United States Senate election in New Mexico, 2018

Elections in New Mexico, 2018

* General election: Nov. 6
* Voter registration deadline: Oct. 9
* Early voting: Oct. 20 - Nov. 3
* Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6

* Online registration: Yes
* Same-day registration: No
* Voter ID: No
* Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

* * *

On the ballot: U.S. Senate • U.S. House • Governor • Attorney General • Secretary of State • State executive offices • State House • Supreme court • Appellate courts • Local judges • State ballot measures • Municipal • Democratic primaries • Republican primaries

<- 2014

U.S. Senate, New Mexico

Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: March 13, 2018
Primary: June 5, 2018
General: November 6, 2018

* * *

Pre-election incumbent:
Martin Heinrich (Democrat)
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Voting in New Mexico
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Solid Democratic
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Democratic
Inside Elections: Solid Democratic
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds
U.S. House battlegrounds
Federal and state primary competitiveness
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018
See also
U.S. Senate, New Mexico
U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd • 3rd
New Mexico elections, 2018
U.S. Congress elections, 2018
U.S. Senate elections, 2018
U.S. House elections, 2018

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Incumbent Sen. Martin Heinrich (D) defeated Mick Rich (R) and Gary Johnson (L) in the U.S. Senate election for New Mexico on November 6, 2018.

Heinrich and Rich were unopposed in the June 5, 2018, primaries. Johnson, who was governor of New Mexico as a Republican from 1995 to 2003, filed to run in the race as a Libertarian on August 14. The previous Libertarian candidate in the race, Aubrey Dunn, withdrew in July.[1][2]

Prior to the election, the race was rated Safe Democratic. Heinrich was first elected in 2012 with 51 percent of the vote, 5.7 percentage points ahead of his Republican opponent.

For more information about the Democratic primary, click here.
For more information about the Republican primary, click here.

## Contents

* 1 Candidates and election results
* 2 Candidate profiles
* 3 Polls
* 3.1 PredictIt Prices
* 4 Campaign finance
* 5 Satellite spending
* 6 Race ratings
* 7 Noteworthy endorsements
* 8 Campaign ads
* 8.1 Martin Heinrich
* 8.1.1 Support
* 8.1.2 Oppose
* 8.2 Gary Johnson
* 8.2.1 Support
* 8.3 Mick Rich
* 9 Noteworthy events
* 9.1 Brett Kavanaugh confirmation vote
* 10 Debates and forums
* 11 Campaign themes
* 11.1 Martin Heinrich
* 11.2 Gary Johnson
* 11.3 Mick Rich
* 12 Social media
* 12.1 Twitter accounts
* 12.2 Facebook accounts
* 13 Other 2018 statewide elections
* 14 Pivot Counties
* 14.1 Presidential results by legislative district
* 15 Election history
* 15.1 2014
* 15.2 2012
* 16 Wave election analysis
* 17 State overview
* 17.1 Partisan control
* 17.1.1 Congressional delegation
* 17.1.2 State executives
* 17.1.3 State legislature
* 17.1.4 Trifecta status
* 17.2 2018 elections
* 17.3 Demographics
* 18 State election history
* 18.1 Historical elections
* 18.1.1 Presidential elections, 2000-2016
* 18.1.2 U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016
* 18.1.3 Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016
* 18.1.4 Congressional delegation, 2000-2016
* 18.1.5 Trifectas, 1992-2017
* 19 See also
* 20 Footnotes

## Candidates and election results[edit]

See also: Statistics on U.S. Congress candidates, 2018

General election

##### General election for U.S. Senate New Mexico

Incumbent Martin Heinrich defeated Mick Rich and Gary Johnson in the general election for U.S. Senate New Mexico on November 6, 2018.

Candidate

Votes

|
|
|

✔ |

| Martin Heinrich (D)  |

54.1

| 376,998

| Mick Rich (R)  |

30.5

| 212,813

| Gary Johnson (L)  |

15.4

| 107,201

* * *

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

| Total votes: 697,012
(100.00% precincts reporting)

|
|

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

#####  Democratic primary for U.S. Senate New Mexico

Incumbent Martin Heinrich advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate New Mexico on June 5, 2018.

Candidate

Votes

|
|
|

✔ |

| Martin Heinrich |

100.0

| 152,145

* * *

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.

| Total votes: 152,145

|
|

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

#####  Republican primary for U.S. Senate New Mexico

Mick Rich advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. Senate New Mexico on June 5, 2018.

Candidate

Votes

|
|
|

✔ |

| Mick Rich |

100.0

| 67,502

* * *

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.

| Total votes: 67,502

|
|

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Libertarian primary election

#####  Libertarian primary for U.S. Senate New Mexico

Aubrey Dunn advanced from the Libertarian primary for U.S. Senate New Mexico on June 5, 2018.

Candidate

Votes

|
|
|

✔ |

| Aubrey Dunn |

100.0

| 623

* * *

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.

| Total votes: 623

|
|

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

#### Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

* Aubrey Dunn (L)

## Candidate profiles[edit]

See also: Editorial approach to writing about key campaign messages

Martin Heinrich, senator from New Mexico

Party: Democratic

Incumbent: Yes

Political office: U.S. Senate (Assumed office: 2013), U.S. House (2009-2013), Albuquerque City Council (2003-2007)

Biography: Heinrich received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Before entering politics, he worked as a mechanical engineer at Kirtland Air Force Base. Heinrich was also an AmeriCorps fellow and executive director of the Cottonwood Gulch Foundation.

Key messages

* Heinrich emphasized his record in the Senate, saying he worked to improve the state's economy and increase jobs. He highlighted his push for renewable energy tax incentives, building a transmission line to export energy out of the state, and securing money for the state's defense sector.[3]

* He said education was one of his priorities, connecting it to the state's long-term economic health. He supported increasing funding of early childhood education and making changes to the Pell grant system to assist those pursuing higher education.[3]

Gary Johnson, former governor of New Mexico

Party: Libertarian

Incumbent: No

Political office: Governor of New Mexico (1995-2003)

Biography: Gary Johnson started a construction company before entering politics. He served as governor of New Mexico as a Republican from 1995 to 2003. Johnson was the Libertarian Party's nominee for president in 2012 and 2016.[4]

Key messages

* Johnson emphasized that he was not affiliated with either major party and said he would "take the best of both sides." He said he'd have a powerful position in the Senate as a swing vote.[5]

* Johnson opposed Trump's positions on immigration and tariffs and said he wanted to decrease the size of the federal government and reduce the deficit.[4]

* Johnson touted his record as governor, saying he cut taxes and wasteful spending and reduced the size of government while in office.

Mike Rich, member of New Mexico Labor and Industrial Commission

Party: Republican

Incumbent: No

Political office: New Mexico Labor and Industrial Commission

Biography: Mick Rich worked as a civil engineer and founded Mick Rich Contractors in 1984. Rich became a member of the New Mexico Labor and Industrial Commission in 2013.[6]

Key messages

* Rich emphasized his support for President Donald Trump's economic policies, including the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which he criticized Heinrich for voting against.[7][8]

* Rich said the state had not done well for 12 years, citing its unemployment rate as an example, and that Heinrich had not improved the state's economy. Rich said that, as a business owner, he was equipped to increase jobs.[9]

## Polls[edit]

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
U.S. Senate election in New Mexico, Heinrich (D) v. Johnson (L) v. Rich (R)

Poll | Poll sponsor |  Martin Heinrich |  Gary Johnson|  Mick Rich| Undecided| Margin of error| Sample size
Research & Polling Inc.
Oct. 26-Nov. 1, 2018| Albuquerque Journal | 51%| 12%| 31%| 6%| +/-4.7| 993
Emerson College
October 24-26, 2018| N/A | 48%| 16%| 32%| 6%| +/-3.4| 936
Research & Polling Inc.
September 7-13, 2018| Albuquerque Journal | 47%| 16%| 26%| 0%| +/-3.1| 966
Emerson College
August 17-18, 2018| N/A | 39%| 21%| 11%| 30%| +/-4.6| 500
AVERAGES| |  46.25%|  16.25%|  25%|  10.5%|  +/-3.95|  848.75
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.

### PredictIt Prices[edit]

This section provides the PredictIt market prices for this race during the three months leading up to the election. PredictIt is a site where people make and trade predictions on political and financial events. Market prices reflect the probability, based on PredictIt users' predictions, that a candidate will win a race. For example, a market price of $0.60 for Candidate A is equivalent to a 60 percent probability that Candidate A will win.

## Campaign finance[edit]

The chart below contains data from financial reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission.

Name | Party | Receipts* | Disbursements** | Cash on hand | Date

|
|
|
|
|

Martin Heinrich | Democratic Party | $6,377,070 | $7,263,558 | $654,974 |  As of December 31, 2018
Mick Rich | Republican Party | $968,899 | $967,618 | $1,278 |  As of December 31, 2018

Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," .

* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee."
** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election.

## Satellite spending[edit]

Satellite spending, commonly referred to as outside spending, describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[10][11][12]

This section lists satellite spending in this race reported by news outlets in alphabetical order. If you are aware of spending that should be included, please email us.

* Protect Freedom PAC announced on October 5 that it would spend $2 million on TV and digital ads supporting Gary Johnson.[13]

## Race ratings[edit]

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Ballotpedia provides race ratings from three outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, and Sabato's Crystal Ball. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:

* Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
* Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
* Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.[14]
* Tossup ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.

Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.[15][16][17]

Race ratings: U.S. Senate election in New Mexico, 2018

Race tracker| Race ratings
| October 30, 2018| October 23, 2018| October 16, 2018| October 9, 2018
The Cook Political Report| Solid Democratic| Solid Democratic| Solid Democratic| Solid Democratic
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales| Solid Democratic| Solid Democratic| Solid Democratic| Solid Democratic
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball| Safe Democratic| Safe Democratic| Safe Democratic| Safe Democratic
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every two weeks throughout the election season.

## Noteworthy endorsements[edit]

This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes links to endorsement lists published on campaign websites, if available. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please email us.

Click the links below to see endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites, if available.

* Gary Johnson

## Campaign ads[edit]

This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.

###  Martin Heinrich[edit]

#### Support[edit]

"Mark Praught" - Heinrich campaign ad released October 2, 2018

"Wilderness" - Heinrich campaign ad released September 18, 2018

"Care" - Heinrich campaign ad released September 10, 2018

"Clean" - Heinrich campaign ad released August 21, 2018

"Every Corner" - Heinrich campaign ad released July 29, 2018

"Soundtrack" - Heinrich campaign ad released March 6, 2018

#### Oppose[edit]

"Who Is This Extreme Liberal?" - Rich campaign ad released July 16, 2018

"Heinrich Supreme Court Hypocrisy" - Rich campaign ad released July 12, 2018

"Heinrich Loses Primary" - Rich campaign ad released June 11, 2018

###  Gary Johnson[edit]

#### Support[edit]

"Record of Independence" - Protect Freedom PAC ad released October 5, 2018

"Fiercely Independent" - Elect Liberty PAC ad released August 30, 2018

"Gary Johnson the Unpolitician" - Elect Liberty PAC ad released August 29, 2018

"You Know Gary Johnson" - Elect Liberty PAC ad released August 13, 2018

###  Mick Rich[edit]

"Mick Rich: America Must Secure Our Border" - Rich campaign ad released October 25, 2018

"Mick Rich Will Secure Our Border" - Rich campaign ad released September 28, 2018

## Noteworthy events[edit]

### Brett Kavanaugh confirmation vote[edit]

See also: Supreme Court vacancy, 2018: An overview

On October 6, 2018, the U.S. Senate voted to confirm the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court. Fifty senators voted to confirm Kavanaugh's nomination, 48 voted against, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) voted present. A simple majority was required to confirm Kavanaugh.[18]

Heinrich voted against Kavanaugh's confirmation on October 6, 2018. He released a statement following the vote, saying, "I voted against confirming Judge Kavanaugh based not only on the substance of his views and the broken process being used to rush his nomination through the Senate on a partisan basis, but also because I have serious doubts about his credibility and truthfulness."[19]

Rich said prior to the vote that he supported Kavanaugh's confirmation, saying, "He has a strong record of upholding our constitution and laws on the federal bench, and I urge the U.S. Senate to act swiftly to hold hearings and vote on this nomination."[20]

Johnson said in a statement that he would have voted in favor of Kavanaugh's confirmation.[21]

## Debates and forums[edit]

* October 26, 2018: Heinrich, Johnson, and Rich met in a second debate. Read roundups of the event here and here.

* October 12, 2018: Heinrich, Johnson, and Rich participated in a debate. View a video of the event here.

## Campaign themes[edit]

###  Martin Heinrich[edit]

Heinrich’s campaign website stated the following:

“  |

Bases & Labs
FOR THE BETTER PART OF A CENTURY, NEW MEXICO HAS LED THE WAY IN PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES OF TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION TO KEEP OUR NATION SAFE.

As new threats emerge and technology evolves, so must the missions of our military installations and labs. That’s why keeping New Mexico at the forefront of our nation’s advancements in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance is one of Martin’s top priorities.

Securing missions and investments for our labs and installations is not only critical to our national security, but it’s also a key driver of our state’s economy. Our military installations inject $3.1 billion into New Mexico’s economy and directly support nearly 25,000 jobs – not to mention the private sector jobs created by small businesses working with our military. These are good paying, high-tech jobs of the 21st century.

But in order to continue to create these kinds of jobs in New Mexico, Martin knows we must better educate our children and retrain our workforce. In the next few years, our national labs will have over 5,000 job openings – jobs that can and should be filled by New Mexicans. By developing new pathways and connecting community resources, Martin aims to generate future growth and sustainable futures for all of New Mexico’s vital contributions to our nation’s security, innovation, and prosperity.

MARTIN HAS:

* Landed two new F-16 squadrons at Holloman Air Force Base
* Saved Kirtland Air Force Base’s critically important Operationally Responsive Space Program
* Brought millions of dollars back to Cannon Air Force Base for crucial infrastructure upgrades
* Secured a new active duty mission at White Sands Missile Range
* Landed multi-million dollar contracts for New Mexico-based businesses like Aquila to manufacture defense technology to keep our troops safe
* Passed $200 million in spending in 2017 for directed energy research, a growing high-tech field being generated in New Mexico
* Increased opportunities for New Mexico’s businesses to partner with the labs and for technology developed at the labs to be commercialized
* Increased funding for Laboratory Directed Research and Development
* Successfully pushed the Obama administration to increase funding for environmental cleanup at Los Alamos National Laboratory

Conservation
NEW MEXICO’S BOUNDLESS NATURAL RESOURCES POWER OUR PEOPLE AND OUR ECONOMY.

Protecting these resources have driven Martin’s time in public office, from his work passing green building codes and water conservation incentives on the Albuquerque city council to his fight to keep public lands in public hands.

Martin’s work to protect our lands and grow our outdoor recreation industry is helping to strengthen New Mexico’s economy. Each year the outdoor industry generates $9.9 billion in consumer spending, $623 million in state and local tax revenue, and 99,000 jobs across the state.

Protecting our public lands and New Mexico’s way of life includes acknowledging that climate change is real and taking concrete steps to stop its effects. Martin is a recognized leader in the Senate calling for climate action, curbing greenhouse gases and energy conservation.

Public lands connect people of all means with our traditions and the great outdoors – when we protect these places, it doesn’t take much for families to go camping, hunting or fishing. While wealthy special interests would prefer locked gates and no trespassing signs, public land advocates like Martin are fighting back on behalf of working families and our environment.

MARTIN HAS:

* Championed the creation of the Rio Grande Del Norte and Organ Mountains Desert-Peaks National Monuments and stood up to the Trump administration’s attempted land-grab
* Created the Columbine-Hondo Wilderness in the Carson National Forest
* Played an instrumental role in the creation of the Sabinoso Wilderness and worked to finally unlock public access
* Pushed the creation of the Manhattan Project National Historic Park into law
* Passed legislation expanding public access to the Valles Caldera National Preserve and putting the National Park *Service in charge of its management
* Made it easier for defense installations to launch clean energy projects
* Led the fight to keep a rule limiting natural gas waste to protect air quality and taxpayer-owned natural gas

Crime
MARTIN IS DOING EVERYTHING HE CAN TO KEEP NEW MEXICANS SAFE.

He also knows that New Mexico – especially Albuquerque – has a crime problem.

As an Albuquerque city councilor, Martin passed laws making it harder to purchase ingredients used in meth, worked with convenience stores to improve their security, and cracked down on gang activity in the city, including reducing graffiti across Albuquerque. In the Senate, Martin fights for funding to get more police officers on the streets.

But Martin knows this isn’t enough. A long-term solution to reducing crime in New Mexico requires reforming our criminal justice system. Martin supports a criminal justice system that prioritizes pursuing violent criminals over nonviolent offenders, and is working to reduce mandatory minimums for low-level drug offenders. Martin knows we must restore trust between law enforcement and the communities they protect. He’s called for an end to racial profiling, decried police brutality, and pushed for body camera use by law enforcement.

Only by strengthening community policing will we restore order and have the help we need to put the repeat offenders terrorizing our community behind bars.

'Economy
GROWING NEW MEXICO’S ECONOMY IS MARTIN’S NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.

Martin believes that every New Mexican who is willing to work – whether with their hands, on their feet, or behind a desk – deserves a good paying job where they can move up and get ahead. And he knows that creating those quality jobs starts with creating a fair playing field.

That’s why Martin has worked to close the gender pay gap, raise the federal minimum wage to $15, and ease the barriers to entry for New Mexicans to take risks and start new businesses.

Through a process called tech transfer, Martin has helped local businesses work with our national labs to develop new products and start successful homegrown companies.

Martin also knows that the best way to create jobs in New Mexico requires rebuilding our infrastructure and educating our workforce.

That’s why Martin has championed investments in renewable energy in New Mexico. By adding transmission capacity to export our clean energy to other states, it will create thousands of new jobs – especially in rural communities.

Martin brought together our national labs, universities, and community colleges to create a pipeline that trains our children for the jobs of the future and he made it easier for our labs to hire talented New Mexico graduates and contract locally.

Martin knows by building an economy that supports working families, small businesses, and rural communities, we can create opportunity in every part of New Mexico.

MARTIN HAS:

* Delivered renewable energy tax incentives driving a clean energy boom across the state, including a 54 percent increase in solar jobs in a single year
* Created public land protections helping fuel New Mexico’s $9.9 billion outdoor recreation industry and supporting 99,000 jobs
* Generated more opportunities for small businesses to partner with New Mexico’s national labs
* Streamlined permitting for public land energy producers
* Made it easier to commercialize technology developed at our national labs
* Saved Amtrak stops in Northern New Mexico
* Extended hours at Santa Teresa’s Port of Entry to put it on a level playing field with El Paso
* Ensured livestock producers affected by drought had access to disaster assistance funds
* Secured job retraining benefits for laid-off miners
* Fought every year to protect the nearly $38 million in PILT funding our local governments depend on for important public safety and infrastructure projects

Education
ONE OF MARTIN’S TOP PRIORITIES IN THE SENATE IS CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERY NEW MEXICAN TO SUCCEED.

That begins with ensuring every New Mexico child has access to a quality education, whether they live in the center of town or a rural community.

Investing in early education has shown to be the most effective thing we can do to prepare our children to succeed. That’s why Martin has pushed state leaders to invest a portion of the permanent fund to make sure all New Mexico children get a head start.

Martin envisions a public education pipeline – one that carries students from early childhood education to college or technical schools – to fill the jobs of the future that are being created in New Mexico.

Martin believes this public education pipeline should be fully funded and should be shaped by local input. That’s why he fought for an education reform bill that required states to have teacher and parental input in education accountability plans.

Martin also believes every New Mexican should have the opportunity to continue their education, whether it’s a four-year degree, community college, or vocational training. For a fraction of the $1.5 trillion hole the Republican special interest tax plan blew in the budget, we could provide tuition for every aspiring graduate for the next decade.

Martin’s parents did everything they could to ensure he had the opportunity to go to college. Martin’s fighting to make sure all New Mexicans have that same opportunity. Higher education should not be a luxury; it should be an opportunity all New Mexicans can afford.

MARTIN HAS:

* Passed year-round Pell Grants
* Required parent and educator input on state education plans
* Allowed states to opt-out of unnecessary standardized testing
* Strengthened support for English as a second language students
* Brought the labs and regional schools together to coordinate preparing students to work in the national labs
* Saved the STARBASE afterschool program, designed to inspire students to study and work in STEM fields

Energy
WITH A BACKGROUND IN ENGINEERING AND A FATHER WHO WAS A UTILITY LINEMAN, MARTIN BRINGS A UNIQUE VOICE TO THE SENATE WHEN DEBATING ISSUES OF ENERGY PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION.

Renewable technologies are critical to accommodating our country’s energy needs. Martin works each and every day to ensure New Mexico is positioned as one of the leaders in the growing clean energy economy, with a trained workforce ready to take on the oncoming jobs.

That’s why Martin secured funding for energy projects at New Mexico’s national labs, why he brokered a bipartisan deal to extend solar and wind investment and production tax credits, and why he worked to make it easier to approve wind, solar, and geothermal energy projects on public lands – projects that not only create good paying jobs, but bring revenues to New Mexico.

Martin understands the steps we need to take now to prepare our energy infrastructure for our carbon-free future. He is a recognized leader on energy storage, a game-changing technology that will make our power grid more resilient and efficient. Martin is also working to make it easier for New Mexico’s clean energy producers to export their energy to other states – otherwise, New Mexico’s renewable energy resources will be left untapped and undeveloped.

MARTIN HAS:

* Delivered clean energy tax incentives driving a renewable energy boom, particularly in our rural communities
* Fought for a major transmission line to sell New Mexico’s green energy out of state
* Pushed for clean energy research at New Mexico’s national laboratories to create clean energy innovations
* Convened a task force and landed a grant to create clean energy jobs in Southwestern New Mexico
* Helped Albuquerque land renewable energy bonds to put solar panels on city buildings without cost to taxpayers
* Launched a toolkit to help rural business, local governments, tribes and schools to go solar

Foreign Policy
THE UNITED STATES SHOULD STAND AS A BEACON FOR DEMOCRACY, FREEDOM, AND HUMAN RIGHTS.

The Trump administration is threatening our country’s role as a leader in world affairs by saber rattling, bungling our relationship with allies, and embracing our adversaries. The president is promoting an isolationist world view and turning his back on the values that make us American, unraveling our moral standing in real time.

That’s why Martin stands for a return to smart foreign policy – that emphasizes diplomacy and working with our allies – not rash threats issued over Twitter. We must recommit to working with multinational organizations like the UN and NATO to counteract worldwide threats from countries like North Korea and Russia. And our foreign policy must emphasize protecting civil and human rights at home and abroad because that is among our nation’s core values.

As a member of the Senate Select Intelligence Committee, Martin has a unique role in the investigation of Russia’s interference in the 2016 election. He has been sounding the alarm on Russia’s use of digital propaganda to divide Americans and has been outspoken for the need for a cyberwarfare doctrine for the next time Russia or any other country attacks us. Until we do, Martin is working to secure our country’s infrastructure, from our electric grid to our voting machines, against future cyberattacks.

Martin believes the United States must be thoughtful when deciding whether to go to war. There must be specific, achievable objectives if it does. While we should always be able to project a counter terrorism force wherever terrorist groups seek refuge, we cannot continue to be the de-facto security service for the rest of the world.

Rather than letting at-risk nations fall under control of terrorists or our advisories, Martin believes we must invest in foreign aid to help stabilize these areas, saving us significant defense spending down the road and creating goodwill among the citizens in these areas. Finally, Martin knows we must pay attention to the facts and act to combat climate change. If we do not, its effects will exacerbate resource conflicts and create millions of refugees around the world.

Health Care
MARTIN BELIEVES THAT HEALTH CARE IS A HUMAN RIGHT. When Martin voted to pass the Affordable Care Act in 2010, he knew it was a critical step toward ensuring universal health care. New Mexico has seen incredible gains in health coverage and job growth in the health sector since the ACA went into effect.

But it is not nearly enough.

We live in the wealthiest country in the world, yet more than 200,000 New Mexicans still do not have access to quality, affordable health care, including 25,000 children.

This is unacceptable.

While Republicans claim to want reform, their attempts to dismantle our health care system would only kick millions off their insurance plans and result in higher costs with fewer benefits.

Martin knows that we must do better. We must do everything possible to address the skyrocketing price of care in our country and ensure universal access to quality, affordable care for all Americans. And that starts by fixing what is not working in our health care system, not dismantling it.

To rein in the skyrocketing costs of prescription drugs, Martin is working to allow Medicare to negotiate for the best possible deal for prescription drugs, a no-brainer that will lower costs for seniors. Martin is also carrying a bill allowing reimportation of cheaper prescription drugs from Canada while ensuring the prescriptions have FDA oversight and are still safe.

Martin knows that by expanding programs that work – Medicare, Medicaid, and others – we can ensure that every American has access to the care they need and deserve.

MARTIN HAS:

* Proudly voted for the Affordable Care Act and stood up to Republicans’ sabotage
* Delayed the so-called Cadillac Tax on employee health plans that hurts middle-class workers until 2022, and continues to fight to eliminate this tax altogether
* Passed a law to expand telehealth programs to benefit rural New Mexicans, making it easier for rural patients and primary care doctors to consult with specialists, and saving patients from hours of travel
* Led the effort to reauthorize the Indian Health Care Improvement Act
* Successfully held the Martinez administration accountable for its decision to upend New Mexico’s behavioral health system
* Closed the prescription donut hole that forced our seniors to pay out of pocket for the medications they desperately needed

Immigration
OUR CURRENT IMMIGRATION SYSTEM IS BROKEN. Martin knows we need real, comprehensive immigration reform, including a visa system that addresses our economic needs, an earned and fair path to citizenship, and smart investments in security. We should be welcoming the best and brightest, not wasting resources unfairly tearing apart families. Those dollars should be spent going after violent and repeat offenders.

Immigration reform must also protect our Dreamers – undocumented immigrants brought here as children through no fault of their own and who don’t know how to be anything but American. This is their home and they deserve a permanent solution to allow them to stay.

What we don’t need is a border wall that our border communities do not want, or an un-American ban on immigrants based on their religion. While Martin supports rigorous safety screenings, he also believes that America is not a country that turns its back on innocent victims of terrorism, allies who risked their lives for our service members or those who simply want a better life for their families.

Martin will continue to fight for New Mexico’s rich diversity and to uphold our proud legacy of embracing immigrant communities that contribute to our culture and economy.

MARTIN HAS:

* Implored the Trump administration to urge ICE to focus its limited resources on violent criminals – not law-abiding immigrants
* Successfully pressed the Trump administration to let Dreamers’ whose DACA applications were mishandled to reapply
* Extended the hours at Santa Teresa’s Port of Entry to make it more competitive with El Paso
* Increased funding for the National Guard’s counterdrug program and secured more resources in New Mexico’s Bootheel
* Urged then-President Obama to pardon all Dreamers before he left office

Opioids
OUR NATION IS IN THE MIDST OF AN OPIOID ADDICTION EPIDEMIC.

For decades, New Mexicans have known all too well the devastating effects of opioid addiction and the difficulty finding treatment for family members. Rather than alienating those struggling with drug addiction, Martin believes we must emphasize rehabilitation and treatment.

The Trump Administration has failed to deliver real resources to combat opioids. Martin helped pass $6 billion in funding to address the opioid epidemic, but he knows that is not sufficient. That’s why he’s working to pass a $45 billion investment in prevention, detection and treatment of opioid addiction – critical funds to expand treatment options in New Mexico and help those suffering from addiction begin recovery.

Veterans
As a nation, we make a promise to support and care for our servicemembers, veterans, and military family members. As the son and brother of veterans, Martin is committed to doing everything he can to make sure we fulfill our promises.

Martin works tirelessly to hold the VA accountable and ensure that every veteran receives the benefits and care they deserve, especially our veterans living in rural areas. That’s why he ensured Alamogordo veterans could travel to El Paso’s VA for care.

In New Mexico, Martin fought for the expansion of Santa Fe’s community-based outpatient clinic and for a new VA clinic in Gallup, and is urging the VA to address staffing needs across our state.

Each and every day, Martin fights for those who fought for us, by sticking up for them against Washington’s bureaucracy and making sure we keep our promises.

MARTIN HAS:

* Passed the Veterans Choice Act, allowing more veterans to receive care in their communities, instead of traveling hours to the nearest VA
* Strengthened veterans’ education benefits and allowed veterans and their children to pay in-state tuition no matter where in the country they lived
* Worked across the aisle to address the shameful VA claims backlog, modernized the appeals process, and improved accountability at the VA
* Helped expand community-based outpatient clinics for veterans around the state, including in Gallup, Raton, and Santa Fe
* Led the fight to ensure veterans’ children could remain on their parents’ plan until age 26[22]

|  ”

|
|

—Martin Heinrich’s campaign website (2018)[23]

###  Gary Johnson[edit]

Johnson’s campaign website stated the following:

“  |

Foreign Policy and National Defense
A More Practical Foreign Policy The objective of both our foreign policy and our military should be straightforward: To protect us from harm and to allow us to exercise our freedoms.

Over the past couple of decades, it is difficult to see how the wars we have waged, the interventions we have conducted, the lives sacrificed, and the trillions of tax dollars we have spent on the other side of the globe have made us safer. If anything, interventionist policies have made us less safe.

Many senior military and foreign policy analysts have concluded that the rise of ISIS, for example, was encouraged by instability created by our meddling in the affairs of others. The last several administrations, both Republican and Democrat, have used our military resources to pursue regime changes, embark on impossible nation-building exercises, and to establish the United States as the policeman of the world.

The results: New enemies and perpetual war.

We have enough problems to solve right here at home.

We must repair relationships with our allies, clarify our objectives, and only send our brave members of the military to war when clearly authorized by Congress after meaningful, transparent deliberation and debate.

The idea that we can defeat terrorism by simply putting more boots on the ground or dropping more bombs ignores the reality that this expensive tactic simply hasn’t worked.

Education
Education Belongs With the States, Parents Nothing is more important to our future than educating our next generations.

As Governor, Gary Johnson worked tirelessly to have a more substantive discussion about the best way to provide good education for our children.

He did so while working with an overwhelmingly Democratic legislature and despite fierce opposition from powerful special interests.

Gary Johnson believes state and local governments should have more control over education policy. Decisions that affect our children should be made closer to home, not by bureaucrats and politicians in Washington, D.C.

The key to restoring education excellence in the U.S. lies in innovation, freedom, and flexibility that Washington, D.C. cannot provide.

Taxes
The Tax Code Does All the Wrong Things Today’s federal tax code does all the wrong things. It penalizes productivity, savings and investment, while rewarding inefficiency and designating winners and losers according to political whim.

As Governor, Gary Johnson worked with a Democratic legislature to cut New Mexico taxes on incomes, gasoline and small businesses.

For far too long, federal tax laws have been used not just as a means to collect needed revenues, but as a way for special interests to penalize their competitors while subsidizing themselves. The result is a tax code that is more than 70,000 pages long, enforced by a government agency with almost 100,000 employees. The result is a nightmare for the average American and unfair advantages for those with the means to manipulate the politicians.

Gary Johnson advocates lower taxes, the elimination of special interest loopholes, and a system that is both simple and fair.

Civil Liberties
Civil Liberties Are Fundamental to America Whether it’s trying to tell you who to love, or looking through your cell phone, the greatest threat to our civil liberties has become the government itself. That needs to be stopped by a renewed appreciation for what it means to be free.

Our Founding Fathers crafted the 4th Amendment, for example, to prevent the government from snooping into our private lives without a warrant.

Yet today, we have a government that spies on private communications, monitors our financial transactions, and even photographs our license plates -- all without legitimate warrants or due process of law.

Gary Johnson wants to get the government out of your personal life. Out of your cell phone. Out of your bedroom. And back into the business of protecting your freedoms, not threatening them.

Gary Johnson believes that people, not politicians, should make choices in their personal lives, as long as harm is not done to others.

Support Our Veterans
We Have a Solemn Obligation to Our Veterans Gary Johnson believes strongly that we have a solemn obligation to honor those who have fought for us, sacrificed for us, and put their lives on the line to defend our great nation. When it comes to fulfilling that obligation, there can be no equivocation.

Health care choices should rest with veterans themselves. While there are many dedicated, caring professionals working in VA facilities, much of the bureaucracy of the VA is more concerned with its own perpetuation than with providing veterans with the care they need. That must be corrected NOW.

From elder care to PTSD to the specific health challenges of women who have served in uniform, veterans have a wide range of urgent needs. For some, the VA medical system is the best or only option. That system must function efficiently, provide timely care, and meet the standards we would expect for our own family members. For those who need care from private physicians or hospitals, that option must be available.

Likewise, Gary Johnson understands the challenges faced by many veterans in their transition to civilian life and careers. The discipline and skills earned from military service are of tremendous value to many employers. It is part of our moral contract with those who have served to not only maintain the GI Bill, but to enhance public-private partnerships designed to match veterans’ skills with the career choices they wish to make.

Family support, counseling and other tools for helping veterans deal with their unique challenges are essential. Homelessness, substance abuse, and yes, suicide are all-too frequent among veterans as they re-enter civilian life – and our obligation to support those who have served does not end when they sign their discharge papers.

Immigration
Practical Reform. No Walls. Assimilation. New Mexicans understand immigration. Long before immigration -- and immigrants themselves -- became pawns in a huge political game, we had learned to share a border with Mexico, welcome those who want to come here to work and make better lives for their families, and appreciate the tremendous contributions they make.

Having served as Governor of New Mexico, Gary Johnson knows the complex issues associated with immigration reform first hand. Solving immigration problems is not as easy as building a wall or militarizing OUR border with Mexico.

And separating parents from their children, and putting those children in detention centers is most certainly not a solution to anything.

Politicians who have for too long played on fear and demonized immigrants have rendered Congress incapable of common sense reforms. A straightforward system that allows immigrants to obtain work visas and move back and forth across the border efficiently will go a very long way toward reducing illegal entry and allow the government to focus resources on actual criminals and those who would do us harm.

Gary Johnson doesn’t want a Wall. He wants a common sense system that works.[22]

|  ”

|
|

—Gary Johnson’s campaign website (2018)[24]

###  Mick Rich[edit]

Rich’s campaign website stated the following:

“  |

Taxes
The Republican Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 has fixed many of our tax system’s problems. It has repatriated billions of dollars and thousands of jobs that had been moved overseas to escape America’s high corporate tax rate. It has stimulated investment and job creation, raised wages, added employee benefits such as parental leave, and inspired millions of one-time employee bonuses worth thousands of dollars each. It has cut taxes for 80-90 percent of all taxpayers.

How else can we improve our new tax system? Continue to make it fairer, simpler, and more honest. We can close special interest loopholes and end tax codes that allow cheating. When we’re done, payroll employees should feel no need for professional help to file their taxes, and every taxpayer should feel we all pay our fair share.

Sanctity of Life
The right to life is the civil rights issue of our time. We must protect the unborn and their mothers, the elderly, people with disabilities and terminal diseases, and other rejected and threatened members of society. Mick believes that life begins at conception, and that abortion harms everyone touched by it. It rips the moral fabric of our nation. We must end this divisive national tragedy as soon as possible, so that once again, America can serve as a beacon of human rights around the world.

Jobs & Economy
The federal government kills more American jobs through regulation than it could ever create through public works projects or stimulus packages. We must remove all regulations that discourage hiring, discourage banks from lending to businesses, and discourage manufacturers from producing goods here in America. The White House has begun to eliminate these needless and burdensome regulations.

Next, we can shift existing federal spending from non-productive programs to renew our national infrastructure. Our roads, bridges, railroads, airports, water and sewer lines, and energy generation and transmission systems form the backbone of our economy and the lifeline of our public well being. But compared with other wealthy nations, America’s infrastructure is old and crumbling. Repairing and renewing it will help both businesses and citizens, and will create steady, good-paying, hard hat jobs. This isn’t government magic – it’s common sense.

2nd Amendment
Human beings have the God-given right to protect themselves, their families, and their communities. Americans have the Constitutional right to buy, own, and carry firearms. Our Second Amendment rights should allow us undisturbed carry of our firearms no matter which state we live in or travel to. Black guns – often wrongly called “assault rifles” – should have equal legal status as other hunting rifles. And gun owners should be able to protect their hearing by buying silencers without undergoing a background investigation or paying a special tax.

Energy
New Mexico’s federal public lands were always intended to benefit its citizens. But recently, much of New Mexico’s public land has been fenced off from the people. This is an outrageous overreach by the federal government. We demand the return of our public land for energy production and job creation, while we preserve its natural beauty for our children and grandchildren. New Mexico can and will lead our nation in producing clean energy for national energy independence.

Healthcare
Mick wants to replace the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and restore a free-market approach to health insurance. We should be able to buy insurance across state lines, just like car insurance. Each of us should take responsibility for our health, and work with our medical providers to control costs.

Immigration
Our country’s generosity exceeds our resources to assimilate everyone who wants to immigrate here. Currently, illegal immigrants far outnumber legal immigrants – and we can’t even properly vet our legal immigrants. Illegal immigrants who disobey our laws, disrespect our country, or intend to do us harm cannot be allowed to stay. Once our current immigration pattern is reversed, and legal immigrants far outnumber illegal immigrants, we can address the status of those illegal immigrants who have become responsible members of society.

Veterans
Mick is committed to giving our veterans the care and dignity they deserve. As currently run, the Department of Veteran Affairs proves that government-run healthcare doesn’t work. Our wounded warriors deserve the best medical care possible

National Security
Protecting America and Americans from foreign threats and terrorists is our federal government’s top priority. Mick will ensure that New Mexico’s military bases and national laboratories continue to play a vital role in keeping America safe. The men and women who protect our country – our military and first responders – will be the best trained and equipped in the world. And we will provide our veterans the best medical care possible.[22]

|  ”

|
|

—Mick Rich’s campaign website (2018)[25]

## Social media[edit]

### Twitter accounts[edit]

Tweets by Martin Heinrich Tweets by Gary Johnson Tweets by Mick Rich

### Facebook accounts[edit]

Click the icons below to visit the candidates' Facebook pages.

Martin Heinrich

Gary Johnson

Mick Rich

## Other 2018 statewide elections[edit]

See also: States with both gubernatorial and U.S. Senate elections in 2018

This race took place in one of twenty-two states that held elections for both governor and U.S. Senate in 2018.

A table of where these elections occurred, the names of incumbents prior to the 2018 elections, and links to our coverage of these races can be viewed by clicking "[show]" on the banner below:

States holding both Gubernatorial and Senate elections in 2018

State  |  Incumbent Governor  |  Open Seat?  |  Incumbent Senator  |  Open Seat?
Arizona  |  Doug Ducey |  No |  Jeff Flake |  Yes
California  |  Jerry Brown |  Yes |  Dianne Feinstein |  No
Connecticut  |  Dan Malloy |  Yes |  Chris Murphy |  No
Florida  |  Rick Scott |  Yes |  Bill Nelson |  No
Hawaii  |  David Ige |  No |  Mazie Hirono |  No
Maine  |  Paul LePage |  Yes |  Angus King |  No
Maryland  |  Larry Hogan |  No |  Ben Cardin |  No
Massachusetts  |  Charlie Baker |  No |  Elizabeth Warren |  No
Michigan  |  Rick Snyder |  Yes |  Debbie Stabenow |  No
Minnesota  |  Mark Dayton |  Yes |  Amy Klobuchar |  No
Nebraska  |  Pete Ricketts |  No |  Deb Fischer |  No
Nevada  |  Brian Sandoval |  Yes |  Dean Heller |  No
New Mexico  |  Susana Martinez |  Yes |  Martin Heinrich |  No
New York  |  Andrew Cuomo |  No |  Kirsten Gillibrand |  No
Ohio  |  John Kasich |  Yes |  Sherrod Brown |  No
Pennsylvania  |  Tom Wolf |  No |  Bob Casey, Jr. |  No
Rhode Island  |  Gina Raimondo |  No |  Sheldon Whitehouse |  No
Tennessee  |  Bill Haslam |  Yes |  Bob Corker |  Yes
Texas  |  Greg Abbott |  No |  Ted Cruz |  No
Vermont  |  Phil Scott |  No |  Bernie Sanders |  No
Wisconsin  |  Scott Walker |  No |  Tammy Baldwin |  No
Wyoming  |  Matt Mead |  Yes |  John Barrasso |  No

## Pivot Counties[edit]

See also: Pivot Counties by state

Three of 33 New Mexico counties—9 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008

County  |  Trump margin of victory in 2016  |  Obama margin of victory in 2012  |  Obama margin of victory in 2008
Colfax County, New Mexico | 8.55% | 2.24% | 10.73%
Hidalgo County, New Mexico | 6.73% | 4.96% | 2.92%
Valencia County, New Mexico | 8.60% | 2.47% | 7.72%

In the 2016 presidential election, Hillary Clinton (D) won New Mexico with 48.3 percent of the vote. Donald Trump (R) received 40 percent. In presidential elections between 1912 and 2016, New Mexico voted Democratic 56 percent of the time and Republican 44 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, New Mexico voted Democratic four times. The state voted Republican in 2004.[26]

#### Presidential results by legislative district[edit]

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in New Mexico. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[27][28]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 45 out of 70 state House districts in New Mexico with an average margin of victory of 29.5 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 45 out of 70 state House districts in New Mexico with an average margin of victory of 26.7 points. Clinton won nine districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections.

In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 25 out of 70 state House districts in New Mexico with an average margin of victory of 24.4 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 25 out of 70 state House districts in New Mexico with an average margin of victory of 27 points. Trump won two districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.

2016 presidential results by state House district

District |  Obama |  Romney |  2012 Margin |  Clinton |  Trump |  2016 Margin |  Party Control
1 | 20.96% | 75.79% | R+54.8 | 18.04% | 72.51% | R+54.5 | R
2 | 27.47% | 69.17% | R+41.7 | 21.96% | 67.15% | R+45.2 | R
3 | 22.91% | 73.48% | R+50.6 | 17.17% | 73.66% | R+56.5 | R
4 | 51.61% | 45.33% | D+6.3 | 42.79% | 42.74% | D+0.1 | R
5 | 70.17% | 26.83% | D+43.3 | 60.70% | 24.05% | D+36.6 | D
6 | 70.21% | 27.48% | D+42.7 | 58.64% | 28.48% | D+30.2 | D
7 | 50.49% | 44.11% | D+6.4 | 40.92% | 45.72% | R+4.8 | R
8 | 46.36% | 48.66% | R+2.3 | 37.51% | 49.60% | R+12.1 | R
9 | 71.00% | 26.44% | D+44.6 | 61.37% | 24.12% | D+37.2 | D
10 | 65.21% | 30.46% | D+34.8 | 56.93% | 31.21% | D+25.7 | D
11 | 74.16% | 20.74% | D+53.4 | 69.71% | 18.46% | D+51.2 | D
12 | 68.74% | 26.63% | D+42.1 | 61.46% | 27.69% | D+33.8 | D
13 | 67.68% | 27.95% | D+39.7 | 59.39% | 27.06% | D+32.3 | D
14 | 75.95% | 20.09% | D+55.9 | 65.37% | 23.23% | D+42.1 | D
15 | 49.95% | 45.35% | D+4.6 | 48.43% | 38.84% | D+9.6 | R
16 | 60.23% | 35.40% | D+24.8 | 54.22% | 33.06% | D+21.2 | D
17 | 62.55% | 32.61% | D+29.9 | 57.98% | 29.63% | D+28.3 | D
18 | 74.99% | 17.57% | D+57.4 | 73.69% | 13.64% | D+60.1 | D
19 | 71.55% | 22.91% | D+48.6 | 67.73% | 20.05% | D+47.7 | D
20 | 46.26% | 48.57% | R+2.3 | 45.05% | 41.13% | D+3.9 | R
21 | 61.08% | 33.19% | D+27.9 | 53.96% | 31.12% | D+22.8 | D
22 | 42.30% | 51.77% | R+9.5 | 40.33% | 46.60% | R+6.3 | R
23 | 50.61% | 44.70% | D+5.9 | 47.86% | 39.71% | D+8.1 | D
24 | 52.10% | 42.11% | D+10 | 47.19% | 36.79% | D+10.4 | D
25 | 60.90% | 33.31% | D+27.6 | 57.03% | 28.81% | D+28.2 | D
26 | 62.57% | 33.00% | D+29.6 | 55.12% | 32.19% | D+22.9 | D
27 | 43.63% | 51.56% | R+7.9 | 43.86% | 42.63% | D+1.2 | R
28 | 43.36% | 51.02% | R+7.7 | 43.31% | 42.27% | D+1 | R
29 | 48.16% | 47.12% | D+1 | 45.04% | 41.24% | D+3.8 | R
30 | 50.06% | 44.08% | D+6 | 47.75% | 37.01% | D+10.7 | R
31 | 38.29% | 57.90% | R+19.6 | 41.78% | 45.91% | R+4.1 | R
32 | 48.95% | 47.93% | D+1 | 43.90% | 47.34% | R+3.4 | D
33 | 57.44% | 38.34% | D+19.1 | 55.59% | 32.01% | D+23.6 | D
34 | 67.75% | 30.86% | D+36.9 | 64.65% | 28.49% | D+36.2 | D
35 | 58.06% | 38.71% | D+19.3 | 54.23% | 34.26% | D+20 | D
36 | 53.29% | 43.51% | D+9.8 | 49.35% | 39.28% | D+10.1 | D
37 | 50.09% | 46.98% | D+3.1 | 49.32% | 39.69% | D+9.6 | D
38 | 45.97% | 50.34% | R+4.4 | 39.87% | 49.90% | R+10 | R
39 | 53.53% | 43.60% | D+9.9 | 48.95% | 41.86% | D+7.1 | D
40 | 69.65% | 27.03% | D+42.6 | 60.30% | 28.99% | D+31.3 | D
41 | 74.26% | 22.15% | D+52.1 | 64.48% | 23.77% | D+40.7 | D
42 | 77.86% | 18.20% | D+59.7 | 69.70% | 18.34% | D+51.4 | D
43 | 51.55% | 42.52% | D+9 | 51.63% | 31.90% | D+19.7 | D
44 | 42.34% | 53.33% | R+11 | 38.87% | 48.14% | R+9.3 | R
45 | 75.50% | 20.49% | D+55 | 71.68% | 19.09% | D+52.6 | D
46 | 76.11% | 19.64% | D+56.5 | 72.91% | 17.80% | D+55.1 | D
47 | 75.23% | 21.12% | D+54.1 | 75.51% | 16.95% | D+58.6 | D
48 | 79.43% | 16.14% | D+63.3 | 76.07% | 15.07% | D+61 | D
49 | 48.75% | 46.04% | D+2.7 | 39.56% | 48.03% | R+8.5 | R
50 | 54.56% | 40.49% | D+14.1 | 49.33% | 40.67% | D+8.7 | D
51 | 34.24% | 62.18% | R+27.9 | 29.61% | 60.13% | R+30.5 | R
52 | 62.23% | 35.17% | D+27.1 | 62.07% | 29.79% | D+32.3 | D
53 | 48.82% | 48.52% | D+0.3 | 48.39% | 41.93% | D+6.5 | R
54 | 32.19% | 64.92% | R+32.7 | 25.69% | 66.62% | R+40.9 | R
55 | 29.64% | 67.48% | R+37.8 | 24.35% | 67.91% | R+43.6 | R
56 | 34.58% | 61.37% | R+26.8 | 29.21% | 61.10% | R+31.9 | R
57 | 45.25% | 50.34% | R+5.1 | 39.99% | 46.81% | R+6.8 | R
58 | 43.98% | 52.91% | R+8.9 | 36.58% | 53.06% | R+16.5 | R
59 | 29.23% | 67.78% | R+38.5 | 23.93% | 67.65% | R+43.7 | R
60 | 42.37% | 52.23% | R+9.9 | 38.93% | 47.35% | R+8.4 | R
61 | 32.56% | 65.02% | R+32.5 | 29.95% | 62.63% | R+32.7 | R
62 | 19.59% | 78.35% | R+58.8 | 18.39% | 74.53% | R+56.1 | R
63 | 49.61% | 47.24% | D+2.4 | 36.71% | 51.26% | R+14.6 | D
64 | 24.47% | 72.92% | R+48.5 | 20.65% | 70.74% | R+50.1 | R
65 | 79.83% | 16.71% | D+63.1 | 67.22% | 16.91% | D+50.3 | D
66 | 24.60% | 72.24% | R+47.6 | 21.08% | 69.94% | R+48.9 | R
67 | 37.15% | 59.71% | R+22.6 | 27.94% | 62.43% | R+34.5 | R
68 | 47.01% | 48.56% | R+1.5 | 43.56% | 42.91% | D+0.7 | R
69 | 68.52% | 28.07% | D+40.4 | 56.03% | 29.07% | D+27 | D
70 | 69.54% | 26.69% | D+42.9 | 60.23% | 28.91% | D+31.3 | D
Total | 52.99% | 42.84% | D+10.1 | 48.26% | 40.04% | D+8.2 | \-
Source: Daily Kos

## Election history[edit]

### 2014[edit]

U.S. Senate, New Mexico General Election, 2014

Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes
| Democratic  | Tom Udall Incumbent | 55.6% | 286,409
| Republican  |  Allen Weh  | 44.4% | 229,097
Total Votes | 515,506
Source: New Mexico Secretary of State

### 2012[edit]

U.S. Senate, New Mexico General Election, 2012

Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes
| Democratic  | Martin Heinrich | 51% | 395,717
| Republican  |  Heather Wilson  | 45.3% | 351,260
| Independent American  |  Jon Ross Barrie  | 3.6% | 28,199
Total Votes | 775,176
Source: New Mexico Secretary of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election"

## Wave election analysis[edit]

See also: Wave elections (1918-2016)

The term wave election is frequently used to describe an election cycle in which one party makes significant electoral gains. How many seats would Republicans have had to lose for the 2018 midterm election to be considered a wave election?

Ballotpedia examined the results of the 50 election cycles that occurred between 1918 and 2016—spanning from President Woodrow Wilson's (D) second midterm in 1918 to Donald Trump's (R) first presidential election in 2016. We define wave elections as the 20 percent of elections in that period resulting in the greatest seat swings against the president's party.

Applying this definition to U.S. Senate elections, we found that Republicans needed to lose seven seats for 2018 to qualify as a wave election.

The chart below shows the number of seats the president's party lost in the 10 U.S. Senate waves from 1918 to 2016. Click here to read the full report.

U.S. Senate wave elections

Year | President | Party | Election type | Senate seats change | Senate majority[29]
1932 | Hoover | R | Presidential | -13 | D (flipped)
1958 | Eisenhower | R | Second midterm | -12 | D
1946 | Truman | D | First midterm | -10 | R (flipped)
1980 | Carter | D | Presidential | -9 | R (flipped)
2014 | Obama | D | Second midterm | -9 | R (flipped)
1942 | Roosevelt | D | Third midterm | -8 | D
2008 | George W. Bush | D | Presidential | -8 | D
1926 | Coolidge | R | First midterm[30] | -7 | R
1930 | Hoover | R | First midterm | -7 | R
1986 | Reagan | R | Second midterm | -7 | D (flipped)

## State overview[edit]

### Partisan control[edit]

This section details the partisan control of state and federal positions in New Mexico heading into the 2018 elections.

#### Congressional delegation[edit]

* Following the 2014 elections, Democrats hold both U.S. Senate seats in New Mexico.
* Democrats held two of the state's three U.S. House seats while Republicans {{{after}}} the third.

#### State executives[edit]

* As of September 2018, Democrats held 15 of 27 state executive offices. Republicans held six, Libertarians held one, and the remaining five were held by nonpartisan officials.
* The governor of New Mexico was Republican Susana Martinez. Martinez won office in 2010 and was re-elected in 2014.

#### State legislature[edit]

* Democrats controlled both chambers of the New Mexico State Legislature. They had a 38-31 majority in the state House and a 24-18 majority in the state Senate.

#### Trifecta status[edit]

* New Mexico was under divided government, with Democrats controlling both houses of the state legislature and Republican Susana Martinez serving as governor.

### 2018 elections[edit]

See also: New Mexico elections, 2018

New Mexico held elections for the following positions in 2018:

* One seat in the U.S. Senate
* All three seats in the U.S. House
* Governor
* Eight other state executive offices
* All 70 seats in the state House
* Three of five seats on the state Supreme Court
* Six of 10 seats on the state Court of Appeals
* Municipal elections in Bernalillo County

### Demographics[edit]

Demographic data for New Mexico

| New Mexico| U.S.
Total population:| 2,080,328| 316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):| 121,298| 3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:| 73.2%| 73.6%
Black/African American:| 2.1%| 12.6%
Asian:| 1.4%| 5.1%
Native American:| 9.1%| 0.8%
Pacific Islander:| 0.1%| 0.2%
Two or more:| 3.3%| 3%
Hispanic/Latino:| 47.4%| 17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:| 84.2%| 86.7%
College graduation rate:| 26.3%| 29.8%
Income
Median household income:| $44,963| $53,889
Persons below poverty level:| 24.7%| 11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in New Mexico.

* * *

**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

As of July 2016, New Mexico's three largest cities were Albuquerque (pop. est. 560,000), Las Cruces (pop. est. 100,000), and Rio Rancho (pop. est. 96,000).[31]

## State election history[edit]

This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in New Mexico from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from New Mexico Secretary of State.

### Historical elections[edit]

#### Presidential elections, 2000-2016[edit]

This chart shows the results of the presidential election in New Mexico every year from 2000 to 2016.

Election results (President of the United States), New Mexico 2000-2016

Year  |  First-place candidate  |  First-place candidate votes (%)  |  Second-place candidate  |  Second-place candidate votes (%)  |  Margin of victory (%)
2016  |  Hillary Clinton |  48.3%  |  Donald Trump |  40.0%  | 8.3%
2012  |  Barack Obama |  53.0%  |  Mitt Romney |  42.8%  | 10.2%
2008  |  Barack Obama |  56.9%  |  John McCain |  41.8%  | 15.1%
2004  |  George W. Bush |  49.8%  |  John Kerry |  49.1%  | 0.7%
2000  |  Al Gore |  47.9%  |  George W. Bush |  47.9%  | 0.0%

#### U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016[edit]

This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in New Mexico from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.

Election results (U.S. Senator), New Mexico 2000-2014

Year  |  First-place candidate  |  First-place candidate votes (%)  |  Second-place candidate  |  Second-place candidate votes (%)  |  Margin of victory (%)
2014  |  Tom Udall |  55.6%  |  Allan Weh |  44.4%  | 11.2%
2012  |  Martin Heinrich |  51.0%  |  Heather Wilson |  45.3%  | 5.7%
2008  |  Tom Udall |  61.3%  |  Steve Pearce |  38.7%  | 22.6%
2006  |  Jeff Bingaman |  70.6%  |  Allen McCulloch |  29.3%  | 41.3%
2002  |  Pete Domenici |  65.0%  |  Gloria Tristani |  35.0%  | 30.0%
2000  |  Jeff Bingaman |  62.7%  |  Bill Redmond |  37.3%  | 25.4%

#### Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016[edit]

This chart shows the results of the gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in New Mexico.

Election results (Governor), New Mexico 2000-2016

Year  |  First-place candidate  |  First-place candidate votes (%)  |  Second-place candidate  |  Second-place candidate votes (%)  |  Margin of victory (%)
2014  |  Susana Martinez |  57.3%  |  Gary King |  42.7%  | 14.6%
2010  |  Susana Martinez |  53.3%  |  Diane Denish |  46.5%  | 6.8%
2006  |  Bill Richardson |  68.8%  |  John Dendahl |  31.2%  | 37.6%
2002  |  Bill Richardson |  55.5%  |  John Sanchez |  39.0%  | 16.5%

#### Congressional delegation, 2000-2016[edit]

This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent New Mexico in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.

Congressional delegation, New Mexico 2000-2016

Year  |  Republicans  |  Republicans (%)  |  Democrats  |  Democrats (%)  |  Balance of power
2016 |  1 | 33.3% |  2 | 66.7% | D+1
2014 |  1 | 33.3% |  2 | 66.7% | D+1
2012 |  1 | 33.3% |  2 | 66.7% | D+1
2010 |  1 | 33.3% |  2 | 66.7% | D+1
2008 |  0 | 0.0% |  3 | 100.0% | D+3
2006 |  2 | 66.7% |  1 | 33.3% | R+1
2004 |  2 | 66.7% |  1 | 33.3% | R+1
2002 |  2 | 66.7% |  1 | 33.3% | R+1
2000 |  2 | 66.7% |  1 | 33.3% | R+1

#### Trifectas, 1992-2017[edit]

A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.

New Mexico Party Control: 1992-2021
Fourteen years of Democratic trifectas • No Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year  |  92  |  93  |  94  |  95  |  96  |  97  |  98  |  99  |  00  |  01  |  02  |  03  |  04  |  05  |  06  |  07  |  08  |  09  |  10  |  11  |  12  |  13  |  14  |  15  |  16  |  17  |  18  |  19  |  20  |  21

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Governor |  D |  D |  D |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  R |  D |  D |  D
Senate |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D
House |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D |  R |  R |  D |  D |  D |  D |  D

## See also[edit]

* United States House of Representatives elections in New Mexico, 2018
* United States Senate elections, 2018
* Martin Heinrich
* United States Senate election in New Mexico (June 5, 2018 Democratic primary)
* United States Senate election in New Mexico (June 5, 2018 Republican primary)

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `jenters`
2. ↑ Los Alamos Monitor, "Aubrey Dunn withdraws from U.S. Senate race," July 30, 2018
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 KRWG, "U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich Discusses Legislative Priorities," August 24, 2018
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Gary Johnson's 2018 campaign website, "About," accessed September 14, 2018
5. ↑ YouTube, "Gary Johnson: I could have power as Senate swing vote," August 16, 2018
6. ↑ Vote Smart, "Mick Rich's Biography," accessed September 14, 2018
7. ↑ Fox News, September 7, 2018
8. ↑ Carlsbad Current-Argus, "Senate candidate Mick Rich criticizes opponent Martin Heinrich, 'D.C. politicians,'" January 19, 2018
9. ↑ Mick Rich's 2018 campaign website, "Home," accessed September 14, 2018
10. ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed September 22, 2015
11. ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed September 22, 2015
12. ↑ National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," November 6, 2015
13. ↑ Protect Freedom PAC, "Protect Freedom PAC Endorses Gary Johnson for U.S. Senate in New Mexico & Launches Statewide TV & Digital Ad Campaign," October 5, 2018
14. ↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
15. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
16. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
17. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018
18. ↑ New York Times, "Kavanaugh Is Sworn In After Close Confirmation Vote in Senate Video," October 6, 2018
19. ↑ U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich, "Heinrich Statement On Final Vote Against Judge Kavanaugh's Confirmation," October 6, 2018
20. ↑ Mick Rich for Senate, "Mick Rich for U.S. Senate Campaign on President's Supreme Court Nomination," July 9, 2018
21. ↑ The News Tribune, "Kavanaugh vote reverberates in New Mexico Senate race," October 5, 2018
22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
23. ↑ Martin Heinrich’s campaign website, “Issues,” accessed September 14, 2018
24. ↑ Gary Johnson’s campaign website, “Issues,” accessed September 14, 2018
25. ↑ Mick Rich’s campaign website, “Issues,” accessed September 14, 2018
26. ↑ 270towin.com, "New Mexico," accessed August 8, 2017
27. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
28. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
29. ↑ Denotes the party that had more seats in the U.S. House following the election.
30. ↑ Calvin Coolidge's (R) first term began in August 1923 after the death of President Warren Harding (R), who was first elected in 1920. Before he had his first midterm in 1926, Coolidge was re-elected as president in 1924.
31. ↑ New Mexico Demographics by Cubit, "New Mexico Cities by Population," accessed September 7, 2018

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[show]

New Mexico's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Martin Heinrich (D)

Ben Luján (D)

Representatives

District 1

Melanie Ann Stansbury (D)

District 2

Yvette Herrell (R)

District 3

Teresa Leger Fernandez (D)

Democratic Party (4)

Republican Party (1)