With Rep. Ben Ray Luján’s decision to run for the Senate opening up northern New Mexico’s 3rd Congressional District, a wide array fellow Democrats are now hoping to succeed him, but a whole lot of scrutiny is in order. Case in point: Freshman state Rep. Joseph Sanchez was the first Democrat to announce a bid, but he’s very much not someone progressives should want in Congress, especially not representing a reliably blue seat like this.
Back in February, the state House passed a bill to repeal a 1969 law that made it a felony to perform an abortion in most cases, yet Sanchez was one of six Democrats in the chamber to oppose it. And despite support from Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, conservative Democrats and Republicans in the state Senate killed the repeal effort the following month.
The current anti-abortion law is currently enforceable thanks to Roe v. Wade, but there’s the terrifying possibility that a U.S. Supreme Court decision could make provisions like this one more than just a legal relic. And unfortunately, another Democratic legislator who opposed the repeal may also run here, as state Sen. Carlos Cisneros has not ruled out a bid of his own.
The only other declared Democrat so far is Colfax County Democratic Party chair Mark McDonald, who works for a medical helicopter company. McDonald was the 2018 Democratic nominee for a dark red state House seat that Trump had carried 62-28, which he lost 62-38.
A number of other Democrats are also eyeing this seat. Valerie Plame, the covert CIA agent whose identity was leaked by the Bush administration in 2003, says she’s considering this race in addition to the Senate contest. State Public Regulation Commission member Valerie Espinoza, who is termed-out from her current post in 2020, says she’s leaning towards entering this race, while Santa Fe County District Attorney Marco Serna and Española Mayor Joseph Maestas have also expressed interest. Local reporter Joe Monahan also writes that Sandoval County Treasurer Laura Montoya is weighing a bid.
Then there’s former state Rep. Carl Trujillo, who says he hasn’t made any decisions about running here. Trujillo lost his seat in a primary last year 53-47 after a lobbyist named Laura Bonar accused him of sexual harassment and then retaliating when she rejected his advances. The state legislature found that there was enough evidence to investigate Trujillo, but the charges were dismissed after Bonar declined to testify. Trujillo, who has denied the allegations, has a pending defamation lawsuit against her and three other woman he claims tried to smear him.
Meanwhile, several Democrats have said no. They include Attorney General Hector Balderas, Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber, state House Speaker Brian Egolf, state Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard, and state Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth.
This seat backed Clinton 52-37 and should remain in Democratic hands without much trouble, but a few Republicans are looking at the race. Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull, who leads the district’s largest city, says he’s giving the idea “serious consideration.” Former state Public Regulations Commission Pat Lyons also says he’s eyeing this seat as well as the open Senate contest. Lyons, who previously served as state land commissioner, ran to reclaim that post last year but lost 51-43.
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