Headline: Luna County Voters Weigh In as New Mexico Primary Results Take Shape
DEMING – New Mexico voters went to the polls Tuesday to select party nominees for federal, state and local offices, with Luna County voters joining residents across the state in helping shape November’s General Election ballot.
In the race for Governor, Luna County Democrats strongly favored Deb Haaland, who received 969 votes, or 74 percent, while Sam Bregman received 349 votes, or 26 percent. Statewide, Haaland secured the Democratic nomination and will advance to the November General Election.
On the Republican side, Luna County voters favored Gregg Hull with 539 votes, or 43 percent. Doug Turner received 481 votes, or 38 percent, while Duke Rodriguez received 237 votes, or 19 percent. Hull won the Republican gubernatorial nomination statewide and will face Haaland in November.
For Lieutenant Governor, Luna County Democrats overwhelmingly backed Maggie Toulouse Oliver with 1,016 votes, or 78 percent, compared with 279 votes, or 22 percent, for Harold Pope Jr. Republican voters in Luna County narrowly favored Aubrey Blair Dunn with 524 votes, or 44 percent. David Gallegos received 495 votes, or 41 percent, and Manny Lardizabal received 175 votes, or 15 percent.
In the Democratic race for U.S. Senate, Ben Ray Luján carried Luna County with 1,102 votes, or 83 percent, while Matt Dodson received 222 votes, or 17 percent. Republican Larry Marker received 171 write-in votes.
For U.S. Representative in Congressional District 2, Democrat Gabriel Vasquez received 1,212 votes in Luna County. Republican Gregory Cunningham won the Luna County Republican primary with 969 votes, or 81 percent, while Jose Orozco received 221 votes, or 19 percent.
In the Secretary of State race, Amanda López Askin received 723 votes, or 57 percent, compared with 550 votes, or 43 percent, for Katharine Clark among Luna County Democrats. Republican Ramona Goolsby was unopposed and received 1,038 votes.
Attorney General Raúl Torrez was unopposed on the Democratic ballot and received 1,217 votes in Luna County. Republican Samuel Isaiah Kane Sr. was also unopposed and received 1,039 votes.
For State Auditor, Joseph Maestas received 1,180 Democratic votes. Republican write-in candidate Joshua James Ryan Lawrence received 167 votes.
State Treasurer Laura Montoya received 1,197 Democratic votes in Luna County, while Republican write-in candidate James Ellison received 171 votes.
In the Democratic primary for Commissioner of Public Lands, Juan de Jesus Sanchez III received 858 votes, or 67 percent. Matthew McQueen received 270 votes, or 21 percent, and Jonas Moya received 148 votes, or 12 percent. Republican Michael Jack Perry was unopposed and received 1,044 votes.
For State Representative District 32, Democrat Laura Mairel Parra received 1,197 votes while Republican Jenifer Marie Jones received 1,192 votes. Both advance to the November General Election after running unopposed in their respective primaries.
Locally, voters selected nominees in several contested races. In the Luna County Commission District 1 Democratic primary, Eddie Mesa defeated Raymond John Trejo by a vote of 229 to 182, a margin of 56 percent to 44 percent. On the Republican side, David William Lindberg received 133 votes, or 49 percent, followed by Rex Gardner with 84 votes, or 31 percent, and Michael Casillas with 57 votes, or 21 percent. Mesa and Lindberg will face each other in November.
In Luna County Commission District 2, Thomas John Wakely received 413 Democratic votes while Colette Chandler received 502 Republican votes. Both were unopposed and advance to the General Election.
The Luna County Sheriff’s race drew strong interest among Republican voters. Glenn Chadborn defeated Mike Eby with 683 votes, or 54 percent, compared with 574 votes, or 46 percent, to earn the Republican nomination.
In the Luna County Assessor race, Javier Reyes defeated Jessica Leigh Vinson-Moreno by a margin of 785 votes to 520 votes, or 60 percent to 40 percent.
For Probate Judge, Democrat Pilar Pacheco Salcido was unopposed and received 1,210 votes. Republican Roy Scott Chandler defeated Clifford Denshire with 819 votes, or 67 percent, compared with 403 votes, or 33 percent.
All results remain unofficial until canvassed by the Luna County Board of County Commissioners and certified by state election officials.
By John Krehbiel – Bravo Mic Communications – john@bravomic.com
