The major party candidates seeking federal office filed for the primary elections on Tuesday.
There will be no contested Democratic primaries, as the incumbents in all three congressional districts as well as the U.S. Senate are seeking reelection.
The most high-profile race will likely be the race for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate. Nella Domenici, a former hedge fund executive and daughter of former U.S. Senator Pete Domenici, will face Manny Gonzales, a former Democrat who served two terms as Bernalillo County Sheriff.
The winner will face incumbent Martin Heinrich, who is seeking his third term. Heinrich previously served in the U.S. House.
The other competitive primary is the race for the Republican nomination for the 1st Congressional District, with former energy consultant Steve Jones of Ruidoso facing off against gun range owner Louie Sanchez. Jones previously ran for the 2nd Congressional District seat as a write-in candidate, while Sanchez previously sought the 1st Congressional District seat and lost in the Republican primary.
The most high-profile general election race will be in the state’s 2nd Congressional District, which covers much of the southern portion of New Mexico. Former congresswoman Yvette Herrell is seeking to defeat incumbent Gabe Vasquez after Vasquez narrowly won the seat over her in 2022. Neither face a primary opponent.
In the state’s 3rd Congressional District, incumbent Teresa Leger Fernández is unopposed in the primary, as is former state representative Sharon Clahchischilliage on the Republican side.
Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver praised the process of filing day.
“Candidate filing day is one of many crucial steps election administrators and candidates take in the fair and open process by which we elect our leaders,” Toulouse Oliver said. “I applaud all the candidates who officially threw their hats into the ring of our democracy today and filed for a spot in the June 4th Primary Election.”
Filing for other offices, including all seats in the state legislature, will take place on March 12. Presidential candidates for New Mexico were decided last December.