December 26, 2023

2023 Top Stories #4: Courts uphold congressional redistricting

Note: Every year, we count down the top ten stories of the year, as voted on by NM Political Report staffers. New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District covers the southern half of New Mexico and is traditionally more politically conservative than the northern half of the state. When the New Mexico Legislature approved the 2021 redistricting maps that shifted the 2nd Congressional District […]

Nicole Maxwell

Note: Every year, we count down the top ten stories of the year, as voted on by NM Political Report staffers.

New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District covers the southern half of New Mexico and is traditionally more politically conservative than the northern half of the state.

When the New Mexico Legislature approved the 2021 redistricting maps that shifted the 2nd Congressional District into a portion of Albuquerque, the state Republican Party and others sued the State alleging gerrymandering in favor of Democrats.

The gerrymandering case was heard on Oct. 6 by New Mexico Ninth Judicial District Court Judge Fred T. van Soelen, who found that although the maps were gerrymandered, they were not legally actionable.

Republicans appealed to the New Mexico Supreme Court which agreed with van Soelen and the map stands.

“We are disappointed in the NM Supreme Court’s ruling to uphold the gerrymandered map that disenfranchises the voices of conservative Democrats, Republicans and Independents alike and divides up vital industries,” Republican Party of New Mexico Chairman Steve Pearce said in the statement following the state Supreme Court ruling. “We intensely disagree that Democrats did not intentionally entrench the 2nd Congressional District by shifting it 18 points in their favor.”

The Democrats were as gratified by the ruling as the Republicans were dissatisfied by it.

“After a non-partisan, deliberative process that was informed by and invited expert and public input from communities across the state, and subsequently went through the complete legislative process in committees and both chambers, the Supreme Court’s decision reaffirms that these maps are fair and representative of New Mexico and our diverse communities. Now that this matter is finally resolved, both parties can focus on what matters – reaching voters and serving New Mexicans,” the Democratic Party of New Mexico released in a statement after the ruling.

The most recent 2nd Congressional District election was a close race between then-Rep. Yvette Herrell, a Republican from Alamogordo, and Rep. Gabe Vasquez, a Democrat from Las Cruces.

Vasquez won that election by 1,350 votes, or less than 1 percent.

Both Herrell and Vasquez have announced their intention to run in 2024.

The two elections prior to the district map change were the 2018 and 2020 elections which showed a flip-flop between the two parties with Xochitl Torres Small winning the seat with 51 percent of the vote to Herrell’s 49 percent of the vote in 2018.A rematch between Herrell and Torres Small in 2020 ended with Herrell winning with 54 percent of the vote to Torres Small’s 46 percent.

The Republican Party of New Mexico is not planning any further legal action on this matter at this time.