Leger Fernández wins 3rd District race with wide lead

Las Vegas attorney Teresa Leger Fernández secured her fourth term as the U.S. representative for New Mexico's 3rd Congressional District on Tuesday night. Unofficial results showed her leading Republican challenger Martin Zamora by a wide margin as votes continued to be tallied.

Leger Fernández declared victory just before 10 p.m. at the Route 66 Casino Hotel on Laguna Pueblo. She noted that more than 100 Democratic women are on track to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. "I am grateful tonight for your trust, your love, and your votes that are sending me back to Congress," she told supporters.

The incumbent first won the seat in 2020 after Ben Ray Luján left to run for the U.S. Senate. She has represented the sprawling northern district, which includes portions of the eastern part of the state, since 2021. The district has historically favored Democrats, with only one Republican serving in the seat since its creation in 1982.

Zamora, a generational farmer from Clovis, ran for Congress after deciding not to seek a fifth term in the New Mexico House of Representatives. He served in the state House for four terms after defeating George Dodge Jr. in 2018. During the campaign, he focused on protecting agricultural heritage, combating crime and drug trafficking, and promoting economic development.

The candidates debated on Oct. 30, hosted by the Albuquerque Journal. Leger Fernández campaigned on lowering costs for working families, expanding healthcare access, and securing federal investments in rural communities. She also emphasized her work on federal compensation for victims of the 2022 Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire.

Zamora accused Leger Fernández of failing to adequately compensate residents affected by that fire. "Our congresswoman has let us down there. She has failed us," he said during the debate. He also advocated for stronger enforcement against fentanyl trafficking and increased penalties for precursor chemicals from China.

Leger Fernández described the Trump administration's war in Iran as illegal and unnecessary, while Zamora defended the president's authority. Both candidates supported protecting New Mexico's water resources and ensuring federal compensation for natural disaster victims. Leger Fernández stated that the people had said they had enough of corruption and billionaires getting richer while working families struggle.