New Mexico's 3rd congressional district facts for kids

Quick facts for kids

New Mexico's 3rd congressional district

From 2013 to 2023

From 2023

Interactive map of district boundaries. In the 2020 redistricting cycle, the district takes in some of Eastern New Mexico from the 2nd district, with some of Albuquerque's northern suburbs instead drawn into the 1st district.

Representative

Teresa Leger Fernandez
D–Santa Fe

Distribution

64.70% urban
35.30% rural

Population (2019)

699,985

Median income

$53,357

Ethnicity

37.9% White
1.5% Black
1.2% Asian
40.2% Hispanic
17.5% other
1.6% Multi

Cook PVI

D+8

New Mexico's 3rd congressional district serves the northern half of New Mexico, including the state's Capital, Santa Fe. The district has a significant Native American presence, encompassing most of the New Mexico portion of the Navajo Nation, situated in the northwest corner of the state, and most of the Puebloan peoples reservations. The current Representative is Democrat Teresa Leger Fernandez.

The district was created as a result of the redistricting cycle after the 1980 Census.

Ben Ray Luján, who was elected to the seat in 2008, ran successfully for the United States Senate in 2020, leaving the seat open. Democratic nominee Teresa Leger Fernandez defeated Republican Alexis Johnson in the 2020 general election.

Recent election results from statewide races
List of members representing the district
Election results
- 1982
- 1984
- 1986
- 1988
- 1990
- 1992
- 1994
- 1996
- 1997 (Special)
- 1998
- 2000
- 2002
- 2004
- 2006
- 2008
- 2010
- 2012
- 2014
- 2016
- 2018
- 2020
Historical district boundaries
See also

Recent election results from statewide races

Source

Year	Office	Result
2000	President	Gore 52 – 43%
2004	President	Kerry 54 – 45%
2008	President	Obama 61 – 38%
2012	President	Obama 57 – 39%
2016	President	Clinton 52 – 37%
2018	Senator	Heinrich 57 – 27%
2018	Governor	Lujan Grisham 61 – 39%
2020	President	Biden 57 – 40%

List of members representing the district

Member (District home)	Party	Years	Cong ress	Electoral history	District boundaries
District created January 3, 1983
Bill Richardson (Santa Fe)	Democratic	January 3, 1983 – February 13, 1997		Elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1984. Re-elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Re-elected in 1990. Re-elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Resigned to become U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.	1983–1993 Catron, Cibola, Colfax, Harding, Los Alamos, McKinley, Mora, Rio Arriba, Sandoval, San Juan, San Miguel, Santa Fe, Socorro, Taos, and Valencia
Bill Richardson (Santa Fe)	Democratic	January 3, 1983 – February 13, 1997			1993–2003 Bernalillo, Cibola, Colfax, Curry, Harding, Los Alamos, McKinley, Mora, Quay, Rio Arriba, Roosevelt, Sandoval, San Juan, San Miguel, Santa Fe, Taos, and Union
Vacant		February 13, 1997 – May 13, 1997	105th
Bill Redmond (Santa Fe)	Republican	May 13, 1997 – January 3, 1999	105th	Elected to finish Richardson's term. Lost re-election.
Tom Udall (Santa Fe)	Democratic	January 3, 1999 – January 3, 2009		Elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Retired to run for U.S. senator.
Tom Udall (Santa Fe)	Democratic	January 3, 1999 – January 3, 2009			2003–2013 Bernalillo, Colfax, Curry, Harding, Los Alamos, McKinley, Mora, Quay, Rio Arriba, Roosevelt, Sandoval, San Juan, San Miguel, Santa Fe, Taos, and Union
Ben Ray Luján (Nambé)	Democratic	January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2021		Elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Retired to run for U.S. senator.
Ben Ray Luján (Nambé)	Democratic	January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2021			2013–present Bernalillo, Colfax, Curry, Harding, Los Alamos, McKinley, Mora, Quay, Rio Arriba, Roosevelt, Sandoval, San Juan, San Miguel, Santa Fe, Taos, and Union
Teresa Leger Fernandez (Santa Fe)	Democratic	January 3, 2021 – Present	Presentth	Elected in 2020.

Election results

1982

1982 United States House of Representatives elections in New Mexico: District 3
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Bill Richardson	84,669	64.49
	Republican	Marjorie Bell Chambers	46,466	35.39
	Write-in		158	0.12
Total votes			131,293	100.00
	Democratic win (new seat)

1984

1984 United States House of Representatives elections in New Mexico: District 3
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Bill Richardson (Incumbent)	100,470	60.81
	Republican	Louis H. Gallegos	62,351	37.74
	Libertarian	Shirley Machocky Jones	2,388	1.45
Total votes			165,209	100.00
	Democratic hold

1986

1986 United States House of Representatives elections in New Mexico: District 3
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Bill Richardson (Incumbent)	95,760	71.30
	Republican	David F. Cargo	38,552	28.70
Total votes			134,312	100.00
	Democratic hold

1988

1988 United States House of Representatives elections in New Mexico: District 3
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Bill Richardson (Incumbent)	124,938	73.11
	Republican	Cecilia M. Salazar	45,954	26.89
Total votes			170,892	100.00
	Democratic hold

1990

1990 United States House of Representatives elections in New Mexico: District 3
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Bill Richardson (Incumbent)	104,225	74.46
	Republican	Phil T. Archuletta	35,751	25.54
Total votes			139,976	100.00
	Democratic hold

1992

1992 United States House of Representatives elections in New Mexico: District 3
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Bill Richardson (Incumbent)	122,850	67.42
	Republican	F. Gregg Bemis Jr.	54,569	29.95
	Libertarian	Ed Nagel	4,798	2.63
Total votes			182,217	100.00
	Democratic hold

1994

1994 United States House of Representatives elections in New Mexico: District 3
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Bill Richardson (Incumbent)	99,900	63.59
	Republican	F. Gregg Bemis Jr.	53,515	34.06
	Libertarian	Ed Nagel	3,697	2.35
Total votes			157,112	100.00
	Democratic hold

1996

1996 United States House of Representatives elections in New Mexico: District 3
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Bill Richardson (Incumbent)	124,594	67.25
	Republican	Bill Redmond	56,580	30.54
	Libertarian	Ed Nagel	4,097	2.21
Total votes			185,271	100.00
	Democratic hold

1997 (Special)

1997 New Mexico's 3rd congressional district special election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Bill Redmond	43,559	42.75
	Democratic	Eric P. Serna	40,542	39.79
	Green	Carol Miller	17,101	16.78
	Libertarian	Ed Nagel	393	0.39
	Reform	Daniel Pearlman	304	0.30
Total votes			101,899	100.00
	Republican gain from Democratic

1998

1998 United States House of Representatives elections in New Mexico: District 3
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Tom Udall	91,248	53.16
	Republican	Bill Redmond (Incumbent)	74,266	43.27
	Green	Carol Miller	6,103	3.56
	Write-in		32	0.01
Total votes			171,649	100.00
	Democratic gain from Republican

2000

2000 United States House of Representatives elections in New Mexico: District 3
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Tom Udall (Incumbent)	135,040	67.18
	Republican	Lisa L. Lutz	65,979	32.82
Total votes			201,019	100.00
	Democratic hold

2002

2002 United States House of Representatives elections in New Mexico: District 3
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Tom Udall (Incumbent)	122,921	100.00
Total votes			122,921	100.00
	Democratic hold

2004

2004 United States House of Representatives elections in New Mexico: District 3
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Tom Udall (Incumbent)	175,269	68.68
	Republican	Gregory M. Tucker	79,935	31.32
Total votes			255,204	100.00
	Democratic hold

2006

2006 United States House of Representatives elections in New Mexico: District 3
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Tom Udall (Incumbent)	144,880	74.64
	Republican	Ronald M. Dolin	49,219	25.36
Total votes			194,099	100.00
	Democratic hold

2008

2008 Democratic Primary Congressional Election, District 3
	Candidate	Votes	%
Democratic	Ben Ray Luján	26,667	41.58
Democratic	Don Wiviott	16,314	25.44
Democratic	Benny J. Shendo Jr.	10,113	15.77
Democratic	Harry Montoya	7,205	11.23
Democratic	Jon Adams	1,993	3.11
Democratic	Rudy Martin	1,838	2.87

2008 Republican Primary Congressional Election, District 3
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Daniel K. East	14,767	53.89
	Republican	Marco Gonzales	12,634	46.11

2008 United States House of Representatives elections in New Mexico: District 3
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Ben Ray Luján	161,292	56.74
	Republican	Daniel K. East	86,618	30.47
	Independent	Carol Miller	36,348	12.79
Total votes			284,258	100.00
	Democratic hold

2010

2010 United States House of Representatives elections in New Mexico: District 3
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Ben Ray Luján (Incumbent)	120,057	56.99
	Republican	Thomas E. Mullins	90,621	43.01
Total votes			210,678	100.00
	Democratic hold

2012

2012 United States House of Representatives elections in New Mexico: District 3
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Ben Ray Luján (Incumbent)	167,103	63.12
	Republican	Jefferson L. Byrd	97,616	36.88
Total votes			264,719	100.00
	Democratic hold

2014

2014 United States House of Representatives elections in New Mexico: District 3
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Ben Ray Luján (Incumbent)	113,249	61.52
	Republican	Jefferson Byrd	70,775	38.45
	Republican	Thomas Hook (Write-In)	52	0.03
Total votes			184,076	100.00
	Democratic hold

2016

2016 United States House of Representatives elections in New Mexico: District 3
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Ben Ray Luján (Incumbent)	170,612	62.42
	Republican	Michael H. Romero	102,730	37.58
Total votes			273,342	100.00
	Democratic hold

2018

2018 United States House of Representatives elections in New Mexico: District 3
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Ben Ray Luján (Incumbent)	155,201	63.04
	Republican	Jerald S. McFall	76,427	31.02
	Libertarian	Christopher Manning	13,265	5.4
Total votes			244,893	100.00
	Democratic hold

2020

2020 United States House of Representatives elections in New Mexico: District 3
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Teresa Leger Fernandez	186,282	58.07
	Republican	Alexis Martinez Johnson	131,166	41.03
Total votes			317,448	100.00
	Democratic hold

Historical district boundaries

2003 - 2013