New Mexico's 3rd congressional district facts for kids

New Mexico's 3rd congressional district is a special area in the northern part of New Mexico. It's like a section of the state that chooses one person to represent them in the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, D.C. This district includes the state's capital city, Santa Fe.

A big part of this district is home to many Native American communities. This includes most of the New Mexico area of the Navajo Nation and many Puebloan peoples reservations. The person who represents this district right now is Teresa Leger Fernandez, who is a member of the Democratic Party.

This district was first created after the 1980 Census. This happens every ten years to make sure each district has about the same number of people.

Ben Ray Luján was the representative for this district starting in 2008. In 2020, he decided to run for a different job, a U.S. Senator position, and he won! This meant the 3rd district seat was open. Teresa Leger Fernandez then won the election in 2020 to become the new representative.

How Does the District Vote in Big Elections?

This section shows how the 3rd congressional district has voted in important statewide elections, like for President or Senator. The results often show how the district generally leans in terms of political parties.

Who Has Represented the 3rd District?

The 3rd congressional district has had several representatives since it was created in 1983. These people work in Washington, D.C., to speak for the people of northern New Mexico.

Member (District home)	Party	Years	Electoral history	District boundaries
District created January 3, 1983
Bill Richardson Bill Richardson (Santa Fe)	Democratic	January 3, 1983 – February 13, 1997	Bill Richardson was the first person elected to represent this district in 1982. He was re-elected many times. He left his job in 1997 to become the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.	1983–1993 This map shows the district's shape during these years.
				1993–2003 The district boundaries changed a bit during this time.
Vacant		February 13, 1997 – May 13, 1997	For a few months, no one was representing the district after Bill Richardson left.
Bill Redmond Bill Redmond (Santa Fe)	Republican	May 13, 1997 – January 3, 1999	Bill Redmond was elected in a special election to finish Richardson's term. He later lost his bid for re-election.
Tom Udall Tom Udall (Santa Fe)	Democratic	January 3, 1999 – January 3, 2009	Tom Udall was elected in 1998 and served for many years. He decided not to run for re-election in 2008 because he wanted to run for a U.S. Senator position instead.
				2003–2013 The 3rd district from 2003 to 2013 The district's shape changed again.
Ben Ray Luján Ben Ray Luján (Nambé)	Democratic	January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2021	Ben Ray Luján was elected in 2008. He was re-elected several times. In 2020, he chose to run for U.S. Senator and won, leaving his seat open.
				2013–present The 3rd district from 2013 to present This map shows the current boundaries of the district.
Teresa Leger Fernandez Teresa Leger Fernandez (Santa Fe)	Democratic	January 3, 2021 – Present	Teresa Leger Fernandez was elected in 2020 and is the current representative for the 3rd district.

Recent Election Results

This section shows the results of the most recent elections for the 3rd congressional district.

2020 Election

In the 2020 election, voters chose a new representative for the district.

Historical District Boundaries

The shape and size of congressional districts can change over time. This usually happens after each U.S. Census, which counts the population every ten years. These changes are called redistricting.

The 3rd congressional district from 2003 to 2013.

See also

In Spanish: 3.º distrito congresional de Nuevo México para niños