Madrid was a cliffhanger, with Wilson being reelected by 861 votes. John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
narrowly won the district with 52% in 2004 (CPVI=D+2). With the retirement of longtime U.S. Senator Pete Domenici
Pete Domenici
Pietro Vichi "Pete" Domenici is an American Republican politician, who served six terms as a United States Senator from New Mexico, from 1973 to 2009, the longest tenure in the state's history....
, Wilson ran and lost as a candidate for the Republican nomination in the race for an open U.S. Senate seat, leaving this an open seat. The Democratic nominee was Martin Heinrich
Martin Heinrich
Martin T. Heinrich is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Democratic Party.The district includes the central area of the state, in and around Albuquerque.- Early life, education and career :...
(former Albuquerque City Councilor). The Republican nominee was Bernalillo County
Bernalillo County, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*69.4% White*3.0% Black*4.8% Native American*2.3% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*4.4% Two or more races*16.0% Other races*47.9% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
Sheriff Darren White
Darren White (politician)
Darren White is a former Sheriff of Bernalillo County, New Mexico, having been elected that post in 2002, and re-elected in 2006. Prior to his election as Sheriff, he served as Secretary of the New Mexico Department of Public Safety in the Cabinet of Governor Gary Johnson. White resigned his...
.
In the general election, Heinrich defeated White by a margin of 11%. When sworn into Congress in January 2009, Heinrich became the first Democrat to ever represent this district in the House.
- Race ranking and details from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
- White (R) vs Heinrich (D) graph of collected poll results from Pollster.com
Primary elections
General election
District 2
This district covers the southern half of the state of New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, including Las Cruces
Las Cruces, New Mexico
Las Cruces, also known as "The City of the Crosses", is the county seat of Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 97,618 in 2010 according to the 2010 Census, making it the second largest city in the state....
and Roswell
Roswell, New Mexico
Roswell is a city in and the county seat of Chaves County in the southeastern quarter of the state of New Mexico, United States. The population was 48,366 at the 2010 census. It is a center for irrigation farming, dairying, ranching, manufacturing, distribution, and petroleum production. It is also...
. CQ Politics forecast the race as 'Leans Republican'. The Rothenberg Political Report rated it 'Pure Toss-Up'. The Cook Political Report ranked it 'Republican Toss Up'.
Republican incumbent Steve Pearce
Steve Pearce
Stevan Edward "Steve" Pearce is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Republican Party. He previously held the seat from 2003 to 2009 and was an Assistant Minority Whip.-Early life, education and career:...
won his party's nomination over Heather Wilson for the U.S. Senate, leaving this an open seat. This district usually votes Republican. George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
won the district 58% to 42% over John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
in 2004 (CPVI=R+6). Nevertheless, Democratic nominee Harry Teague
Harry Teague
Harry Teague is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
defeated Republican Edward R. Tinsely III in the general election and is the first Democrat to represent this district since 1981.
- Race ranking and details from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
Candidates
Harry Teague (D)Teague is a Hobbs
Hobbs, New Mexico
Hobbs is a city in Lea County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 28,657 at the 2000 census.Hobbs is the principal city of the Hobbs, New Mexico Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Lea County.-Geography:...
business owner, civic leader and former Lea County Commissioner.
- Harry Teague for Congress official campaign website
- Profile at SourceWatchSourceWatchSourceWatch is an internet wiki site that is a collaborative project of the liberal Center for Media and Democracy...
Edward R. Tinsley III (R)
Tinsley is a restaurateur.
- Ed Tinsley for Congress official campaign website
- Profile at SourceWatchSourceWatchSourceWatch is an internet wiki site that is a collaborative project of the liberal Center for Media and Democracy...
Primary elections
General election
District 3
This district covers the northern half of the state of New Mexico, including the capital, Santa Fe
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
. An open seat, CQ Politics forecast the race as 'Safe Democrat', as did The Rothenberg Political Report and The Cook Political Report.
- Dan East (R)
- Ben R. LujánBen R. LujanBen Ray Luján is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is based in Santa Fe, the state capital, and includes most of the northern portion of the state....
(D) - Carol Miller (I)
Democratic incumbent Tom Udall
Tom Udall
Thomas Stewart "Tom" Udall is the junior United States Senator from New Mexico and a member of the Democratic Party. He had represented as a member of the United States House of Representatives since 1999. Udall was elected as the junior United States senator from New Mexico on November 4, 2008,...
won his party's nomination for Pete Domenici
Pete Domenici
Pietro Vichi "Pete" Domenici is an American Republican politician, who served six terms as a United States Senator from New Mexico, from 1973 to 2009, the longest tenure in the state's history....
's open U.S. Senate seat,. The Democrats tend to hold the advantage in the district: John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
received 54% of the vote there (CPVI=D+6) in 2004. The Democratic nominee was State Public Regulation Commissioner Ben R. Luján
Ben R. Lujan
Ben Ray Luján is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is based in Santa Fe, the state capital, and includes most of the northern portion of the state....
. Luján's father
Ben Lujan
Ben Lujan is an American politician. A Democrat, he is currently the Speaker of the New Mexico House of Representatives. He has served in the House since 1975 and as Speaker since 2001. His legislative district, the 46th, is composed mostly of Santa Fe....
serves as Speaker of the New Mexico House of Representatives
New Mexico House of Representatives
The New Mexico House of Representatives is the lower house of the New Mexico State Legislature.There are 70 members of the House. Each member represents roughly 25,980 residents of New Mexico.The Speaker of the House is Ben Luján .-Composition:...
. The Republican nominee was small business owner Dan East. Carol Miller, a 1997/1998 Green Party candidate, was seeking the seat as an independent.
Luján won the three-way race fairly easily and was sworn into Congress in January 2009.
- Dan East's campaign website
- Ben R. Luján's campaign website
- Carol Miller's campaign website
- Race ranking and details from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
Primary elections
General election
External links
- Elections from the New Mexico Secretary of State
- 2008 Voters' Guide from the League of Women VotersLeague of Women VotersThe League of Women Voters is an American political organization founded in 1920 by Carrie Chapman Catt during the last meeting of the National American Woman Suffrage Association approximately six months before the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution gave women the right to vote...
of New Mexico - U.S. Congress candidates for New Mexico at Project Vote SmartProject Vote SmartProject Vote Smart is a non-profit, non-partisan research organization that collects and distributes information on candidates for public office in the United States...
- Campaign contributions for New Mexico congressional races from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
- Local/State Election news and Voter Guide from Las Cruces Sun-NewsLas Cruces Sun-NewsLas Cruces Sun-News, founded in 1881, is a daily newspaper published in Las Cruces, New Mexico.-History:The Sun-News started in 1881 as the Rio Grande Republican and went through several mergers to become the Las Cruces Daily News in 1934...